From Construction Digest

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announce Walsh Kokosing has been awarded the progressive design-build contract for the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project, marking a major step forward in the construction process. The governors were joined by officials from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for a formal announcement in Covington, Kentucky’s Devou Park, overlooking downtown Cincinnati.

Walsh Kokosing will drive the progressive design-build process, along with AECOM, Parsons, and Jacobs, consisting of some of the most experienced bridge designers, transportation engineers, and highway engineers in the United States. In its submission, the joint venture also identified WEB Ventures as the diversity, inclusion, and outreach consultant.

The project consultant team for the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project is led by HNTB with support from HMB Professional Engineers Inc., American Structurepoint Inc., and Rasor.

As prime contractor, the progressive design-build team will continue to recruit participant companies and workers for the $3.6 billion project, one of the most significant infrastructure megaprojects in the nation. Approximately $3.1 billion will be spent on the design-build portion of the project. The remaining $500 million is allocated for improvements on a two-mile stretch of the Interstate Highway 75 corridor north of Linn Avenue, including a new interchange for the Western Hills viaduct.

The contract addresses six of the corridor’s eight total miles, including five miles of I-71/75 in Kentucky and one mile of I-75 in Ohio. It also includes improvements to the Brent Spence Bridge and the construction of a new companion bridge to its immediate west. Work on the two northernmost miles of the corridor in Ohio will be done under separate contracts.

“We are thrilled to be selected as the design-build team for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform this vital connector between Kentucky and Ohio,” said John Householder, President of Kokosing Construction Co. and a partner in the Walsh Kokosing design-build team. “Freight drives the nation’s economy. The Brent Spence Bridge Corridor plays a key role in the Greater Cincinnati region and throughout Ohio and Kentucky, while also connecting Michigan to Florida and New York to Los Angeles.”

“This is one of the largest highway construction projects ever undertaken in the U.S.,” said KYTC Secretary Jim Gray. “We are confident that Walsh Kokosing’s experienced team, with their solid track record of completing projects approaching this size, possesses the talent, skills, and know-how to deliver this complex bridge and highway system.”

“Working in concert with our local partners, we’ve heard loud and clear that they want to ensure this project is not only a benefit to traffic traversing the tri-state, but that it also has a positive impact on those who live here,” said ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks. “We’ve freed up nearly 10 acres of developable land and remain committed to minimizing the footprint of the project while maximizing the benefits to Cincinnati and the surrounding neighborhoods.”

Primary goals of the project include improving safety and traffic flow; correcting geometric deficiencies; and maintaining connections to key regional and national transportation corridors.

Among the contract objectives: maximizing the project’s scope through innovation, design optimization, and effective risk mitigation; designing a context-sensitive project that fits within the community; maximizing the public investment by minimizing the footprint of bridge approaches and minimizing the footprint of the interstate system to maximize developable space; and improving neighborhood connectivity across the interstate.

In addition, the design-build team will work with the bi-state project team and local communities on numerous fronts, including minimizing traffic disruptions during construction by minimizing detours or diversion of traffic; improving local streets; providing opportunities for workforce development using disadvantaged business enterprises; separating stormwater runoff and improving water quality; and providing a strong aesthetic value along the project corridor.