A host of transportation projects in Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin earned regional recognition in the 2020 America’s Transportation Awards competition that boost mobility, save lives, and improve the overall quality of life for their communities.

“The people who planned, engineered and built these projects deserve recognition for the positive impacts they have provided through these investments in local communities,” explained Patrick McKenna, director of the Missouri Department of Transportation and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials 2019-2020 president, in a statement.

“Their work represents a dedication to connecting people and improving local economies while implementing creative solutions,” he said.

In the America’s Transportation Awards competition – sponsored by AASHTO, AAA, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – state departments of transportation 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).

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)

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. Those top national winners each receive $10,000 cash awards that will be donated to a charity or scholarship of their choosing.

Online voting for the People’s Choice Award will begin in August, with the top 12 national award winners to be announced later this year.