ASSOCIATION SPOTLIGHT
ACEC
Florida
AMERICAN COUNCIL OF ENGINEERING COMPANIES of Florida
Recognizing ACEC Florida's Honor Award Winners
Each year, the American Council of Engineering Companies of Florida recognizes exceptional achievements in engineering through the Outstanding Project Awards and the Engineering Excellence Awards. They range from groundbreaking roadway infrastructure to innovative water resources to civil projects that make Florida a better place to live and visit. This year’s Engineering Excellence Awards (EEA) recognized three grand winners – the I-4 Ultimate Improvement Project, Everglades Holiday Park and Wekiva Parkway Section 6 – and a Grand Conceptor Award for the Legacy Trail Extension, all projects that you can read more about in this issue of Engineering Florida. We also recognized seven honor award winners, which really showcase the diversity of the projects our member firms design and deliver. Here’s a little about each: BCWWS – RECLAIMED WATER TRANSMISSION MAIN Engineer: Thompson & Associates, Inc. Construction: Ric-Man International Client: Broward County Water and Wastewater Services This project included an 11-mile reclaimed water transmission main that serves as the backbone of future reclaimed water systems in northern Broward and southern Palm Beach Counties. The design included a subaqueous crossing of a canal and a 1500-foot, 42inch diameter horizontal directional drilling pipe. To avoid crossing below a large culvert, Thompson & Associates designed the 42-inch main to be split into two 30-inch pipes. Special approval was obtained from the South Florida Water Management District to place the reclaimed water transmission main in its green space instead of the roadway, which saved millions of dollars. 1-295 EXPRESS – SR 9B TO SR 202 (JTB) Engineer: RS&H | HNTB Construction: Archer Western Contractors Client: Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) This managed lanes project included the construction of two additional 12-foot travel lanes (tolled express lanes) in each direction, improving interchanges at J. Turner Butler Boulevard (SR 202), Gate Parkway, Baymeadows Road, and SR 9B. Other elements included constructing noise walls along I-295 in various locations, building drainage ponds and installing electronic tolling systems. FDOT has reported so far that travel times have been cut down by 22% on the northbound lanes and 12% on the southbound lanes since the project’s completion. 34 | ENGINEERING FLORIDA
LAKE SHORE DRIVE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS Engineer: Baxter & Woodman, Inc. Client: Town of Lake Park Lake Shore Drive in Lake Park has been prone to flooding from storms and king tides and is threatened by sea level rise. An innovative design was implemented to improve flood protection and provide water quality of runoff discharging into the Lake Worth Lagoon. The new drainage system replaced water and sanitary utilities, and a new pump station can discharge up to 22,500 gallons per minute, with a new bioswale and detention area between it and the lake. The reconstructed roadway now features new sidewalks and streetlights, new parallel parking, a multi-use shared path, landscaping and motion-sensor-activated crosswalk lighting for pedestrians at night. SR 528/SR 436 INTERCHANGE RECONFIGURATION Engineer: DRMP | RK&K Client: Central Florida Expressway Authority This project improves safety and traffic flow around the north entrance to the Orlando International Airport, which is accessed by more than 50,000 vehicles each day. The project adds an additional travel lane in each direction of SR 528 (Beachline Expressway) between Conway Road and Goldenrod Road to ease congestion at this busy interchange. The construction of seven new fly-over bridges at the SR 528/ SR 436 interchange provides smoother, uninterrupted access between SR 528 and SR 436 (Semoran Boulevard). This includes transforming the existing loop ramps (from southbound SR 436 to eastbound SR 528 and from northbound SR 436 to SR 528) into semi-directional flyovers. Other improvements include enhanced aesthetics such as tiered planter walls, native landscaping, updated signage and lighting. TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BLUE EXPRESS CURBSIDE Engineer: HNTB Corporation Client: Hillsborough County Aviation Authority – Tampa International Airport (TPA) Designed for faster curb-to-gate transitions, TPA now has the first express curbside at a U.S. airport. The project reduces traffic congestion, increases pedestrian safety, and doubles the airport’s curbside capacity, positioning the airport for future expansion and operations.
