The landscape along the Ohio River is rapidly transforming as the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project advances through its first major phase of heavy construction. In an update provided to Construction Review Online, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) confirmed that heavy construction began in spring 2026, and that the current phase — the Ohio River crossing plus one mile on each side of the river — carries a cost of $4.05 billion. Following a formal groundbreaking on May 8, 2026, the initiative has transitioned from decades of political debate into a highly active, visible construction zone spanning both Ohio and Kentucky. Federal Highway Administrator Sean McMaster validated the project’s momentum during an on-site tour on August 12, 2026, highlighting the corridor as a critical national model for modernizing aging supply chains and eliminating severe freight bottlenecks.
Progress by the Walsh-Kokosing contractor team became distinctly visible this summer with the deployment of heavy marine equipment. Large cranes and barges are now operating within the Ohio River channel, anchored by the newly established Pete Rose Pier staging ground on the Covington waterfront. On the Cincinnati side, site preparation has moved into a destructive phase, with crews beginning targeted demolition on portions of the historic Longworth Hall complex to clear the necessary footprint for reconfigured interstate approaches and updated local exit ramps.
Project’s first foundational concrete pour
A pivotal engineering milestone was achieved on July 31, 2026, when crews executed the project’s first foundational concrete pour. Project officials noted that this step successfully advanced field operations from initial utility clearing into the permanent structural build phase. Deep foundation work and localized traffic reconfigurations are slated to dominate the corridor through 2027, introducing temporary lane shifts and reduced parking capacity around Paycor Stadium just as the Cincinnati Bengals season begins.
The multi-year overhaul centers on the erection of a new, double-decker, cable-stayed companion bridge designed to completely separate regional commuter traffic from interstate freight. According to ODOT, the new companion bridge is expected to be complete and open to traffic — toll-free — in 2031, weather and construction schedules permitting, with the approach work substantially complete by 2033. At that point the original Brent Spence Bridge will undergo a comprehensive modernization to safely handle local transit.
Design for the Brent Spence companion bridge
On June 18, 2025, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear unveiled the selected design for the new companion bridge over the Ohio River, marking a major milestone in the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project.
The new bridge, constructed with the concurrent guidance of the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, will be a two-decked, cable-stayed bridge. It won’t contain steel between the bottom and top decks, as the Brent Spence Bridge does now — an engineering design that allows for a more airy and visually striking form.
Unobstructed views
According to project officials, traffic flowing from the north will travel on the top deck of the new bridge, giving drivers panoramic, unobstructed views of downtown Cincinnati. The cabling system holding up both decks will give the structure a touch of modernity, making it an architectural landmark of the future.
“These were bridges that were safe, efficient, and affordable — but we also wanted them to be beautiful,” Governor DeWine said. “This bridge will be an iconic feature of the Cincinnati skyline and a landmark gateway that symbolizes our states’ excellence.”
Read also: Orange County Advances Plans for Futuristic $35M I-Drive Pedestrian Bridge
The new bridge is one aspect of a broader project to modernize the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor, an eight-mile stretch of I-71/I-75 in Kentucky and I-75 in Ohio, which also includes improvements to the existing Brent Spence Bridge, newly designed ramps, and new bike and pedestrian paths to create a more walkable, interconnected urban community.
The Brent Spence Corridor is part of a broader push to replace aging interstate bridges and strengthen major transportation links across the U.S. In Minnesota and Wisconsin, the $1.8 billion Blatnik Bridge replacement has also reached a major milestone, with officials holding a groundbreaking for the new I-535 crossing connecting Duluth and Superior.
Read also: Initial Work on the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project Begins This Summer
Design Unveiled for New Cable-Stayed Brent Spence Companion Bridge
Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project Factsheet
Project: Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project — new cable-stayed companion bridge and corridor modernization
Location: I-71/I-75 corridor, Cincinnati (Ohio) and Covington (Northern Kentucky), over the Ohio River
Managing authorities: Bi-state management team — Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
Design-build contractor: Walsh-Kokosing team
Current phase cost: $4.05 billion (Ohio River crossing plus one mile on each side)
Bridge type: Double-decker, cable-stayed; no steel between the top and bottom decks
Corridor length: Approximately eight miles (I-71/I-75 in Kentucky; I-75 in Ohio)
Tolling: Toll-free
Groundbreaking: May 8, 2026
Heavy construction start: Spring 2026
First foundational concrete pour: July 31, 2026
Companion bridge open: Expected 2031 (weather and schedule permitting)
Approach work substantially complete: 2033
Scope: New companion bridge, existing Brent Spence Bridge modernization, reconfigured ramps, new bike/pedestrian paths, urban connectivity improvements
Project Team
Owner / managing authorities: Bi-state management team — Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
Design-build contractor: Walsh-Kokosing team
Federal oversight: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
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