Looking out onto the Brent Spence Bridge from atop Covington’s Devou Park, political leaders from Kentucky and Ohio jointly announced the selection of the design and construction partners for the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project.
Chicago-based Walsh Construction and Westerville, Ohio-based Kokosing Construction are the two construction companies selected to build the companion bridge. Kokosing was the firm that conducted emergency repairs on the bridge when a truck fire in November 2020 caused a months-long shutdown.
Cincinnati-based engineering consulting firm AECOM, Centreville, Virginia-based Parsons Corporation and Dallas-based Jacobs are working on the bridge’s design. Cincinnati’s WEB Ventures is the project’s diversity, equity and inclusion consultant.
On hand for the announcement was Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear who was joined by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Jim Gray, Ohio Department of Transportation Director Jack Marchbanks and Federal Highway Administration Administrator Shailen Bhatt.
“We’re going to respect the hard work and ingenuity of the previous generation by upgrading and extending the life of their great creation, the Brent Spence Corridor, for decades to come,” Beshear said.
Beshear said the final design wouldn’t be unveiled until the environmental permitting process is completed.
In February, KYTC and ODOT posted design-build and construction proposal for interested companies to bid on. The proposal outlined the specifics of the project, including reconstructing approximately five miles of Interstate-71/75 in Kentucky and one mile of I-75 in Ohio. Additionally, the project calls for the construction of a new Companion Bridge over the Ohio River built to the west of the existing bridge.
Design-build is a delivery method used by the construction industry in which a project’s selected design firm and construction firm are bundled together under one contract. The method’s purpose is to unify work flow from the initial concept through completion. This way, risks from overlapping deadlines in both the design phase and construction phase are minimized.
“The progressive design-build process is the right delivery approach based on the complexity of this project,” Gray said in February press release. “Working in collaboration with the contractor during the design process will bring more innovative design ideas to the table and improve the project overall.”
When asked, DeWine said both Kentucky and Ohio had “every incentive” to get the bridge done under budget.
Originally built in 1963, the existing Brent Spence Bridge has steadily declined. Designed to carry around 80,000 vehicles daily, the bridge now carries approximately twice that volume today. In addition to being located along one of the United States busiest truck routes, it carries over $2 billion worth of freight every day.
This January, Beshear, DeWine, President Joe Biden, Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown and former Ohio Sen. Rob Portman announced the federal government awarded $1.6 billion in funding for the project as part of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal.
The Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project is expected to cost $3.6 billion with it being shared 50/50 by Ohio and Kentucky. Currently, Ohio is expected to pay $2 billion while Kentucky is expected to pay $1.6, according to the project’s website.
In February 2022, Beshear and DeWine met at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center and signed a Memorandum of Understanding that solidified both state’s joint collaboration on the project.
