Connection defines the true value of a bridge, far beyond its structural form. Amy Trahey, founder of Great Lakes Engineering Group, believes these spans are often misunderstood as simple conduits between two points, when in reality they serve as lifelines that sustain access and shared experience across entire communities.
Her perspective is shaped by years in engineering and a lifelong fascination with the structures themselves. She recalls early moments that captured her attention, highlighting how bridges revealed technical brilliance and human purpose. “I remember standing over the Chicago River and seeing all those movable bridges,” she says. “It was fascinating to me. Then you look at something like the Mackinac Bridge, and you realize it’s not just beautiful, it’s what allows you to experience an entire part of the country you wouldn’t otherwise reach.”
Trahey emphasizes functionality. Bridges, she notes, enable commerce, connect families, and support the systems people depend on daily. She explains, “This is the place where the fire truck comes when your house catches fire, how deliveries reach you, how people go to work, school, and see their families. It’s everything.”
Global infrastructure data reflects the urgency behind her perspective. In the United States alone, more than 40% of bridges are at least 50 years old, with over 7% classified as structurally deficient. Trahey interprets these figures as indicators of risk that directly affect daily life.
Trahey believes that communities feel those impacts most acutely when connectivity is disrupted. She points to historical planning decisions that unintentionally fractured neighborhoods, particularly in urban environments. “You had situations where highways were built straight through communities,” she says. “Businesses lost customers, people lost connection, and over time those areas changed completely.”
Attempts to correct those divides, she notes, have not always delivered equitable outcomes. Trahey highlights the limitations of certain solutions, particularly for individuals with mobility challenges. “You can build a pedestrian bridge, you can add stairs, you can even add ramps,” she says. “But if someone is in a wheelchair, that’s still a barrier. Not everyone has access to the equipment that makes those crossings easier. So what looks like a connection on paper can still feel like isolation in real life.”
Her work at Great Lakes Engineering Group reflects a commitment to addressing those gaps with intention. Each project is approached with an understanding that infrastructure decisions shape how people interact with their surroundings. She sees bridge design as an opportunity to restore accessibility and reinforce community ties, rather than simply fulfill technical requirements.
Economic implications further underscore the importance of these structures. Trahey emphasizes how disruptions in connectivity ripple across supply chains and local economies. “If you can’t move goods efficiently, everything becomes more expensive,” she says. “Produce, materials, and everyday items all depend on transportation. Bridges are a huge part of that system, and when they’re not functioning properly, people feel it immediately.”
Public awareness, however, often lags behind that reality. Trahey argues that bridges tend to fade into the background until a failure occurs or a closure forces detours. She believes that the mindset needs to shift toward proactive investment and maintenance, where infrastructure isn’t viewed as a static asset, but as an evolving system that requires continuous attention.
According to Trahey, advances in engineering and materials can offer opportunities to extend the life of existing structures and design new ones that better serve modern needs. She sees potential in combining technical innovation with a renewed focus on human experience, so that the infrastructure supports efficiency and equity.
A bridge, for Trahey, ultimately represents more than a crossing. It represents access, opportunity, and connection in its most tangible form. “It connects people in ways they don’t even think about,” Trahey says. “You take it away, and suddenly everything changes. That’s when you realize how much it was holding together.”