America’s old bridges must be repaired, replaced or expanded… and there are thousands of them. They will all receive the attention they require sometime soon because there is no other option. The funding to make these structures safe, sustainable and efficient for vehicles will not end any time soon, and the following examples of upcoming bridge projects are common, with hundreds more currently in the planning stages.
An infrastructure upgrade for one of the busiest bridges in Salem, Oregon, is being planned. The project’s cost has been projected to be between $130 million and $200 million. The bridge crosses over the Willamette River and serves approximately 47,000 vehicles daily.
Built in the 1980s, the structure no longer meets seismic standards and is vulnerable to earthquakes. A seismic retrofit project, overseen by the Oregon Department of Transportation, will strengthen and upgrade the bridge to ensure its sustainability. Piers will be reconstructed, supporting columns will be reinforced and the deck will be updated with modular expansion joints to allow movement during seismic events.
The city of Salem’s waterline, which is currently attached to the bridge, will be replaced with a seismically resilient pipeline. This retrofit project will be divided into two phases. Phase 1 will focus all work on the main span over the river and Phase 2 will target the western side ramps. Only Phase 1 is scheduled to move forward at this time. Contracting solicitations will be issued in early 2026 if not sooner. Construction is slated for later in 2026.
Photo courtesy of M.O. Stevens.
A major infrastructure initiative designed to improve transportation efficiency and enhance safety will be launched in Oklahoma City. The $175.3 million project will replace and rehabilitate key bridge structures along the I-35 corridor, a crucial national route extending from Laredo, Texas, to Duluth, Minnesota. The corridor serves as an essential artery for local, regional and national traffic, including significant freight movement.
The project will call for the replacement of two mainline bridges on I-35 over the Oklahoma River, rehabilitating two ramp bridges over the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway, constructing a new ramp bridge spanning the Oklahoma River and lengthening an existing box structure that passes underneath I-35.
The new bridges will feature six 12-foot lanes in each direction, with 12-foot inside and outside shoulders to repair deficiencies and structural obsolescence. The project will also include a separate multimodal bridge west of the I-35 southbound bridge. It will connect the Oklahoma River Trail system on both sides of the river and enhance connectivity for pedestrians, cyclists and other non-motorized transportation options. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation will oversee the project, and construction is scheduled to begin in 2028.
A new bridge will be part of an infrastructure initiative designed to enhance connectivity between the University of Tennessee campus and downtown Knoxville. The bridge will be designed to span the Tennessee River and connect various city assets, including 18 miles of greenways, over 50 miles of Urban Wilderness trails, Suttree Landing Park and the South Knoxville Riverwalk.
The overall project carries a cost projection of $60 million. Community leaders want the new bridge’s design to represent an iconic structure that complements the university’s campus and Knoxville’s skyline to enhance the city’s identity as a river city. While specific timelines are subject to finalization, a construction start date will be announced soon.
The second phase of a $201 million design-build infrastructure project will be launched soon in Port Huron, Michigan. It will provide efficiency and security at one of the busiest U.S.-Canada border crossings. It will also reconstruct and reconfigure the Blue Water Bridge Corridor and Plaza.
The bridge corridor is a vital hub for international trade and travel between Michigan and Ontario, Canada, so the expansion will be designed to ensure the efficient movement of people and goods across the border, thereby strengthening both regional and national economies.
This second phase of the project will include construction of five new buildings for border operations, installation of new canopies and booths for Michigan Department of Transportation tolls and outbound Customs and Border Protection processing and development of two pedestrian and utility tunnels.
To ease traffic congestion, the project will also reconfigure the plaza interchange, rebuild two existing bridges and construct a new bridge. Additional enhancements will include upgraded security measures, landscaping, signage and pavement markings to improve safety and the overall appearance of the plaza. Request for Qualifications documents will be released in early 2025 and construction is slated for 2026.
City officials in Walla Walla, Washington, will oversee a $13 million bridge replacement project. Two aging bridges that carry traffic over Mill Creek were both built over 75 years ago, and they have deteriorated significantly. Due to their weakened condition, they are now load-limited, which restricts the types of vehicles that can cross them.
The work will involve demolishing the existing bridges and building new ones that meet all safety and design standards. Along with the new structures, which will be built in the same locations, roadway approaches on both sides of each bridge will be reconstructed to improve traffic flow. Utility lines, including water and sewer systems, will be relocated and upgraded to ensure long-term reliability.
Environmental considerations are another critical aspect of the project. One bridge obstructs fish passage in Mill Creek, and the water is home to threatened steelhead and bull trout. Alternative design analyses are underway and final bridge designs are expected to be ready for bidding by the end of 2025.
The U.S. General Services Administration is currently revising plans for a modernization and bridge project at the Land Port of Entry in El Paso, Texas, that carries a projected cost of somewhere between $473 million and $579.3 million. The bridge is an international crossing that facilitates trade and travel between the United States and Mexico. Built in 1967, it links El Paso with Ciudad Juárez but can no longer accommodate the increasing volume of passenger vehicles, commercial trucks and pedestrians.
To address these challenges, the U.S. General Services Administration, in partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, will oversee a major redevelopment project that will include bridge repair along with replacement of outdated structures with new, state-of-the-art inspection and processing facilities designed to ease congestion and improve safety.
Traffic flow will be enhanced by redesigning lanes to separate commercial and non-commercial vehicles. Another key aspect of the project is the relocation of commercial cargo operations to other ports of entry, which will help reduce congestion at the bridge and improve overall traffic management.
Because the original planning document was deemed to be noncompliant with federal contracting laws, the contracting process was put on hold so the plan could be reworked. However, a new solicitation is expected in the coming months and construction is still slated for 2026.
Identifying a project early and executing well-planned positioning activities are critical to gaining a competitive edge in the bidding process. Partnering with local subcontractors is also wise. Good luck to all interested parties because these types of projects are considered essential to keeping America’s global competitiveness stellar.
