The southern terminus of I-471 is at an interchange with I–275 and US 27. I-471 heads northwest, then turns northeast having an interchange with US 27 in Southgate. After US 27, I-471 turns back northwest heading towards Cincinnati. On the way to Cincinnati, I-471 passes through the east side of Newport. On the east side of Newport, I-471 has an interchange with Kentucky Route 8. I-471 crosses the Ohio River using the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge, a Cincinnati landmark. After the Ohio River crossing, I-471 has an interchange with U.S. Route 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
Interstate 471 was first envisioned in 1961 as an east-west connector between Interstate 71/Interstate 75 in Covington with Interstate 71 in Cincinnati, crossing the Ohio River at a spot close to the current location. In effect, this connection would have provided for an alternative to Interstate 71, creating an inner loop system that would span both Ohio and Kentucky. Since this freeway would have hugged the southern riverfront, Interstate 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 with Newport, Kentucky. On December 10, 1967, plans called for a north-south, freeway that would connect Interstate 71 with Interstate 275 near the interchange with U.S. 27. Interstate 471 would have three lanes in each direction. The bridge between Newport and Cincinnati was constructed between November 1971 and September 1976 and named after Covington native Daniel Carter Beard, the founder of the Boy Scouts of America. It developed the nickname of the "Big Mac Bridge" because its massive yellow arches over the river resemble the golden arches of McDonald's 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 Interstate 471 opening in 1980 at its junction with U.S. 27 south of Interstate 275. In 1981, the cost to construct the freeway and bridge was calculated to be $85 million.
