Two Easy Ways Around the Fourth Street Bridge Closure
Turn-by-turn directions for both detour routes, plus the restaurants worth making the trip for on both sides of the Licking River.
The Fourth Street Bridge may be gone, but getting between Newport and Covington is not some major production.
If traffic is moving, both detour options are simple, familiar, and still get you exactly where you want to go. Whether you are headed to Smoke Justis, grabbing a pre-game beer at Molly Malone's Irish Pub, meeting friends at Covington Yard, or heading back toward Newport for dinner at McCollum’s on York or a pour at Pensive Distilling Co. + Kitchen, the night still works.
You just have to pick a bridge.
Both routes below start from the roundabout just east of the former Fourth Street Bridge on the Newport side — the first point of diversion once you hit the closure.
The good news: neither route is a disaster. They are roughly the same trip. The difference is simply whether you want the direct Kentucky route or the Ohio route through downtown Cincinnati.
The Direct Route — Girl Scout Bridge
Dark Blue on the Map | 7 min | 2.1 miles
This is the Kentucky-to-Kentucky option and the one most people will default to.
Starting from the roundabout just east of the former Fourth Street Bridge in Newport:
- At the traffic circle, take the exit onto KY-9
- Take KY-1120 W and Prospect Avenue to Greenup Street in Covington
- Turn left onto West 9th Street
- Turn right onto Brighton Street
- Turn right onto KY-1120 W / W 11th Street and continue to follow KY-1120 W
- Continue onto Prospect Avenue / East 9th Street
- Turn right onto Greenup Street
- Turn left onto Park Place
- Smoke Justis is on the right at the corner of Court Street and Park Place
This route drops you directly into the Covington riverfront corridor near Molly Malone's Irish Pub, Covington Yard, Governor’s House Wine Bar & Italian Kitchen, and the rest of the Roebling Point and Mainstrasse neighborhood.
Simple. Direct. Familiar.
The Ohio Route — Taylor Southgate Bridge
Light Blue on the Map | 8 min | 2.3 miles
If you already cross the Taylor Southgate Bridge and the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge regularly, this route feels just as natural. It takes you through downtown Cincinnati and back down into Covington — one minute longer on paper and often the better option if you are already headed toward a Reds game or downtown.
Starting from the roundabout just east of the former Fourth Street Bridge in Newport:
- Take the exit onto KY-8 / West 3rd Street
- At the traffic circle, take the fourth exit onto Taylor Southgate Bridge and cross into Cincinnati
- Continue straight onto Broadway
- Turn left onto East 3rd Street
- Use the second lane from the left to turn left onto Walnut Street
- Continue onto Marian Spencer Way
- At the roundabout, take the second exit to cross the Roebling Bridge back into Covington
- Use the left lane to turn left onto Scott Street
- Turn left onto Park Place
- Smoke Justis is on the left
This route is especially easy if dinner turns into a Reds game, downtown drinks, or one of those nights where nobody goes straight home.
Same distance. Different bridge. Still easy.
It’s Not Just One Bridge
The Fourth Street Bridge is not the only crossing under pressure right now.
The Purple People Bridge — the pedestrian connector between Newport and Cincinnati — is undergoing structural repairs with construction beginning April 27. The Cincinnati approach closes entirely from May 4 through June 8.
The Brent Spence Bridge corridor construction continues to compress traffic across every alternate route between Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati.
Three major crossings. One corridor. All at the same time.
Which makes knowing these two routes more useful, not less.
Worth the Detour
The whole point of the detour is what is waiting on the other side. Just a few that we recommend:
Covington
- Smoke Justis
- Molly Malone's Irish Pub
- Governor’s House Wine Bar & Italian Kitchen
- Covington Yard
- dEcORa Eatery & Drinkery
- Thai Pavilion
- Blinkers Tavern
Newport
- Bourbon House Pizza
- McCollum’s on York
- Pensive Distilling Co. + Kitchen
- Pompilio's
- Purple Poulet
- Coaches Corner
- Shiner’s on the Levee
No chains. No pay-to-play. Just places that earned their spot.
If You’re Walking
The free TANK shuttle runs every 30 minutes for pedestrians and cyclists for the duration of the closure through Summer 2028.
Covington stops: Scott Street and Greenup Street
Newport stops: Central Avenue and Isabella Street
Hours: 6 a.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. weekends, until 11 p.m. nightly
The Point
The bridge is closed.
The restaurants are not.
Do not let a construction project convince you Newport is too far from Covington, or Covington too far from Newport. The routes are straightforward, the restaurants are worth it, and the detour is shorter than the wait for a table at most of these places anyway.
Pre-game in Covington. Dinner in Newport. Walk to Great American Ball Park like you always did.
Pick a bridge. Make the reservation. Go eat.
— That's the wellfd way. —
Written by Eugene Allen — who believes good menus reveal more than good marketing.
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