I was fortunate to be a part of the substructure design team for several of the bridges on the Buck O’Neil project in downtown Kansas City. We designed over a dozen piers on the project, including hammerheads and straddle bents. Designing on such a large scale allowed me to delve deep into the AASHTO bridge code and learn some new software. I enjoy the fast-paced nature of Design-Build projects. I believe receiving contractor feedback on my designs in real-time has made me a better engineer, and I also love being a part of an adaptable and collaborative team that takes such pride in our work

The baseball legend Buck O’Neil knew a thing or two about community building. The improvements to the transportation system in Kansas City from his namesake bridge replacement project will also help build stronger communities in the region. Safety is the main priority in creating livable and walkable neighborhoods. By removing direct freight access from local streets, pedestrians will be safer. In addition, crash rates at the south project limits are three times higher than the average rates in the Kansas City region. The project is estimated to reduce those crash rates by 50%. Aside from the safety aspects, the improvements will alleviate significant congestion and travel delays between downtown and the growing Northland area.