JACKSON, Miss. (August 5, 2021) – Neel-Schaffer was the Lead Design Engineer for a Georgia Department of Transportation Design-Build bridge replacement project that received an award on August 3 as part of the annual America’s Transportation Awards (ATA) competition.
The project, Macon-Bibb County Design-Build Bridges, received top honors from the Southern Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (SASHTO) in the regional “Quality of Life/Community Development, Small Project” category. Wright Brothers Construction was the Design-Build contractor.
The project tied for first place among 80 projects nominated by 35 DOTs around the country. The award was presented during the SASHTO annual meeting in Orlando.
The project replaced two bridges in Macon, GA, over the Norfolk Southern Railway, the first on Pio Nono Avenue and the second on College Street. The new bridges were needed to provide adequate vertical clearance to accommodate double-stacked rail cars coming from the shipping ports in Savannah and Brunswick, GA. The project was put on an aggressive design-build schedule in order to have both bridges replaced by August 2021. Construction began in March 2020. Construction on the new Pio Nono Avenue bridge was completed in just 25 days, and the bridge was reopened to traffic on June 2, 2020. The College Street bridge was completed in February 2021.
In addition to bridge design services, Neel-Schaffer provided overall project management, monthly CPM project schedule updates, roadway design, traffic signal and permitting, all plan preparation, including as-built drawings, and the coordination of subconsultants.
“This recognition highlights the department’s continued commitment to providing the safest and most innovative transportation system for Georgia’s residents and visitors,” Georgia DOT Commissioner Russell R. McMurry, PE, said in a news release. “The Georgia Department of Transportation is honored to receive this prestigious award.”
The ATA competition showcases transportation projects delivered by state DOTs. You can learn more about the ATA competition and this year’s entries at americastransportationawards.org.
