Bridges
$4B Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Megaproject Breaks Ground
Walsh-Kokosing JV begins major work on Ohio River crossing to ease one of the nation’s busiest truck bottlenecks
A rendering shows the planned double-deck cable-stayed companion bridge for the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project. The independently supported deck structure will carry through traffic on I-71/I-75 while the existing Brent Spence Bridge is reconfigured for local traffic movements.
Construction on the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor has started, beginning a $4.05-billion interstate reconstruction program centered on a new double-deck cable-stayed bridge over the Ohio River and a multiyear overhaul of one of the nation's busiest freight route between Cincinnati and Covington, Ky.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R), Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D), Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Federal Highway Administration Administrator Sean McMaster joined state transportation officials May 8 at a groundbreaking ceremony near the existing crossing, marking the transition from enabling works to major construction activity.
Federal transportation officials have long identified the I-71/I-75 crossing as one of the country's most significant truck bottlenecks, with more than $1 billion in freight moving through the corridor daily, according to the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments.
"This new companion bridge will make our roads safer and our economy stronger, while demonstrating what's possible when states and the federal government work together to solve our biggest challenges," DeWine said during the ceremony.
Companion Bridge Anchors Corridor Redesign
The Walsh-Kokosing Joint Venture, selected in 2023 under a progressive design-build contract, will construct approximately 6 miles of the 8-miles program, including 5 miles of I-71/I-75 in Kentucky and 1 miles of I-75 in Ohio. Separate contracts will cover the two northernmost miles.
The project centers on a new double-deck, cable-stayed companion bridge located just west of the existing Brent Spence Bridge, a steel truss structure built in 1963, initially designed to handle around 80,000 vehicles daily; traffic has since more than doubled to over 160,000 vehicles per day.
Project materials describe the new crossing as an independent-deck bridge in which both traffic decks are supported directly by the cable system. The main river span will measure approximately 1,000 ft between piers, with supports positioned outside the footprint of the existing bridge to satisfy U.S. Coast Guard navigation requirements.
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The companion bridge will carry five lanes in each direction, along with two 14-ft shoulders on each deck. Under the redesigned traffic configuration, the upper deck will carry southbound I-71/I-75 traffic while the lower deck will carry northbound traffic.
Once the companion span opens, the existing Brent Spence Bridge will be rehabilitated and restriped from four to three lanes to serve local traffic. The redesign is intended to reduce the weaving conflicts that have contributed to chronic congestion and safety problems near the downtown Cincinnati and Covington approaches.
AECOM serves as lead designer for the program, while Jacobs is the independent companion bridge engineer and Parsons serves as the independent design quality firm, according to project materials.
The broader reconstruction package includes interchange reconfigurations, collector-distributor lanes, retaining walls, drainage improvements, intelligent transportation systems, noise walls and utility relocations extending through both state approaches.
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Phased Construction Targets Freight Mobility
Project officials have described traffic maintenance as one of the program's most significant operational challenges because the corridor cannot sustain prolonged closures without major freight disruptions.
The traffic-management plan is designed to maintain use of at least two entrances and two exits in each direction throughout construction, with the first ramp closures scheduled to begin May 20.
Extensive enabling work has been underway for months, including utility relocations, building demolitions and clearing operations. Heavy construction is expected to accelerate in the coming weeks, with barge and crane activity on the Ohio River supporting foundation and pylon work for the companion bridge.
Construction is expected to continue into the early 2030s, with the companion bridge targeted for opening in 2031 and broader corridor work substantially complete by 2033.
Project materials estimate the work will require approximately 6 million labor hours and support up to 1,000 workers at peak construction activity. Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Goodman said the project belongs to "the consulting and contracting teams and to more than 50 subcontractors who are all ready to start building."
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Federal Grants Back Expanding Project Cost
The project represents one of the largest Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)-backed freight corridor investments now moving into active construction.
According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, the $4.05-billion figure represents forward construction cost, while total contract authority—including completed design, engineering and demolition activities—stands at approximately $4.39 billion.
Federal participation includes $1.635 billion in IIJA grants through the Federal Highway Administration. Ohio and Kentucky are splitting the costs of the companion bridge and rehabilitation of the existing span equally, while each state remains responsible for funding its own approach work.
"This project is going to be built without tolls and make a huge difference for both Ohio and Kentucky and the nation," McConnell told local media at the opening ceremony.
Project costs have risen sharply in recent years. In April, ENR reported that the overall estimate rose to about $4.5 billion, up from an earlier $3.6 billion projection, with state officials attributing much of the increase to escalating highway construction costs. ODOT cited a 61% rise in highway construction costs between 2020 and 2025, based on the Federal Highway Administration's National Highway Construction Cost Index.
Bryan Gottlieb is the online editor at Engineering News-Record (ENR).
Gottlieb is a five-time Society of Professional Journalists Excellence in Journalism award winner with more than a decade of experience covering business, construction and community issues, including finance, law and real estate. He has reported for Adweek and the San Diego Daily Transcript and led a community newsroom in Santa Monica, Calif. He served as editor-in-chief of the Detroit Metro Times and as managing editor at Roofing Contractor, where he helped shape national industry coverage. At Engineering News-Record, Gottlieb covers breaking news, large-scale infrastructure and megaprojects, regulatory developments and business trends across the U.S. and global construction sectors.
email: gottliebb@enr.com | office: (248) 786-1591
