West Virginia Department of Transportation

10/27/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/27/2025 11:28

WVDOT kicks off its 25th annual West Virginia Bridge Design and Build Contest on Friday, October 31, 2025

​

Friday, October 31, 2025, marks the kickoff of the 2026 West Virginia Bridge Design and Build Contest. The contest, sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT), BridgeWalk, West Virginia Department of Education, and WVU Tech in Beckley, challenges middle and high school students to see who can design the lowest cost bridge using bridge design software developed for students. Finalists will also build a balsa bridge to see how much force the model will stand before collapsing.

"To see the kids each year push themselves just a little bit farther and try a little bit harder … is a real eye-opening experience you don't always get in the classroom," said Bryan Bush, a teacher at Eastern Greenbrier Middle School, one of last year's winners. "The students love to get in there and use the software."
MEDIA: For B-roll of previous contests, CLICK HERE.
"The West Virginia Department of Transportation has sponsored this STEM competition, now in its 25th year, to let middle and high school students know there are good jobs available right here in our home state," said Jennifer Dooley, WVDOT Public Relations. "We have witnessed students in college tell us they went to college because of the competition, and some have come to work for us. Whatever they do, we want them to know the opportunities are here in West Virginia."

The contest is FREE and open to every middle school and high school student who attends any public, private or home school in West Virginia. Finalists will be invited to compete for cash prizes at WVU Tech in Beckley in the spring.

"A lot of middle school students haven't been to a college campus," said Bush. "Stepping into the library there, they feel the anticipation, they see somebody else's design, they start having that niche talk that they wouldn't have anywhere else. The kids are recognized for their work and it's a great event."
For an interview with Eastern Greenbrier Middle School teacher, Bryan Bush, CLICK HERE.
The contest is designed to encourage STEM education and inspire tomorrow's engineers, today. Students can win cash prizes and the final competition event includes a free BridgeWalk tour for students and their families.

"For teachers, try it!" said Bush, "If you sign up for it, try to get another teacher to sign up in another county. It would be a great thing to see all the competition."

Students have until Friday, February 27, 2026, to register, download their bridge design software and submit their bridge design. All materials for the competition, including a YouTube tutorial, are available on the website.
"For students, they love to get in there and test the software," said Bush. "Especially when they get to test it and see if it failed or not, and to see some of the wacky physics that the computer generates. Kids love to do that, and it's advantageous to them to get in and use it. They like the new experience and everything." "The West Virginia Department of Transportation is here to help our next generation of engineers on their journey to our workforce," said Hussein S. Elkhansa, Chief Technology Officer at the WVDOT. "Whether they come to work for us, or one of our consulting partners, or another field entirely, this competition give them the opportunity to explore the field of engineering while having fun. We have resources available to help them along the way and answer any questions students or teachers may have." To register, download bridge design software, or find out more about the contest, visit https://wvbdb.com.
West Virginia Department of Transportation published this content on October 27, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 27, 2025 at 17:29 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]