Interstate 471 (I-471) is a

Interstate Highway The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, or the Eisenhower Interstate System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Hi ...

, linking

I-71 Interstate 71 (I-71) is a north–south Interstate Highway in the midwestern and Southeastern United States, southeastern regions of the United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 64, I-64 and Interstate 65, ...

in Downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, to

I-275 Interstate 275 (I-275) may refer to: *Interstate 275 (Ohio–Indiana–Kentucky), a full beltway around Cincinnati, OH; Covington, KY; Lawrenceburg, IN - construction started in 1968 *Interstate 275 (Florida), a loop through Tampa, St. Petersburg, ...

Highland Heights, Kentucky Highland Heights is a home rule-class city in Campbell County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 6,662 at the 2020 census. Highland Heights is home to Northern Kentucky University and General Cable, a Fortune 500 company whose pre ...

. South of I-275, the expressway continues south to U.S. Route 27 (US 27) as unsigned Kentucky Route 471 (KY 471).

Route description

The southern terminus of I-471 is at an

interchange Interchange may refer to: Transport * Interchange (road), a collection of ramps, exits, and entrances between two or more highways * Interchange (freight rail), the transfer of freight cars between railroad companies * Interchange station, a rai ...

with I–275 and US 27. I-471 heads northwest, then turns northeast, having an interchange with US 27 in

Southgate SouthGate is a shopping centre in Bath, Somerset, England, It is home to over fifty shops, ten restaurants, 99 homes and an 860-space underground car park. It replaced a shopping centre which was demolished in 2007. The new centre developed b ...

. After US 27, I-471 turns back northwest, heading toward

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

. On the way to Cincinnati, I-471 passes through the east side of

Newport Newport most commonly refers to: *Newport, Wales *Newport, Rhode Island, US Newport or New Port may also refer to: Places Asia *Newport City, Metro Manila, a Philippine district in Pasay * Newport (Vietnam), a United States Army and Army of t ...

. On the east side of Newport, I-471 has an interchange with KY 8. I-471 crosses the

Ohio River The Ohio River () is a river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing in a southwesterly direction from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to its river mouth, mouth on the Mississippi Riv ...

using the

Daniel Carter Beard Bridge The Daniel Carter Beard Bridge (also known colloquially as the Big Mac Bridge), is a yellow twin span steel bowstring arch bridge crossing the Ohio River in Cincinnati, Ohio. It carries Interstate 471 between Cincinnati, Ohio, and Newport, K ...

, a Cincinnati landmark. After the Ohio River crossing, I-471 has an interchange with US 50. After the interchange with US 50, I-471 has an interchange with I-71 northeast of Downtown Cincinnati. The northern terminus of I-471 is at the interchange with I-71.

History

I-471 was first envisioned in 1961 as an east–west connector between I-71/

I-75 Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes and Southeastern United States, Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end ...

Covington, Kentucky Covington is a list of cities in Kentucky, home rule-class city in Kenton County, Kentucky, United States. It is located at the confluence of the Ohio River, Ohio and Licking River (Kentucky), Licking rivers, across from Cincinnati to the north ...

, with I-71 in Cincinnati, Ohio, crossing the Ohio River at a spot close to the current location. In effect, this connection would have provided for an alternative to I-71, creating an inner loop system that would span both Ohio and Kentucky. Since this freeway would have hugged the southern riverfront, I-471 would have prevented access to the Ohio River from Kentucky. By 1967, the freeway was planned for a new alignment, much like the one seen today, connecting Cincinnati, Ohio, with Newport, Kentucky. On December 10, 1967, plans called for a north–south, freeway that would connect I-71 with I-275 near the interchange with US 27. I-471 would have three lanes in each direction (which has since been reworked into four lanes in each direction due to a construction project). The bridge between Newport and Cincinnati was constructed between November 1971 and September 1976 and named after Covington native

Daniel Carter Beard Daniel Carter "Uncle Dan" Beard (June 21, 1850 – June 11, 1941) was an American illustrator, author, youth leader, Georgist and social reformer who founded the Sons of Daniel Boone in 1905, which Beard later merged with the Boy Scouts of Ameri ...

, the founder of the

Boy Scouts of America Scouting America is the largest scouting organization and one of the largest List of youth organizations, youth organizations in the United States, with over 1 million youth, including nearly 200,000 female participants. Founded as the Boy Sco ...

. It developed the nickname of the "

Big Mac The Big Mac is a brand of hamburger sold by the international fast food restaurant chain McDonald's. It was introduced by a Greater Pittsburgh Region, Greater Pittsburgh area Franchising, franchisee in 1967 and expanded nationwide in 1968, and ...

Bridge" because its massive yellow arches over the river resemble the golden arches of

McDonald's McDonald's Corporation, doing business as McDonald's, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain. As of 2024, it is the second largest by number of locations in the world, behind only the Chinese ch ...

restaurants. The Daniel Carter Beard Bridge was fully dedicated in 1981. Subsequent construction extended the freeway south from the bridge in phases, with the last segment of I-471 opening in 1980 at its junction with US 27 south of I-275. In 1981, the cost to construct the freeway and bridge was calculated to be $85 million (equivalent to $ in ). Kentucky Route 471 was originally assigned to the road from US 25W in Jellico to US 25W in Saxton. This was renumbered to KY 1804 in 1961 when I-471 was designated.

Exit list

References

External links

I-471 on Cincinnati-Transit.net

KentuckyRoads.com: I-471
{{DEFAULTSORT:71-4 Auxiliary Interstate Highways Interstate Highways in Ohio Interstate Highways in Kentucky Roads in Cincinnati 4 Transportation in Campbell County, Kentucky Transportation in Hamilton County, Ohio