The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will open bid proposals to remove the old Shortway Bridge over the Licking River between Covington and Newport on Sept. 27. It will be up to the contractor to decide how to remove the bridge: removing it piece by piece or with explosives are among the options.

The bridge was replaced by the Licking Valley Girl Scout Bridge and has been closed since the new bridge opened.

Before demolishing a bridge, the KYTC offers it to groups wishing to preserve it; however, no groups came forward to preserve this bridge. Covington and Newport both have requested parts of the bridge to use in other projects.

The Shortway Bridge had been a toll bridge in the past. Tolls were last collected in 1986.

More information: Kentucky Post: The Shortway Bridge: Rusting hulk (Aug. 21, 2002)