1988: A Bridge Linking the Buckeye and Bluegrass States is Opened to Traffic

January 28, 1988

A cantilever bridge spanning the Ohio River was officially opened. This bridge connects Washington Township (near the city of Portsmouth) in Ohio with the community of South Portsmouth in Kentucky. It was named after Carl D. Perkins (1912-1984), who served as a U.S. congressman from Kentucky from 1949 until his death.

Measuring a total of 2,119 feet (911.7 meters) in length, this two-lane structure was built to help accommodate ever-growing motor vehicle traffic in the region. The Carl D. Perkins Bridge, which is maintained by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, carries both Ohio State Route 852 and the truck route U.S. Highway 23 across the river.

Photo Credit: CC-BY-2.5; Released under the GNU Free Documentation License; CC-BY-SA-3.0-MIGRATED.

For more information on the Carl D. Perkins Bridge, please check out https://www.flickr.com/photos/kevystew/24320059801