Innovative infrastructure projects from across the United States earn industry recognition.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (December 15, 2022) Six HNTB projects have been named among the best in North America by Roads and Bridges magazine in their 2022 Top 10 Roads and Top 10 Bridges awards. The I-69 Finish Line project in Indiana was named the top road project for 2022 and the I-74 Mississippi Bridge in Iowa and Illinois earned the top ranking on the bridges list. The winning projects, chosen by the magazine’s editorial staff, were announced in its November/December award issue.
HNTB’s 2022 Winners
I-74 Mississippi River Bridge, No. 1 Bridge
Illinois and Iowa DOTs joined forces to tackle safety, congestion and future growth on the portion of I-74 over the Mississippi River connecting the two states. The I-74 Mississippi River Bridge improved operations and capacity to get motorists to their destination faster and safer, provided new full shoulders to allow swift emergency response, and created a new multi-use path with a scenic overlook for pedestrians and bicyclists.
I-69 Finish Line Contract 2, No. 1 Road
The I-69 Finish Line project, when completed, will connect Evansville to Indianapolis, Indiana across more than 142 miles, realizing a 75-year-goal to link the two cities via an interstate. Contract 2, which focused on the 6 miles of State Road 37 in Martinsville, required removing an existing highway and replacing it with an interstate. When opened to traffic in 2024, the newest segment will heighten safety, increase mobility and enhance quality of life. The project team gave specific attention to creating a robust communications plan to relay information throughout the project.
Veranda Street Bridge, No. 3 Bridge
The Veranda Street Bridge carries up to 75,000 vehicles per day on busy I-295 across Veranda Street in Portland, Maine. Built in the 1961, the 60-year-old, three-span bridge was showing signs of deterioration, and inspections revealed that its condition ranged from “satisfactory” to “poor.” With much pre-planning, public outreach and project team coordination, the MaineDOT replaced the aging, deteriorated bridge in its entirety over one weekend. The replacement is the largest, fastest, and most ambitious accelerated bridge construction (ABC) project in MaineDOT’s history.
Photo courtesy MaineDOT
Opportunity Corridor, No. 5 Road
Opportunity Corridor improved access and mobility between the Cleveland freeway system and local neighborhoods while supporting the city’s goals for economic development within a historically underserved, economically depressed area. Completion of the roadway has improved access and mobility in the area for vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian users and also greatly improved access to three transit stations along the corridor.
Sixth Street Viaduct, No. 6 Bridge
The City of Los Angeles’s Sixth Street Viaduct, dubbed “the Ribbon of Light”, employs a series of 10 pairs of sculptural arches, recalling the iconic beauty of the original 1932 bridge while seamlessly connecting Los Angeles’s Art District with the Boyle Heights neighborhood. It’s designed not only as a transportation link supporting vehicular traffic, pedestrians and cyclists but also as a community destination, served by a future 12-acre park below the viaduct. It sets a new threshold for seismic safety being designed to remain undamaged and operational after a seismic event with a 1,000-year return period.
Third Avenue Bridge Rehabilitation, No. 9
The Third Avenue Bridge, spanning the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, was designed and constructed in the early 1900s and is a classic example of a cast-in-place concrete arch-type bridge that utilizes the patented Melan system, which encases steel arches in concrete. Third Avenue Bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places for its historic and engineering significance. Rehabilitation of the Third Avenue Bridge, initiated to address the structure’s deteriorated conditions and extend its service life, required close coordination with MnDOT’s Cultural Resources Unit and the State Historic Preservation Office.
