America’s Top 10 Transportation Projects Competing for Two National Awards 8th Annual Contest Sponsored by AASHTO, AAA and US Chamber of Commerce

AASHTO News, 17 August 2015

WASHINGTON – The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, AAA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce today announced the 2015 America’s Transportation Awards competition top 10 project finalists.

“The scores have been tallied and there are 10 projects left, competing to be called the best in America,” said Bud Wright, AASHTO executive director. “Only one state DOT will take home this year’s Grand Prize but all the projects in the competition are making the nation’s multimodal transportation system better, faster and safer.”

This year 24 states entered 48 projects that were judged in three categories: “Under Budget,” “Best Use of Innovation,” and “Quality of Life/Community Development.”

The 10 finalists received the highest scores during four regional competitions. A panel of experts will select the Grand Prize winner and the People’s Choice Award will be decided through on-line voting which begins today through Friday, September 11 at http://AmericasTransportationAwards.org. Individuals can vote up to 10 times per day for their favorite project.

The Grand Prize and People’s Choice award winners also receive $10,000 donations from AASHTO to be given on behalf of the winning state DOT to a charity or scholarship fund of the state’s choosing. The final awards will be presented September 27 at the AASHTO Annual Meeting in Chicago.

The top 10 finalists in alphabetical order are:

  • Florida – I-595 Corridor Improvements: This Florida Department of Transportation $1.22 billion public-private partnership project relieved congestion and created a multimodal transportation network along I-595 in South Florida. Design and construction teams completed the project on time and $275 million below the original estimated cost.
  • Florida — Port of Miami Tunnel: Florida Department of Transportation’s $666 million multimodal project successfully built the largest soft ground bored road tunnel in North America, decreasing traffic congestion in downtown Miami by providing a direct link between the Port of Miami and the interstate highway system, supporting freight and regional commerce.
  • Indiana/Kentucky — Milton-Madison Bridge: Indiana Department of Transportation and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s joint $103 million project replaced a deteriorating bridge between Milton, Kentucky and Madison, Indiana. Crews were able to reduce the bridge closure by 11 months by sliding the new bridge onto refurbished piers.
  • Michigan — 96Fix: Michigan Department of Transportation’s $153 million project used paperless construction, e-permitting and other innovative technologies to improve efficiency and complete the project ahead of schedule.
  • Montana — Deep Creek Canyon Bridge: Montana Department of Transportation’s $2.75 million project created shaft foundations outside of the existing bridge footprint in advance of bridge removal and used precast bridge pieces to significantly accelerate the construction process.
  • New Mexico — Paseo del Norte/I-25 Reconstruction: The design-build process used by the New Mexico Department of Transportation on this $93 million project cut construction time by nine months and also created a seamless transition between the overpass and roadway.
  • North Dakota — Watford City Bypass: North Dakota Department of Transportation’s $130 million project addressed major traffic congestion and safety issues created by a recent oil boom in the region.
  • South Carolina — Assembly Street Improvement Project: South Carolina Department of Transportation’s $4.5 million project enhanced pedestrian and transit safety with improved sidewalks and transit shelters and was completed more than three months ahead of schedule and $1.5 million under budget.
  • Texas — North Tarrant Express: Texas Department of Transportation’s $2.1 billion project rebuilt and expanded 13 miles of the Dallas-Fort Worth area’s most congested highways. This public-private partnership project cut construction costs, and state officials estimate it will save taxpayers $12 million annually in maintenance costs.
  • Utah — I-15 US-91/1100 South Interchange: Utah Department of Transportation’s $14 million project replaced a 40-year old interchange with an innovative design which relieved congestion and improved safety for the 20,000 vehicles that use the interchange daily.

Cast your vote today and learn details about all of the 2015 America’s Transportation Award entries and nominees at http://AmericasTransportationAwards.org.

This entry was posted in Bridge Design/Const., Bridge Pres. Apps., General News, Legislative / Political, New Technology, News, Pavement Design/Const., Pavement Pres. Apps., Treatments. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.