Covington plans SR 516 widening, sidewalks and pedestrian-safety upgrades

“Keeping Covington moving safely is essential to our community,” a Staff member, City transportation staff, said during the meeting.

City transportation staff reported that a 2024 phase of improvements on State Route 516 from Jenkins Creek to 180 Fifth Street substantially completed widening the roadway from two lanes to five, rebuilt the bridge over Jenkins Creek with a pedestrian underpass and installed eight-foot sidewalks. Staff said the next segment, from 180 Fifth Street to 190 Second Street, is in design with the right-of-way phase about to begin and $1,000,000 in grant funding identified to begin property purchases.

If full funding is secured, staff said construction on the next segment is anticipated in 2027. The planned work for that segment would widen the highway to five lanes, add six-foot sidewalks and include a bike lane.

Staff also said the city used a $317,000 grant from the State Highway Safety Improvement Program to implement pedestrian-safety improvements in 2024. Those improvements, identified for several specific stretches of roadway, included installation of speed feedback signs, construction of an asphalt path for safer walking and crosswalk upgrades with rectangular rapid-flashing beacons at a busy intersection.

City staff said they are developing a neighborhood traffic-calming program aimed at reducing speeding and unsafe driving through a combination of education, enforcement and engineering measures and expressed hope to implement the program this year.

Next steps staff identified are beginning right-of-way acquisitions funded by the $1,000,000 grant and pursuing the remaining funding needed for construction; staff noted the 2027 construction target is contingent on securing full project funding.