The American Council of Engineering Companies of Georgia (ACEC Georgia) and the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) announced the winners of the annual Georgia Partnership for Transportation Quality (GPTQ) Preconstruction Design Awards during the 2016 Georgia Transportation Summit held yesterday. The GPTQ Preconstruction Design Awards recognize engineering consultants and firms for exemplary work, innovation and ingenuity in transportation and infrastructure projects across the state of Georgia.
“Georgia is moving toward a bright, sustainable future for our transportation network,” said Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry, who presented the awards. “It is a privilege to honor those leaders who will contribute to that successful future and highlight how their partnerships and teamwork contribute to positive transportation endeavors.”
Transportation consulting and design firm Infrastructure Consulting & Engineering, PLLC took top honors as the Grand Award winner for its work on the Widening of State Route 400 (SR 400) from McFarland Parkway to Bald Ridge Marina Road in Forsyth County, Ga. – a major commuter artery for the north metro Atlanta area. This represents one of the first major transportation projects to use only state and local funding without the need for federal matching.
GDOT also utilized a fixed cost/variable scope design-build procurement method for the project – a first for the Department – maximizing the project’s potential despite a fixed funding level and unknown total project scope. This innovative method resulted in an accelerated contract procurement and design process which allowed construction work to begin within one year of the bond approval and optimized project delivery.
Winners were also recognized across nine different categories:
- Georgia DOT Office of Bridge Design – SR 211 Bridge Over Beech Creek (Barrow County)
Category: Innovative Solutions to a Design Problem/Best Use of New Products
- Arcadis U.S., Inc. – Kennesaw Mountain to Chattahoochee River Trail – North/Intown (Cobb County)
Category: Design of an Alternative Mode Transportation Facility
- Qk4, Inc. and Edwards-Pitman Environmental, Inc. – Back River Bridge (Chatham County)
Category: NEPA, Environmental Protection, Preservation, Restoration and/or Enhancement
- Pond – Mableton Town Square (Cobb County)
Category: Context Sensitive Design including Public Participation Plan
- Arcadis U.S., Inc. – Skip Spann Connector Bridge (Cobb County)
Category: Bridge and/or Structural Design
- Gresham, Smith and Partners – Roundabout – SR 33/US 319 at 1st Street/SR 33 and Sylvester Highway (Colquitt County)
Category: Traffic Safety and/or Intersection Design
- R. K. Shah & Associates, Inc. – SR 11/US 41 Widening (Houston County)
Category: Highway Design – Urban
- Wolverton & Associates, Inc. – US 27 at Custer Road Interchange Improvements (Muscogee County)
Category: Highway Design – Rural
- Michael Baker International, Inc. – Jimmy Deloach Connector (Chatham County)
Category: Design-Build
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 2016 Georgia Transportation Summit, hosted by ACEC Georgia, GDOT, the Georgia Transportation Alliance and Georgia Chamber of Commerce. More than 950 industry, business, community and elected leaders were on-hand for the annual event, now in its 22nd year.
