Walsh-Kokosing JV Breaks Ground on $4B Brent Spence Bridge Corridor
According to Engineering News-Record, construction has officially started on the $4.05-billion Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project, centered on a new double-deck cable-stayed bridge over the Ohio River between Cincinnati and Covington, Ky. A groundbreaking ceremony was held May 8 with Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Sen. Mitch McConnell, and Federal Highway Administration Administrator Sean McMaster in attendance.
Market Impact
The corridor has long been flagged by federal transportation officials as one of the country’s most critical truck bottlenecks. According to the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments, more than $1 billion in freight moves through the I-71/I-75 crossing daily. The new companion bridge will carry through traffic while the existing Brent Spence Bridge is reconfigured for local traffic movements.
The Walsh-Kokosing Joint Venture, selected in 2023 under a progressive design-build contract, is responsible for approximately 6 miles of the 8-mile program, including 5 miles of I-71/I-75 in Kentucky and 1 mile of I-75 in Ohio. Separate contracts will cover the two northernmost miles of the corridor.
“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,” Gov. DeWine said at the ceremony.
What It Means for Subcontractors
- This is one of the largest active heavy civil megaprojects in the US right now, spanning multiple years and multiple prime contracts, which means extended subcontract opportunity across civil, structural, and specialty trades.
- The corridor spans both Ohio and Kentucky, so subcontractors need to be licensed and bonded in both states to pursue work across the full program footprint.
- Separate contracts are planned for the two northernmost miles of the corridor, meaning additional prime contract awards are still ahead and subcontractors should be tracking procurement activity closely.
- With more than $1 billion in daily freight at stake, project timelines will face serious public and political pressure, putting a premium on subcontractors with proven schedules and bonding capacity to handle large-scope work.
