CHARLESTON, WV – The 22nd annual West Virginia Design & Build Contest is going back to a live and in-person event following two years of virtual contests due to COVID-19.

The contest, sponsored by the West Virginia Division of Highways, BridgeWalk, West Virginia Department of Education, and WVU Tech in Beckley, pits middle school and high school students against one another to see who can design the best bridge, using standardized design software. Finalists will also build a scale model of their bridge to see how much force the model will stand before collapsing.

“We’re really looking forward to getting back to an in-person final competition this year,’ said West Virginia State Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston, P.E. “At the final event, we honor the students, teachers, parents, younger sisters and brothers — all these people who work together to help students be successful. We’re looking forward to working with the colleges again this year and helping young West Virginians bridge that gap from school into rewarding careers with West Virginia Department of Transportation.”

The contest is designed to encourage STEM education and inspire tomorrow’s engineers, today. Every student who makes it to the finals receives $100. First place winners take home $500, second place winners receive $400, and third place winners get $300. Every student who participates in the contest gets a free BridgeWalk tour for themselves and their families.

Students have until Wednesday, March 1, 2023, to register, download their bridge design software and submit their bridge design.

To register, download bridge design software, or find out more about the contest, visit https://wvbridgedesignandbuildcontest.com.