America’s Transportation Awards Finalists Announced
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, AAA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced the 12 finalists in the 2016 America's Transportation Awards competition Sept. 9. The finalists come from 10 state departments of transportation, with Colorado and Idaho having two apiece.
"From a record 84 nominated projects last spring, we're down to 12 finalists competing to be called the very best transportation project in America," AASHTO Executive Director Bud Wright said. "This competition shows the excellence in project delivery we see year after year across the country, and it demonstrates why the real winners are the American people. These multimodal projects are reducing congestion, improving safety and stimulating economic growth."
America's Transportation Awards, in its ninth year, recognizes the best transportation projects in the categories of Quality of Life/Community Development, Best Use of Innovation and Under Budget, as well as by size: small (less than $25 million), medium (between $26 million and $199 million) and large ($200 million and above).
The finalists received the highest number of points during four regional competitions. Online voting will determine the People's Choice Award. A panel of experts will select the grand prize winner. Voting begins Sept. 9 and will continue through Oct. 31, at http://AmericasTransportationAwards.org.
The Finalists:
Colorado: One was the I-70 Mountain Express Lane project. The other replaced six obsolete bridges along U.S. 6 in Denver.
Connecticut: Replaced the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge in New Haven.
Florida: Replaced a bridge on Eller Drive over railroad tracks at Port Everglades in Broward County.
Idaho: One connected Bannock Highway to South 5th Avenue, south of Pocatello. The other, the Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle Program, accelerated the construction of several transportation projects.
North Dakota: Rehabilitation of the Sorlie Bridge that connects Grand Forks to East Grand Forks, Minnesota.
Oregon: Woodburn Interchange and Transit Facility Project on Interstate 5.
South Dakota: Jackson Boulevard Phase II project, which reconstructed a section of Highway 44 in Rapid City.
Tennessee: "Fast Fix 8" project replaced eight bridges on I-40 in Nashville, completing the work seven months ahead of schedule.
Texas: Lyndon B. Johnson Expressway project north of Dallas. The state's largest public-private partnership was a five-year reconstruction of a portion of I-635 to relieve severe congestion partly by adding express toll lanes underneath the regular lanes.
Washington: Replaced a bridge and added high occupancy vehicle lanes on Route 520 across Lake Washington, east of Seattle.
