AASHTO’s America’s Transportation Awards

Mid-American State DOT Projects that Save Lives, Improve Reliability, and Advance Ground-Breaking Technology Win Regional Awards

Transportation projects in Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin earned regional recognition in the America’s Transportation Awards for implementing technology, improving operations and making communities better.

“The people who planned, engineered and built these projects deserve recognition for the positive impacts they have provided through these investments in local communities,” said Patrick McKenna, director of the Missouri Department of Transportation and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials 2019-2020 president. “Their work represents a dedication to connecting people and improving local economies while implementing creative solutions.”

In the America’s Transportation Awards competition sponsored by AASHTO, AAA, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, state DOTs compete in three categories: Quality of Life/Community Development; Best Use of Technology and Innovation; and Operations Excellence. Each category is also designated by budget size: small (less than $25 million), medium ($25 million to $200 million), and large (more than $200 million). Projects are judged within their region.

In the Midwest region, seven states nominated 17 projects. The top Mid-America region projects are:

Wisconsin Department of Transportation — WIS 116 Bridge (Quality of Life/Community Development – Small category)

Missouri Department of Transportation —Champ Clark Bridge (Quality of Life/Community Development – Medium category)

Minnesota Department of Transportation— Transportation Asset Management System (Operations Excellence – Small category)

Minnesota Department of Transportation— Minnesota Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) Challenge (Best Use of Technology & Innovation – Small category)

Ohio Department of Transportation — I-670 SmartLane (Best Use of Technology & Innovation – Medium category)

More on the America’s Transportation Awards categories:

• Community Development/Quality of Life – Recognizes projects that provide significant benefits to the communities in which they are located, especially in the form of economic growth and the well-being of citizens;
• Best Use of Technology – Recognizes the use new technology and/or creative solutions implemented by a state DOT
• Operations Excellence – Recognizes projects that deliver a more reliable, well-functioning, and/or safer transportation system through operational solutions

The three highest-scoring projects from each regional competition earn a place on a “top 12” list of projects that will compete for the national Grand Prize – selected by an independent panel of industry judges – and the People’s Choice Award, chosen by the general public through online voting. These top national winners each receive $10,000 cash awards to be donated to a charity or scholarship of the state DOT’s choosing.

The 12 finalists will be announced and online voting for the People’s Choice Award will begin in August. National award winners will be announced later this year. Visit https://americastransportationawards.org/ to learn more about this year’s nominees and to view the awards presentation.

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