San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge Is Top 10 Finalist for America's Transportation Award

Do you ever drive by the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and just take in its beauty? If so, you’re onto something.

Caltrans announced Monday that the bridge has been named a top 10 finalist in a national competition for the best transportation project in the nation.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ (AASHTO) has selected it for its 2014 America’s Transportation Awards competition.

“We in California know that the Bay Bridge is one of the best bridges in the world, both seismically and structurally, as well as stylistically,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty.

If you want to help the project win first place in the competition, you can vote online. Votes will be accepted through Oct. 24 here. You can vote up to 10 times.

By winning, the state’s transportation department doesn’t just get bragging rights, but they also get to chose the recipient of a $10,000 donation.

“Should the Bay Bridge be selected, Caltrans would donate to the California Transportation Foundation, which benefits the families of Caltrans workers killed on the job,” Caltrans officials said Monday.

Here’s more on the competition and honor from a Caltrans news release:

A record 73 projects from 36 states and the District of Columbia were entered into the 2014 America’s Transportation Awards competition, sponsored by AASHTO, AAA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Now, in an “American Idol”-like competition but for road projects, the nation will have the opportunity to decide through online voting which of the Top Ten projects deserves the People’s Choice Award.

The People’s Choice and Grand Prize (selected by a panel of experts) award winners will each earn a $10,000 donation from AASHTO to be donated by the winning state’s department of transportation to a charity of their choice. Should the Bay Bridge be selected, Caltrans would donate to the California Transportation Foundation, which benefits the families of Caltrans workers killed on the job. Both final awards will be presented on November 23 at the AASHTO Annual meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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The Bay Bridge was also awarded the “Award of Excellence” in the Infrastructure category during the Structural Engineers Association of California’s 2014 Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards.This specific award publicly acknowledges outstanding achievement in the structural engineering analysis, design and construction of an infrastructure project.

AASHTO is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association representing highway and transportation departments in the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. AASHTO serves as a liaison between state departments of transportation and the federal government. As the voice of transportation, AASHTO works to educate the public and key decision makers about the critical role that transportation plays in securing a good quality of life and sound economy for our nation. It represents all five transportation modes: air, highways, public transportation, rail and water.

The top 10 finalists, courtesy of AASHTO, in alphabetical order are:

• California—San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge: California Department of Transportation’s $6.3 billion San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge project completely replaced a nearly 80-year-old structure with a new, modern bridge featuring advanced earthquake response technology. The bridge is also built to accommodate future expansions in light rail, bus, and other modes of transportation.
  
  
• Colorado—September 2013 Flood Response: Colorado Department of Transportation’s $50 million quick and efficient response to damage caused by the major September 2013 floods greatly improved the lives of state residents. CDOT coordinated with the National Guard, local leaders and residents, and private contractors to reopen the last of the closed roadways in December 2013, just 10 weeks after the catastrophic event.
  
  
• Florida—Mathews Bridge Impact & Emergency Repair Project: Florida DOT’s $3.8 million Mathews Bridge Impact and Emergency Repair Project required a fast and efficient fix for a major Jacksonville crossing that was struck by a naval ship. The bridge reopened for traffic 12 days ahead of schedule and only 33 days after the collision.
  
  
• Illinois/Missouri—Mississippi River Bridge: Illinois and Missouri DOTs joined forces to complete the $229.5 million Mississippi River Bridge Project, a project to reduce congestion and improve safety for the St. Louis crossing. The project reduced delays and congestion for the nearly 120,000 daily commuters between St. Louis City, Missouri, and St. Clair County, Illinois.
  
  
• Indiana—I-65/I-70 Split: Indiana Department of Transportation’s $12.4 million I-65/I-70 South Split Project increased safety by constructing the lower one-half mile of pavement beneath seven bridges. By reducing construction time from the typical 90 days down to 44 days, the project costs decreased from $20 million to $12.4 million, all while minimizing impacts to freight carriers and motorists.
  
  
• New York—I-84 Bridges Replacement over Dingle Ridge Road: The $10.2 million project by NYSDOT replaced two deficient bridges on I-84, and utilized a new construction technique that reduced the two-year construction project to only two weekends and minimized delays on this major route between New York and Connecticut.
  
  
• Ohio—U.S. Route 33 Nelsonville Bypass: Ohio Department of Transportation’s $200 million Nelsonville Bypass project relieved a major congestion problem for US 33 by constructing a four-lane bypass highway. Combined with other local road improvements, the project reduced travel time through the area by 30 minutes and offered a faster route through southeast Ohio.
  
  
• Rhode Island—Pawtucket Bridge Replacement: RIDOT Pawtucket Bridge Replacement project restored full use of an essential interstate highway by replacing a deficient bridge. The bridge replacement on Interstate 95 made the roadway safer and was completed $46 million under its $123 million budget.
  
  
• Texas—SH99/Grand Parkway Segment E: Texas Department of Transportation’s $320 million SH99/Grand Parkway, Segment E project represents the newest section of a planned 185-mile loop around the Houston metro region. Segment E improves system linkage within the existing transportation network and it will mitigate congestion on numerous roadway segments on the state’s “100 most congested” list.
  
  
• Wyoming—Togwotee Trail to Yellowstone: Wyoming Department of Transportation’s $146.2 million Togwotee Trail to Yellowstone project increased safety and mobility by upgrading a 50-year-old road on a major route between Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park. New shoulders, passing lanes and upgraded bridges and parking facilities allow a safer trip through some of America’s most beautiful scenery.

Cast your vote today and learn details about all of the 2014 America’s Transportation Award entries and nominees at http://AmericasTransportationAwards.org.

PHOTO: Courtesy of Caltrans.