Northern Kentucky

[buckethead1978]

I have had to drive to Cincinnati a few times in the last month. I’ve never really thought about Northern Kentucky aside from what I can see from 71. The only thing I know about that area is

-Florence Y’all
-People from there use(d) to say they were from Cincinnati.

With the bridge being out I had to detour to the side roads. I’d like to know more about that part of the state.

So, northern Kentuckians, how do you all define the different areas. Good parts, bad parts etc.

 

[jameslee32]

All good. No bad other than the Bengals.

 

[CAT Scratch FVR]

You can say everyone knows everyone in NKY, so it is all one area as far as I'm concerned.
Though, Campbell County may be the distant cousin you don't see all the time. Each has it's positives and negatives.

Boone County never saw a piece of land they did not want to build on, now experiencing some infrastructure issues due to lack of planning...Affordable new homes with size...Some trailer parks, lots of traffic. Takes 10-15 minutes to get to the highway from most spots...One takeway is Boone does not have the character of some of the Kenton and Campbell areas, mainly due to location, history. A lot more rural spots, undeveloped, but give them time.

Kenton County- Knowing everyone makes it cliquey in some cases. Some may say snooty in some areas.. Housing may be a little more expensive for less size. Kenton and Campbell have the river rats, slowly being run off by "progress". Similar Inner-city issues for both counties..Some historical sites and character.

Campbell- Has similar features to both counties, river, rural, character, homes, etc. A lot of them may the big trip up from Pendleton County or points south. Deep CC, a lot of time to get to highway, let alone modern areas of convenience. One county, two dimensions, north of NKU and south of NKU.

 

[jameslee32]

Have to disagree abut the length of time to get to the highway in Campbell. The AA highway and the widening of US 27 all the way to Grants Lick have cut that time drastically in the last 20 years or so.

 

[tWildcat]

Love living up here. Spend most of my time in Florence but love going to Newport on a Friday night. The Cincinnati skyline is beautiful from across the river.

 

[rick64]

My daughter graduated from NKU. She enjoyed her time there.

 

[joeyrupption]

I grew up in Boone County, but when we came back to KY we decided to settle in Fort Thomas because of the commute time, schools, and walkability. My assessment was Kenton has a great commute with nice old neighborhoods, but the schools are only good if you want Catholic schools. Boone was too far away for a commute, but the schools are OK.

One aspect I didn’t realize until I lived here is how the topography affects recreation. As a kid in Boone County it seems like I was surrounded by all kinds of ball fields and golf courses. Here in Fort Thomas, we have to drive far south for stuff like T-ball and public golf.

 

[Boogie Fan]

Grew up in Lex, lived in Boone County a few years now. Good place to raise a family, lots to do, low crime, lower taxes than other places. I don't have kids but I'm told the public schools are good. If you're looking worsening traffic and an hour wait at chain restaurants on a Friday night this is the place for you.

 

[fatguy87]

I grew up and currently live in Fort Thomas.

Hit up Midway or 915 for some outstanding chicken wings. The Olde Fort Pub is a classic hangout location.

Newport and Covington are known for the more lively night life. Mounmoth Street and Mainstrasse both have their fair share of bars and and restaurants. 7th and Madison in Covington has some places worth checking out. Hotel Covington is a cool old hotel with a bar and outdoor area. Agave and Rye and Braxton Brewery are just down the street. Dixie Chili and/or the Pepper Pod in Newport at 2 am is a must have experience for any traveler.

If you don't want to enjoy what night life the area has to offer, then simply hop across the bridge to Cincinnati. You can get anywhere in like 15 minutes in Cincinnati.

 

[BlueVelvetFog]

I recommend Clifton or West End for nightly entertainment

 

[funKYcat75]

Had some family live in Independence. Nice little town at the time (late 80s, early 90s) Was a cool place but they might have just been in a nice neighborhood.

 

[Ukbrassowtipin]

I feel like youre in a different town every mile you drive in nky

 

[nom de plume_rivals392166]

I recommend Clifton or West End for nightly entertainment

Murphy's Pub. Good times.

 

[HagginHall1999]

Have to disagree abut the length of time to get to the highway in Campbell. The AA highway and the widening of US 27 all the way to Grants Lick have cut that time drastically in the last 20 years or so.

I grew up and now live in the area. Still take 27 to Lexington...much more enjoyable drive and I don't have to go North to go South!

It has changed so much in my lifetime....still very rural but I remember as a kid having to drive all the way put to NKU to have any selection in terms of restaurants, grocery, etc.

 

[CAT Scratch FVR]

If you're looking worsening traffic and an hour wait at chain restaurants on a Friday night this is the place for you.

Perfect. The chain restaurants are part of the lack of character I was referring to. Very little mom and pops.

 

[vhcat70]

Campbell is really unique geography. Surrounded by water on three sides - the Ohio to east & north, the Licking to west - with a spine down the middle. Grew up there. Till I-275 came thru with two bridges, really inbred due to the water blocking easy travel except towards north. My German immigrant gr-gr-grandfather's homestead is near the Pendleton line.

Kenton has more independent cities than any county in KY. Can't drive two miles w/o being in another one. Have lived here for 45+ years - halfway between DT Cincy & CVG. Travel convenient when Brent Spence isn't closed down (Reopening yet today or tomorrow.). Could use a 2nd bridge, but people (not me) flat oppose any pol who even suggests tolls as an option. Bevin did a few weeks before 2019 election & he dropped 20K+ votes vs. his first run & lost by 5K overall.

Boone's growth is pretty explosive. The size of the Amazon facility on the south side of CVG is pretty unbelievable to me.

I like it. Yes, Cincy centric, but people there never let you forget you're not them.

 

[jameslee32]

It could use another EW corridor due to population growth. A wider and more usable Route 536 connecting Alexandria, Independence and Union.

 

[Bill Bryson's Beard]

I've lived here for 7 years having moved here from Lexington. I lived in Fort Wright for 4 years, and have lived in Villa Hills for the lat 3 and a half.

Good:
-Can be in downtown Cincinnati in 15 minutes or less, 20 to be in Kenwood.
-Cost of living and low taxes make it really affordable to find whatever you're looking for.
-CVG Airport is pretty nice and you can get anywhere for a reasonable fare.

Bad:
-The traffic. It seems like everyday some sort of traffic calamity causes a major tie up. Yesterday an overturned semi on I-71/75 south caused a major tie up on 275 east. Any time it rains there is some accident on the Brent Spence that causes a major delay. The bridge reopens this afternoon and will probably get shut down from a semi accident within 24 hours.
-As someone else alluded to, it's all chain restaurants unless you go into Fort Thomas or Covington.
-Feels like you aren't part of Kentucky, and gets treated as part of Cincinnati. You don't get more than a 1 minute clip on the nightly sports related to UK unless something major happens.

Living here is...fine.

 

[buckethead1978]

I like the UDF gas stations.

 

[CrittendenWildcat]

Boone County is predominantly Protestant.
Campbell County is predominantly Catholic.
Kenton County is predominantly heathens.

 

[CrittendenWildcat]

FYI, my NKy brethren: Rejoice, as the Brent Spence Bridge has re-opened to traffic.

 

[jameslee32]

I like the UDF gas stations.

Well only if you like malts.

 

[vhcat70]

-As someone else alluded to, it's all chain restaurants unless you go into Fort Thomas or Covington.

Walt's Hitching Post, Greyhound, Tousey House, Grandview Tavern, Camporosso, Barleycorn's, PeeWee's, Oriental Wok, Mai Thai, Dickman's, Ft. M Public House, Montoya's, Szechuan Garden

 

[vhcat70]

I feel like youre in a different town every mile you drive in nky

It's actually two miles.

 

[vhcat70]

Head east down Route 8 from Newport and once you get to Silver Grove heading toward Augusta it starts to feel like rural Kentucky rather than a Cincinnati suburb. Turn south, away from the river, on any number of roads off Route 8 and you are in some pretty and lightly populated country fast.

Can't do that anymore. Old Mary Ingles permanently closed from outside Dayton to Tower Hill Rd. due to road sliding into OH River due to dams raising river level over the years. But 4 Mile & Gubser Mill are two such places. Developments off AA screwing them up though.

 

[DoubleSecretProbation]

Mary Ingles alive and well in Bracken and Mason. Beautiful drive. And the side roads up to the top of the hill are pretty as well.

 

[vhcat70]

Mary Ingles alive and well in Bracken and Mason. Beautiful drive. And the side roads up to the top of the hill are pretty as well.

The south 90% still open in Campbell. Looking at Google map, appears name ends at Maysville. Before this, I thought the name it went all the way to Ashland.

 

[jameslee32]

The south 90% still open in Campbell. Looking at Google map, appears name ends at Maysville. Before this, I thought the name it went all the way to Ashland.

It did I believe.

 

[Tskware]

Travel convenient when Brent Spence isn't closed down (Reopening yet today or tomorrow.). Could use a 2nd bridge, but people (not me) flat oppose any pol who even suggests tolls as an option. Bevin did a few weeks before 2019 election & he dropped 20K+ votes vs. his first run & lost by 5K overall.

I have represented groups and companies from that area, and know plenty of great people in N. Ky. But as a whole, the N Ky population is pathologically opposed to most any taxation, near as I can tell. Big Tea Party support. up there As example A, I have met Rep Massie a few times, and heard him talk, man, he is way out there on the far right fringe when it comes to opposition to most government. I asked him at a public meeting when an I-75 bridge was going to get built (as we all know, Louisville/Indiana have built two in recent years) and he gave a long winded aimless explanation, about needing more planning, blamed it on Obama, yadda yadda yadda. Bottom line, no one in his district wants to pay a dime for it.

 

[vhcat70]

I have represented groups and companies from that area, and know plenty of great people in N. Ky. But as a whole, the N Ky population is pathologically opposed to most any taxation, near as I can tell. Big Tea Party support. up there As example A, I have met Rep Massie a few times, and heard him talk, man, he is way out there on the far right fringe when it comes to opposition to most government. I asked him at a public meeting when an I-75 bridge was going to get built (as we all know, Louisville/Indiana have built two in recent years) and he gave a long winded aimless explanation, about needing more planning, blamed it on Obama, yadda yadda yadda. Bottom line, no one in his district wants to pay a dime for it.

Yep. We have lots of tight German heritage. You can start with my Dad.

And Massie IS way out there, even more so than I originally thought. Maybe the furthest of anyone in Congress. But given the likes of AOC, nice counterbalance.

MIT electrical engineer & lives off the grid. Hard to believe NKy elected somebody from Lewis County on the rural fringe of the district. But cheap cheap cheap is the mantra.

 

[Tskware]

Yep. We have lots of tight German heritage. You can start with my Dad.

Sounds like he and my mother would have hit it off just great. Of course, she was born in 1935, in a tiny town in a house that did not have electricity until she was 5 and the rural electric came through Ohio County. So I have to give her a break there knowing where she came from . . . but she did drive my dad up the wall with her "financial policies" until the day he died.

 

[CrittendenWildcat]

I have represented groups and companies from that area, and know plenty of great people in N. Ky. But as a whole, the N Ky population is pathologically opposed to most any taxation, near as I can tell. Big Tea Party support. up there As example A, I have met Rep Massie a few times, and heard him talk, man, he is way out there on the far right fringe when it comes to opposition to most government. I asked him at a public meeting when an I-75 bridge was going to get built (as we all know, Louisville/Indiana have built two in recent years) and he gave a long winded aimless explanation, about needing more planning, blamed it on Obama, yadda yadda yadda. Bottom line, no one in his district wants to pay a dime for it.

Frankly, I would be fine with a toll bridge replacing the Brent Spence, as it would (1) reduce congestion along I-71/I-75 as people take alternate routes to avoid paying the toll; and (2) I would get my employer to cover the expense.

 

[vhcat70]

Sounds like he and my mother would have hit it off just great. Of course, she was born in 1935, in a tiny town in a house that did not have electricity until she was 5 and the rural electric came through Ohio County. So I have to give her a break there knowing where she came from . . . but she did drive my dad up the wall with her "financial policies" until the day he died.

So that's why he died?

 

[vhcat70]

Frankly, I would be fine with a toll bridge replacing the Brent Spence, as it would (1) reduce congestion along I-71/I-75 as people take alternate routes to avoid paying the toll; and (2) I would get my employer to cover the expense.

I don't have a horse pony/pony horse/whatever in this race being that I'm retired, but the BSB is in fine shape & they'd build a second one for thru I75 traffic alongside the BSB to its west. Local & I71 would continue using Spence. But, I don't see a big deal of a $1/$2 toll. That's the entire hold up.

 

[CrittendenWildcat]

I think there was a proposal about a decade ago to create a bypass for traffic around Cincinnati that would have been 5-10 minutes slower than taking current routes, but would have taken a lot of through traffic off the current main thoroughfares, that would have been good for local traffic as well.

 

[Henogee1975]

The Louisville bridge tolls were needed, but they did them incorrectly. The downtown I-65 and East end I265 were both tolled. The problem is that people are taking alternative bridges like the Clark Memorial (downtown) and the Sherman-Minton (64west)to avoid the tolls. So...not enough income is being generated with the tolls. The tolls are $4 without a transponder and $2 with. What should have been done was to toll all the bridges $2-3 for every crossing with or without a transponder. Problem solved, plenty of revenue.

 

[CB3UK]

My impression, as a lifelong Lexingtonian and only occasional visitor, is the area just doesn't have much character. Very blasé.

 

[DoubleSecretProbation]

The south 90% still open in Campbell. Looking at Google map, appears name ends at Maysville. Before this, I thought the name it went all the way to Ashland.

I think it used to. Route 8 west of Vanceburg is gorgeous but pretty remote. There’s a gap between Maysville and Vanceburg.