Transportation

The Wellsburg Bridge spans the Ohio River, providing a key transportation link that enhances mobility and helps foster economic growth for communities in northern West Virginia and eastern Ohio.

As the engineer of record on this design-build project, COWI designed the 830-ft (253-m) network-tied inclined arch featuring a 725-ft (221-m) circular profile, radial steel ribs, a post-tensioned floating deck system, and network hanger geometry. The main span was assembled offsite, floated upriver and lifted into place. The Wellsburg Bridge is the largest float-in bridge installation completed in North America.

Carrying more than 125,000 vehicles each day, the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel and the Queens Midtown Tunnel are vital links for thousands of New Yorkers. COWI led the design-build quality oversight for five concurrent rehabilitation contracts across both tunnels.

The work included upgrades to ventilation systems, high-efficiency fan motors, prototype water-mist fire suppression, fire alarm and smoke detection systems, control and communications rooms, and major electrical improvements. Completed on time and on budget despite pandemic-era challenges, the program delivered a major modernization of two of New York City’s vital transportation corridors.

When the St. Croix River Crossing opened in 2017, it greatly improved connectivity between Minnesota and Wisconsin by enhancing regional mobility and reducing traffic in downtown Stillwater. At 5,102 ft (1,555 m), it is the longest extradosed bridge in the United States, with a 3,363-ft (1,025-m) segmental concrete main span.

COWI served as the engineer of record for the main extradosed spans, delivering full structural design, load rating, an early foundation package, and independent checks of the approach spans. The design protected the waterway by minimizing in-river piers and supported winter construction while meeting strict environmental and visual requirements.

Carrying more than 125,000 vehicles each day, the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel and the Queens Midtown Tunnel are vital links for thousands of New Yorkers. COWI led the design-build quality oversight for five concurrent rehabilitation contracts across both tunnels.

The work included upgrades to ventilation systems, high-efficiency fan motors, prototype water-mist fire suppression, fire alarm and smoke detection systems, control and communications rooms, and major electrical improvements. Completed on time and on budget despite pandemic-era challenges, the program delivered a major modernization of two of New York City’s vital transportation corridors. 

When the Milton Madison Bridge replaced a deteriorated 1929 crossing, our innovative construction solution eliminated the need for a temporary ferry crossing. We reduced community and environmental impacts by constructing and opening the new bridge on temporary piers adjacent to the old bridge, then sliding it into place on retrofitted piers once the old truss was demolished. The new steel truss bridge is 2,434 ft (742 m), delivered via design-build.

COWI, as the engineer of record, designed the main span superstructure and temporary works and provided erection engineering. The Milton–Madison Bridge is the longest bridge truss slide performed in North America.

Originally built in the early 1900s, Brooklyn’s aging Pier C suffered multiple partial collapses, leading to its full replacement. New York City Economic Development Corporation selected the site as the new homeport for the New York Citywide Ferry System, which serves more than 7 million passengers annually. As a modern ferry hub, Pier C now benefits thousands of passengers daily.

COWI delivered structural design for the new 690 ft long pier, including a steel pipe pile foundation, a concrete superstructure, sheet pile bulkhead, 21 floating docks and a travel lift. We also supported site planning, vessel configuration, and utility system design, as well as permitting, inspection and construction administration.

The Taylor Street resilience project is a key investment by the Port of San Francisco to revitalize Fisherman’s Wharf, one of the city’s most visited destinations. The project will deliver resilient infrastructure to adapt Taylor Street and the working fishing harbor, including strengthening or replacing seawalls and wharves, constructing new buildings, incl. potentially rehabilitating historic buildings, and upgrading facilities for the fishing fleet and industry. The plan also includes retail development and public realm improvements.

COWI serves as the prime consultant, responsible for geotechnical and marine design and overall project management, in collaboration with Ryan Joyce Structural Design and a multidisciplinary team.

The Port of Alaska in Anchorage is subject to the extreme seismic and tidal conditions of Cook Inlet. Therefore, to secure resilient marine infrastructure, the port is undergoing a large modernization program. COWI served as the prime consultant during the design and construction of the petroleum and cement terminal, which is crucial to Alaska’s energy and materials supply chain.

We led a multidisciplinary team and delivered engineering for an offshore pile supported unloading platform, access trestle, mooring and berthing dolphins, catwalks, hose tower and pipelines. We also designed utility and control systems and led geotechnical, structural, coastal and seismic engineering.

Alameda, located between Oakland and San Francisco, set out to reduce congestion and improve transit for local citizens by building a new trans-bay transit hub at the former Naval Air Station. The new terminal provided a reliable, seismically robust regional ferry service while enhancing emergency transportation capacity for Alameda.

COWI led the structural design of the ferry terminal, including the gateway structure, canopy, boarding float, float ramping system, steel pipe guide piles, fender piles and gangway. The project also involved corrosion protection, coastal engineering and performing a performance based seismic analysis for the pier foundation.

To meet growing demand, fueled by the development of Chase Center and the Mission Bay neighborhood, the Port of San Francisco selected COWI to design a new ferry and water taxi landing as well as a landside park at Mission Bay. Expected to serve 6,000 passengers daily, the landing will connect cyclers to a rapidly growing neighborhood of 11,000 homes and 70 acres of open public space, while reducing car traffic and strengthening emergency response.

COWI prepared feasibility and planning studies, cost estimates, and the engineering design for new marine structures, including ferry float, guide piles, gangways, fixed access pier, and passenger waiting areas. COWI provides bid and construction services through the completion of the project, which also encompasses a ferry plaza, Agua Vista Park renovation, Bay Trail improvements, and utilities coordination.

COWI led the replacement of the aging sludge-loading platform at the Owl’s Head Water Resource Recovery Facility in New York City, ensuring critical wastewater operations continued throughout the project. We provided detailed above- and underwater inspections, mooring and berthing analysis, and a carefully phased demolition strategy that allowed sludge transfer to continue using temporary facilities.

We also designed and delivered a new 850 ft (259 m) high level platform featuring steel pipe pile foundations, a bulkhead system, precast deck elements, utility trench, monopiles and a resilient fendering system. Finally, we provided full support for permitting and procurement, as well as construction management services through completion to ensure long-term operational reliability.

COWI is a prime consultant on Toronto’s Ontario Line, the largest subway expansion in the city’s history, which will deliver fast, reliable transit to underserved neighborhoods and support a rapidly growing region. COWI is responsible for the design of two new stations, King Bathurst and Queen Spadina, within the southern section of the 15.6 km line.

When complete, the Ontario Line will serve nearly 400,000 daily riders, improve access for thousands of residents in underserved neighborhoods, and significantly reduce travel times across the city. Work includes complex underground station design, heritage façade integration, sustainability and service life design, and CATIII checks. 

COWI has been appointed lead designer by Connect Plus Partners for Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway, a transformational project for East Harlem and New York City. The USD 1.97 billion design‑build project will extend the Q Line from 96th to 125th Street that will restore long awaited subway service to East Harlem.

The project includes 1.5 miles of twin tunnels, three new ADA accessible stations, and supporting mechanical and ventilation facilities. The line will improve daily travel for more than 100,000 riders while relieving congestion on the Lexington Avenue lines.

The North Arm Bridge is a box girder bridge crossing that carries the Canada Line, a crucial rapid transit rail line connecting downtown Vancouver to Richmond and Vancouver International Airport, serving 120,000 passengers daily. The bridge spans two navigation channels for marine traffic while avoiding sensitive shoreline areas.

COWI developed the preliminary and detailed designs, including ship impact, seismic, aerodynamic, and an analysis of train dynamics, and provided full construction engineering. The bridge’s innovative extradosed form and composite segmental system met stringent structural, environmental and transit performance requirements

The Ontario Line is a stand-alone rapid transit system in Vancouver connecting the Ontario Science Centre to Exhibition/Ontario Place. The line can serve 400,000 daily boardings, and 40,000 residents will come within walking distance of new stations. The elevated guideways and stations project comprises 1.9 miles (3 km) of elevated guideway, five elevated stations and two emergency egress buildings.

COWI’s role includes independent design review of Category 3 structures, durability and corrosion design guidance, Envision certification leadership, and development of construction sequencing and temporary works for major civil structures. 

COWI is a trusted partner in planning, designing and delivering transportation infrastructure that strengthens connectivity and supports sustainable growth across North America. Drawing on decades of global expertise and strong local presence, we support public and private customers throughout the project lifecycle.

Across North America, COWI delivers water infrastructure solutions, designing dams, hydraulic structures, and water and wastewater tunnels through close customer collaboration, applying global expertise to ensure reliable service, long‑term resiliency and solutions to water challenges.

COWI offers engineering consultancy to federal agencies across North America. In Canada, we work with Parks Canada to inspect and maintain bridge assets. In the United States, we partner with the U.S. Navy, delivering resilient marine infrastructure.

COWI helps customers across North America strengthen climate resiliency through coastal protection and flood control, assessing risk, adapting infrastructure, and protecting communities, assets and ecosystems with robust strategies for extreme weather and rising sea levels.

COWI supports North America’s energy transition through engineering services for offshore wind, green fuels, microgrids and waste‑to‑energy. We combine global expertise and local insight to help customers reduce emissions and strengthen energy security.