The Purple People Bridge is a pedestrian bridge that spans the Ohio River and connects two cities from two States: Newport, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio.
Why is the bridge purple?
Via:
Southbank Partners, the nonprofit group that is the primary developer of the Newport Southbank Bridge, convened focus groups during the planning for converting the span to a pedestrian walkway over the Ohio River.
More than a dozen groups were shown computer-generated images of how the bridge would look painted a variety of colors, including dark purple, green, rust, orange and white.
In every group, purple and green were among the top choices.
In stepped Ted Bushelman, a Southbank volunteer and longtime director of communications at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
During the early 1960s, the Boone County native worked in television. Color TVs were just beginning to appear in homes. At Xavier University, Bushelman studied how people relate to colors, even writing his master’s thesis on “The Psychology of Color.”
“Seeing is as much in the brain as it is in the eye. I redid some of my research and gave the information to Southbank,” Bushelman said. “Purple is a good color for public consumption. If you paint a room purple, it can drive you crazy. But it looks good on something like a bridge.”
Southbank President Wally Pagan said his group took the advice and came up with its own color based on Bushelman’s input and the focus group’s preference for a darker purple.
If you visit Newport, Kentucky or Cincinnati, Ohio, don’t miss the experience to walk on the Purple People Bridge. You can stop in the middle to enjoy the view of the river.
Other Attractions Nearby
1. Check out Kentucky’s Newport Aquarium
2. Visit the Serpentine Wall in Cincinnati
See more travel search tags: Kentucky Travel, Kentucky, Kentucky Attractions, Things to See in Kentucky, Unique Things To See in Kentucky, Places to See in Kentucky
