2018 Winners of Annual Innovative Transportation Awards Announced

Northwest Corridor, Parsons Transportation Group Take Top Honor

The American Council of Engineering Companies of Georgia (ACEC Georgia) and the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) announced the winners of their annual Georgia Partnership for Transportation Quality (GPTQ) Preconstruction Design Awards during the 2018 Georgia Transportation Summit held Friday. The GPTQ Preconstruction Design Awards recognize engineering teams and firms for exemplary work, innovation and ingenuity in transportation and infrastructure projects across the state of Georgia.

“Georgia’s dedication to innovation, combined with a continued emphasis on infrastructure maintenance, has allowed us to remain one of the top transportation systems in the nation and the number one state to do business for the sixth year in a row,” said Commissioner Russell McMurry of GDOT, who help present the awards. “We are thankful for the community and industry leaders honored during the Georgia Transportation Summit on Friday, who support our efforts and join in our vision for a safe and connected future for Georgia.”

Parsons Transportation Group received the Grand Prize Award for its work on the Northwest Corridor Express Lanes project. The completed Northwest Corridor represents the first GDOT project to be procured as a design-build-finance project, and its successful delivery makes it the largest transportation project in the state’s history.

This massive project, which involved nearly 30 miles of roadway, including three intersecting interstate highways and 39 bridges, required countless innovations, accommodations and considerations. During the course of the project, the Parsons team worked to develop numerous solutions to address impacts to the traveling public and environmentally sensitive wetlands, as well as mitigate any potentially negative effects to duration and cost of construction. 

Winners were also recognized across nine different categories:

• Atkins, Member of the SNC-Lavalin Group – Statewide Mainline Weight-in-Motion (Category: Innovative Solutions to a Design Problem/Best Use of New Products)
• Moffatt & Nichol – Appalachian Regional Port (Category: Planning and Design of an Alternative Mode Transportation Facility)
• HNTB – Memorandum of Understanding – Defining the Area of Potential Effect for MMIP (Category: NEPA, Environmental Protection, Preservation, Restoration and/or Enhancement)
• Arcadis, U.S., Inc. – Concord Road Covered Bridge Rehabilitation (Category: Context Sensitive Planning and Design including Public Participation Plan)
• Michael Baker International – Islands Expressway Bridge Replacement (Category: Bridge and/or Structural Design)
• Arcadis, U.S., Inc. – South Barrett Reliever Roundabout (Category: Traffic Safety and/or Intersection Design)
• Heath & Lineback Engineers, Inc. – Interstate North Parkway and Interstate North Circle Roadway and Pedestrian Improvements (Category: Highway Design – Urban)
• AECOM Technical Services, Inc. – State Route 10/Gordon Highway Widening and Improvements (Category: Highway Design – Rural)
• Michael Baker International – Courtland Street Bridge Replacement (Category: Design-Build)

“Georgia’s transportation engineers are designing innovative solutions every day that make our lives – and commutes – better,” said Michael “Sully” Sullivan, President and CEO for ACEC Georgia. “We were proud to recognize these engineering achievements, and honor the teams behind their success, during our 24th annual Georgia Transportation Summit.”

GPTQ is a partnership between ACEC Georgia, GDOT and the Georgia Highway Contractors Association. Formed in 1993, its mission is to strengthen the working relationships between the parties that are responsible for designing, building, operating and maintaining the state’s transportation infrastructure, which ultimately results in improved project delivery and quality for Georgia’s citizens. 

The award winners were recognized during the 2018 Georgia Transportation Summit, hosted by ACEC Georgia, GDOT, the Georgia Transportation Alliance and Georgia Chamber of Commerce on Friday, November 9 in Athens, Ga. Nearly 1,200 industry, business, community and elected leaders were on-hand for the annual event, now in its 24th year.