Licking River Greenway and Trails is an ambitious Northern Kentucky effort to create an urban greenway from the mouth of the Licking River to the I-275 loop. Ideally the trails system will seek to connect neighborhoods and businesses on both sides of the river improving safety and increasing property values. The hope is that the greenway will eventually extend beyond connecting assets in southern Kenton and Campbell County to the urban core of the region.

Greenways, Parks, Rivers, Bike and Walking Trails, are among the top priorities of Northern Kentucky residents. We all want more ways to play outdoors and enjoy beautiful natural settings with family, friends, and neighbors.

The Licking River Greenway and Trails will extend the shoreline almost five miles South on both sides of the Licking River.  Vision 2015 is coordinating this Greenway and Parks planning and hired Woolpert and Human Nature who have developed some alternative trails proposals for public comment.  Proposed trails include walking paths on the river’s edge and paved trails along throughout the greenway.  The trails will connect neighborhood parks to the greenway and river, providing access for fishing and boating, including ramps for canoes and kayaks.  In the future, we anticipate that walkers and cyclists will be able to travel from Northern Kentucky, across the Purple People Bridge, to destinations on the Little Miami Scenic River Trail in Ohio.

Throughout the summer and fall of 2008 Vision 2015 met with Northern Kentucky residents and public officials about expanding greenways, parks and trails in our region. There will be some challenges: steep, unstable riverbanks, streams and roads that must be crossed, and issues of private property that must be addressed. It is the goal of Vision 2015 to engage property owners throughout the process working with them to ensure all private property is protected. As land becomes available for greenway and trail development a plan will be in place to negotiate purchases and accept easements.

Combined with the Riverfront Commons project, the Licking River Greenway Project will seek to create a fully integrated urban greenway. Riverfront Commons can be viewed as the shoulders with the Licking River Greenway forming the spine of a truly integrated regional parks system. The confluence of the Ohio and the Licking rivers is the setting for Riverfront Commons, a trail on the shore line connecting the Northern Kentucky cities of Dayton, Bellevue, Ft. Thomas, Newport and Covington. The Army Corps of Engineers has developed a master plan for stabilization and flood control and Southbank Partners is proposing a multi-purpose path. Residents and visitors may walk or bike to visit the many restaurants, theaters, and entertainment venues along the Ohio River. Together the Licking River Greenway and Trails and the Riverfront Commons Project can become valuable assets to the Northern Kentucky Region.