Upgrading one of America’s most essential freight corridors
Interstate 80 is a backbone of cross‑country mobility in the U.S., connecting California’s Port of Oakland to the East Coast and carrying millions of tons of goods every year. In northern Nevada, the interstate supports manufacturing, distribution, military logistics, tourism and the rapidly expanding industrial growth east of Reno and Sparks.
Many of the bridges in this area were built decades ago and designed to older seismic standards. The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT)’s statewide initiative to strengthen key structures identified the Fernley area to the east of Reno as a priority for upgrades because of its geology, traffic volume and regional importance. Working closely with NDOT, Jacobs delivered design services to strengthen bridges during a major seismic event while maintaining essential lifeline functions for the region and protecting the movement of people and goods.
The project’s impact and execution were recognized with a 2025 Engineering News-Record’s West California and Nevada Best Highway/Bridge project award, highlighting its contribution to seismic resilience across the state.
miles, the total length of Interstate 80 across the U.S.
vehicles per day travel key segments of I‑80 in northern Nevada, including heavy freight and long‑haul trucking
tons of freight move across the I‑80 corridor nationally each year, making it one of the country’s highest‑value goods‑movement routes
A comprehensive seismic retrofit approach
Jacobs’ structural and seismic engineers evaluated each bridge and developed retrofit solutions tailored to improve performance under a range of earthquake scenarios. The upgrade program included:
- Strengthening bridge columns and support beams to improve stability during seismic events.
- Wrapping select bridge elements with strong composite materials that help them flex instead of crack when the ground moves.
- Upgrading the parts that connect the bridge to its supports so the bridge can move safely during seismic activity.
- Reinforcing the components that keep the bridge in place if it shakes.
- Improving foundations where needed to provide a stronger, more stable base.
- Adding safety features that prevent the bridge from shifting or falling off its supports during a major earthquake.
In total, the project retrofitted eight bridges, including four northbound and southbound structure pairs between the cities of Wadsworth and Fernley. The work completed NDOT’s statewide seismic retrofit program and marked the agency’s first use of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC). The new UHPC link slabs eliminated problematic joints at piers and delivered a more durable, resilient solution.
Delivering under tight constraints
The seismic retrofit program required careful planning and coordination due to the corridor’s operating conditions. I‑80 carries high volumes of freight traffic, making continuous access essential to Nevada’s industrial and logistics economy. Detour options were extremely limited, so maintaining traffic flow during construction was critical. Jacobs worked closely with NDOT’s roadway designers, district engineers and project stakeholders to determine project phasing that made sense. The project ultimately used median cross-overs and land reductions so that bridges could be worked on without traffic being present. While this reduced traffic on I-80 to one lane in each direction, it allowed the contractor to work quicker and more safely.
Supporting Nevada’s future growth
Northern Nevada continues to attract large-scale industrial and logistics investment, including advanced manufacturing and warehousing facilities. This growth increases the importance of a resilient interstate network. Strengthening I‑80 near Fernley ensures the corridor can support future demand while protecting travelers, goods and essential services.
