July 2023
Walsh Construction and Kokosing awarded design-build contract for Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project
Covington, Kentucky - Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced that the joint venture of Walsh Construction and Kokosing Construction has been awarded the progressive design-build contract for the $3.6 billion Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project.
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 I-75 corridor north of Linn Avenue in Cincinnati, 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.
“Both Kokosing and Walsh have a long history of working with the Ohio Department of Transportation, and I’m confident that we have the best people on both sides of the river to see this project to completion,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.
“With the help of this new design-build team, we are one step closer to building the companion bridge without tolls and providing the many families, communities and businesses that rely on this vital commercial link with new and exciting growth and development opportunities,” said Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.
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 bistate 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.
About the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project
The Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project is designed to improve approximately eight miles of Interstates 71 and 75 through Kentucky and Ohio, including the addition of a new companion bridge to the west of the existing Brent Spence Bridge to reduce congestion, improve traffic flow and safety, and maintain key regional and national transportation corridors. More information about the Brent Spence Bridge Project is available at BrentSpenceBridgeCorridor.com.
About Walsh Kokosing Design-Build Team (WKDBT)
Walsh and Kokosing are family-owned firms based in the Midwest that share core values of safety, quality and ethics. The companies have created an integrated Joint Venture (JV) – Walsh Kokosing Design-Build Team with firms and personnel that have a proven record of providing best-in-class delivery. Walsh and Kokosing lead the WKDBT, and are supported by a roster of top design firms, including AECOM, Jacobs and Parsons, as well as diversity, inclusion and outreach consultant WEB Ventures, which will deliver the project safely, on time and on budget.