ACEC NEBRASKA ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS
T2 • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024
OMAHA WORLD-HERALD
GRAND AWARDS Each February, the American Council of Engineering Companies-Nebraska celebrates the =//.(#*=./ #/B C,A#*=(=*Q .@ =*+ 0A0"A, J,0+ =/ C./<)/C*=./ !=*> D#*=./#9 K/?=/AA,+ 1AA:M 2>=+ +-AC=#9 +AC*=./ +-.*9=?>*+ *>A "A+* .@ *>A "A+* =/ &$K$ DA",#+:#;+ 8L87 #!#,B+ -,.?,#0M
Lincoln South Beltway
GRAND AWARD Firm: Benesch Project: E=/C.9/ 3.)*> %A9*!#Q Client: Nebraska Department of Transportation With an investment of nearly $350 million, the Lincoln South Beltway project stands as Nebraska’s largest, and possibly most significant, transportation endeavor, reshaping the region’s infrastructure landscape. This groundbreaking initiative, overseen by a dedicated team of experts, aims to enhance safety, mobility and economic vitality for the entire community. The project boasts impressive features, including two system interchanges, three service interchanges, the construction of 43 miles of road, 23 bridges, 11 roundabouts and the movement of over 7 million cubic yards of soil. These elements collectively modernize local transportation networks, reducing congestion and improving overall road safety.
Environmental stewardship was at the core of this initiative, with thorough MS4 water treatments and the revitalization of wetlands and streams ensuring sustainable development. The project’s success is a testament to the planning, relentless collaboration, and shared accountability that have been essential in navigating its complexities. Through detailed planning, relentless collaboration and shared accountability, the team navigated the intricacies of this project, including accelerated timelines. Weekly meetings guided this endeavor, fostering an environment of holistic collaboration and facilitating crucial tools that guide choices, track adjustments, and ensure shared responsibility. In summary, the Lincoln South Beltway project represents a long-awaited triumph of engineering excellence and sustainable development. It signifies a turning point in transportation infrastructure, promising a safer, more efficient, and environmentally responsible future for Nebraska’s community and the greater region.
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Omaha RiverFront Revitalization
GRAND AWARD Firm: HDR Project: Omaha RiverFront Revitalization Client: MECA Tri-Park Complex, LLC For nearly 60 years, three parks in downtown Omaha emphasized leisure and open space. Unfortunately, their disjointed nature, poor access, lack of amenities, and inadequate recreational opportunities left them minimally used. The RiverFront Revitalization Project transformed these underutilized parks into a unified, amenity-rich open space, anchored by the Missouri River creating a 72-acre, one-of-a-kind park that has unified the Omaha area. The new design raised a former sunken lagoon; added spacious lawns and performance pavilions, play areas, a skate ribbon, an urban beach, public art and other amenities; improved multimodal transportation; expanded the trail network; reconnected entertainment districts;
and restored the park’s character. With a unique governance structure, the project was developed by and for the community with flexibility to adapt programming to future needs. The project is Nebraska’s first Envision project, verified Platinum. The team’s environmental efforts reduced water use, created and repurposed topsoil, improved habitats, and protected cultural resources. At the same time, it’s spurring an economic resurgence across downtown Omaha. Since its planning, more than $4 billion in projects have been planned or announced. The project overcame seemingly insurmountable odds - centuries of buried infrastructure, built atop a superfund site and alongside North America’s longest river, more than 75 NRHP properties located nearby, a global pandemic, and dozens of projects stakeholders. Completed on schedule and within budget, The RiverFront is a testament to what unique engineering solutions can accomplish. It is a beacon of light for a community and an exemplar for the future of civic design.
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