Erica Johnson spearheads massive double decker bridge project spanning Ohio River

One of the biggest, most ambitious design projects in America is underway — and a Purdue civil engineering alumna is leading it.

Earlier this fall, work officially began on the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project — a $3.6 billion infrastructure investment that will span from the Greater Cincinnati area to northern Kentucky. This double-decker  bridge over the Ohio River will be a companion to the existing Brent Spence Bridge I-71/I-75 highway and allow the existing bridge to be used for local traffic. It is expected to be completed in 2029.

Leading as project manager is HNTB vice president and Lyles School of Civil Engineering alumna Erica Johnson (BSCE ’00). Johnson has been involved in the design, planning and coordination of the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor for the past two years and says she is excited to see work begin.

“The work behind the scenes has been immense; an unbelievable amount of thought and care has gone into this to make it both an asset to all travelers and to enhance the surrounding areas,” Johnson said. “We want this to improve the lives of commuters and locals and stand the test of time.”

The Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project will also incorporate new and improved shared use paths, sidewalks and bike paths, including bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure on connections across I-71/I-75, to better connect communities.

Johnson said that the community reaction and feedback they have received over the years has also been vital to their planning process.

“Whenever you have a project of this scale, you want to hear from the people who will be most affected by it,” Johnson said. “The feedback and positive responses we’ve received have been very encouraging and the teamwork demonstrated by the governmental departments has only served to improve the planning process.”

Leading up to the bridge project

A Farmland, Indiana native, Johnson said her lifelong love of math and science is ultimately what led her to study civil engineering at Purdue.

“I’ve always had a sense that I wanted to pursue a career where I could build something,” she said. “And once I got to Purdue, I pretty much knew right away that I wanted to become a civil engineer. The ability to help states, cities and towns to creatively solve public infrastructure problems fit with my passion for helping people.”

Johnson earned a dual degree in transportation engineering and surveying and credits Professors Jon Fricker and Steven Johnson as her biggest influences.

“I received a lot of guidance from them and without Professor Fricker, I am not even sure I would have pursued transportation engineering,” Johnson said. “His intro course was just so interesting that I ended up deciding that it was what I wanted to pursue as a career.”

After earning her degree in 2000, Johnson worked at American Structurepoint for four years before transitioning to HNTB where she also contributed to the LaGuardia Airport redevelopment project and served as lead designer of the Kosciuszko Bridge in Brooklyn.