Engineering Excellence and Legacy Awards

The American Council of Engineering Companies of Arizona Engineering Excellence Awards competition recognizes engineering firms for projects that demonstrate an exceptional degree of innovation, complexity, achievement, and value. Please join us for an evening of delicious food, amazing scenery, and award-winning projects.

Important Dates to Remember

  • August 27, 2021

Part 1: Official Entry Forms and entry fees due to ACEC Arizona via an online web portal.

Project Submission Guidelines

Project Submission Portal

Part 2: Completed entries (submitted via an online web portal) and photographic display panels are due to ACEC Arizona as instructed in the Call for Entries. All materials submitted for judging become the property of ACEC Arizona and may be used in publications or other promotional. Submitted materials will NOT be returned. Materials received after August 27, 2021, will NOT be accepted.

  • September 3, 2021–September 10, 2021 – Judging
  • September 17, 2021 – Winners Notified
  • October 16, 2021 – Please join us at the Desert Botanical Garden for an evening of food and fun

Request for Judges

  • Please fill out the form below if interested.

    Give us your best JUDGE-ment! Entries for the 2020 Engineering Excellence Awards will be due Fall of 2020 and we anticipate receiving submissions in a variety of categories. How can you help? We need a pool of competent judges to make the winning selections. Judges may be an in-house employee of a member firm, client, professor, or retiree with the only stipulation being that ALL JUDGES MUST BE ENGINEERS. Should a judge discover a personal or professional conflict with a submittal, we ask that they abstain from judging the entry.

    Following the 2020 deadline for award submissions, all entries will be reviewed and volunteer judges with the appropriate expertise will be contacted via email. Judging will take place via a web-based portal (login information will be provided) and will take place after. As a special thanks to those who give of their time, judges will receive two complimentary tickets to the 40th Annual Engineering Excellence Awards Gala and commemorative pin.

    Ready to be a judge? Please complete the following information and submit by Friday, August 28, 2020.

10th Annual Arizona Transportation Legacy Awards

  • Ready to be a judge? Please complete the following information and submit by Friday, August 28, 2020.

    Legacy Awards Committee is seeking your nomination(s) for an individual to receive the 10th Annual Arizona Transportation Legacy Award.

    The criteria for submitting individual nominees for this prestigious award are:

    • The Nominee must have made a significant, noteworthy contribution to any mode of transportation in Arizona. Significant contributions include (but are not limited to) planning, design, technical development, construction, management, education, and/or multi-modal transportation.
    • The Nominee may come from government, private practice, construction, education or industry.
    • The Nominee may be living or deceased, and may be working or retired.

    Please email all questions to co-chairs Kelly Kaysonepheth at kkaysonepheth@aztec.us or Karla Petty at karla.petty@dot.gov

    Deadline: Friday, August 28, 2020 at 5 p.m.

    The Legacy Awards Committee will review all entries and select the 2020 recipients. The Committee is comprised of current and retired transportation leaders in the industry, including some past Legacy Award recipients. There is no minimum or maximum number of recipients to be selected.

    August 28 Deadline to Submit Nominations
    September 4 to September 11 Review Period for Committee
    September 18 Notification of Selection(s)
    September 22-25 Winners announced during the 2020 Arizona Virtual Conference on Roads & Streets

    Nominee Information:

  • As applicable, the Nominee’s contact information:

  • If the nominee is deceased, the best contact information for his/her family or friends is:

  • Nominator's Information:

  • Consider: Your nominee’s educational background, career highlights and community/industry involvement.
  • Consider: How has he/she affected change? Describe how the nominee has mentored others in the industry? Why is the transportation industry better in Arizona because of this person?
  • Note: If the nominee is selected, this section will provide the basis for all ACEC/AZ publicity for this award.
  • Note: If the nominee is selected, this photo will be used for all ACEC/AZ publicity for this award.
  • Letters of reference, newspaper articles and other supporting documents may be included and can be scanned and submitted as attachments with the nomination. Please do not submit resumes.

Engineering Excellence Awards Banquet

Desert Botanical Gardens

1201 N. GALVIN PARKWAY PHOENIX, AZ 85008 480.941.1225

Thank you, Judges, of the 40th Annual Engineering Excellence Awards!

 

JUDGES: Keith Drunasky, Brett Howey, Brent Knezacek, Bob Mickelson, Scott Sayles, Benny Young, Robert Buss, Karim Dada, Chaun Hill

 

2020 Award Recipients

2020 Judges Choice Award

Dibble Engineering

ADOT

Grand Canyon National Park Airport Drainage Master Plan & Water Use Study

The Grand Canyon National Park Airport serves the number-one tourist site in the State of Arizona. Owned and operated by ADOT, the airport faces water use and drainage challenges. Dibble Engineering evaluated the issues in detail and developed a unique drainage master plan and water use study. Dibble identified sustainable methods for harvesting, storing, and treating stormwater to be used as potable water, leading to
cost savings and long-term sustainability. 2D modeling and statistically based analyses determined that there is enough rainfall throughout the year to meet the water needs of the Airport, now and in the future.

2020 Grand Award

Carollo Engineers

Arizona Water Company

Pinal Valley Recharge and Recovery Facility

Arizona Water Company has a CAP surface water allocation of 10,884 acre-feet per year—recharging in its Pinal Valley service area through the newly constructed Pinal Valley Recharge and Recovery Facility (PVRRF). The PVRRF is the first constructed underground water storage facility built-in central Pinal County, and its operations will reduce further aquifer depletion by creating a sustainable water supply. Slowing aquifer
overdraft benefits not only residents in the County who rely on groundwater for their drinking water supply but also agricultural users. Storing surface water underground for future withdrawal protects against climate change effects while supporting local economic growth.

2020 Grand Award

Dibble Engineering

ADOT

Grand Canyon National Park Airport Drainage Master Plan & Water Use Study

The Grand Canyon National Park Airport serves the number-one tourist site in the State of Arizona. Owned and operated by ADOT, the airport faces water use and drainage challenges. Dibble Engineering evaluated the issues in detail and developed a unique drainage master plan and water use study. Dibble identified sustainable methods for harvesting, storing, and treating stormwater to be used as potable water, leading to
cost savings and long-term sustainability. 2D modeling and statistically based analyses determined that there is enough rainfall throughout the year to meet the water needs of the Airport, now and in the future.

2020 Grand Award

J2 Engineering & Environmental Design, LLC

Town of Queen Creek

Mansel Carter Oasis Park

Mansel Carter Oasis Park (MCOP) is an exciting, innovative 46-acre regional
facility serving many recreational needs for the Queen Creek community.
The site beautifully accommodates world-class park amenities and is full
of innovative design features including the inclusive hilltop destination
playground, five-acre urban fishing lake, custom pirate-themed splash pad,
roadways with stormwater harvesting/LID bio-swales, sports fields with total
cutoff LED lighting, rock climbing wall, social media photo hillside, destination
lakeside peninsula activity zone, custom baseball field complex, bike-friendly
skate park, and more. MCOP is heavily used and loved by the community
and is a must-visit destination for people of all ages

2020 Grand Award

Jacobs Engineering Group

Valley Metro

Gilbert Road Light Rail Extension

The Gilbert Road Extension truly represents the art of the possible. With this latest installment of light rail, Valley Metro and the City of Mesa leveraged a transportation investment to reinvigorate a once-thriving neighborhood east of historic downtown. Through close collaboration and a commitment to excellence, the team developed a first-of-its-kind roundabout, incorporated multipurpose design elements, and integrated artwork throughout the corridor. This multi-modal project fostered socioeconomic opportunities and resulted in transit-oriented development before it was even completed. It has raised the bar of what is possible through the application of engineering and construction knowledge, creativity, and ingenuity.

2020 Grand Award

Kimley-Horn & Associates

City of Sedona

Uptown Sedona Roadway Improvement Project

With the complex design and construction of the two roundabouts, raised/decorative median, second southbound lane, and a new one-way connector road, the project goals were met in terms of significant improvements to the corridor, on schedule and within budget. A true collaboration between City, stakeholders, consultant team, and contractor, the Uptown Sedona Improvements Project built on the strategies developed in the Transportation Master Plan to deliver a complete streets project that truly improves the safety, operations, and aesthetic of this heavily congested corridor in the heart of Uptown Sedona

2020 Grand Award

Kimley-Horn & Associates

Pima County

El Paso & Southwestern Greenway from Simpson Street to10th Avenue

The El Paso & Southwestern Greenway project transformed an abandoned railroad corridor into a bicycle- and pedestrian-oriented greenway through the cities of Tucson and South Tucson. The design of the newly constructed greenway incorporates sustainable landscape systems and maintains the rich history of the area. In addition, innovative crossing solutions were explored to ensure public safety and comfort at major road and rail intersections. This project is the perfect example of how engineering can blend the old and new in perfect harmony to enhance the lives of the community it serves

2020 Grand Award

Psomas

Arizona Department of Transportation

I-10/Ina Road Traffic Interchange

The new I-10/Ina Road Traffic Interchange, designed by Psomas and constructed by SKJV included a new grade separated crossing of the UPRR, which at peak traffic times caused major delays due to the high volume of train traffic. The project also included the ultimate widening of I-10 for approximately 1.5 miles and the widening of Ina Road for approximately 1.5 miles. The widening of Ina Road also included the replacement of the existing Ina Road bridge over the Santa Cruz River. The project team identified over $18 million in savings which kept the project under budget.

2020 Honor Award Winners

Dibble Engineering

Client: ADOT

Project Name: Haviland Rest Area Truck Parking Expansion

The Haviland Rest Area on Interstate 40 had insufficient truck parking to meet the increased truck traffic associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. ADOT initiated an emergency funded project to address numerous safety concerns from semi-trucks illegally parking along both sides of the rest area freeway ramps. With collaboration on many levels, Dibble provided the solution ADOT needed, adding 38 more truck parking
stalls, with design and construction completed in 12 weeks. This project addresses safety concerns, provides a positive contribution to our society, and has led a major, multimodal transportation agency to consider streamlining the approach to future projects.

Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.

Client: Arizona Department of Transportation, Multimodal Planning Division (Aeronautics Group)

Project Name: Arizona State Aviation System Plan (SASP) Update

The Arizona Department of Transportation Aeronautics Group commissioned the 2018
State Aviation System Plan Update to comprehensively assess the ability of Arizona’s
67 publicly owned, public-use airports to meet current and future 20-year aviation
demands. The study revealed that Arizona’s airports require $8.7 billion in investment for maintenance and capacity improvements through 2037. As a trusted steward of public funds, the Aeronautics Group utilizes these results to encourage projects that most
significantly improve aviation at the statewide level. The study also developed priority
policy recommendations to ensure Arizona’s airport system remains safe, advanced, and
responsive to transportation needs and innovation.

Psomas

Client: Town of Oro Valley

Project Name: La Cañada Drive and Moore Road Roundabout

The Moore Road/La Cañada Drive Roundabout project successfully upgraded an existing all-way stop intersection that was experiencing safety and operational concerns into a roundabout that enhances traffic operations, improves safety, and provides pedestrian and bicycle facilities that are heavily used by the surrounding community. Key reasons this project is worthy of special recognition:
– Extensive outreach and education process to overcome initial opposition/reservations to the roundabout solution, with extremely positive community feedback.
– Creative design to bring two multi-lane arterials into a single-lane roundabout.
– Innovative bicycle and pedestrian accommodations.
– Collaboration between Owner, Contractor, and Designer to achieve an extremely aggressive schedule.

Stanley Consultants

Client: Flood Control District of Maricopa County and City of Phoenix

Project Name: Laveen Stormwater Basins Project

Epic monsoon storms in 2014 caused dozens of Laveen homes to flood repeatedly. The design and construction of three regional stormwater retention basins now provide protection for these hard-hit areas. The project was set up as a design-bid-build. However, to meet the objective of functional stormwater basins before the start of the 2019 monsoon season, the project format was revised to a Job on Call for construction. This made the work plan more flexible, interactive, and functional to meet the schedule. flexible partnering, open and constant communication, and effective teamwork made it possible.

2020 Clifford C. Sawyer Achievement Award

Jacobs Engineering Group

Client: Valley Metro

Project Name: Gilbert Road Light Rail Extension

The Gilbert Road Extension truly represents the art of the possible. With this latest installment of light rail, Valley Metro and the City of Mesa leveraged a transportation investment to reinvigorate a once-thriving neighborhood east of historic downtown. Through close collaboration and a commitment to excellence, the team developed a first-of-its-kind roundabout, incorporated multipurpose design elements, and integrated artwork throughout the corridor. This multi-modal project fostered socioeconomic opportunities and resulted in transit-oriented development before it was even completed. It has raised the bar of what is possible through the application of engineering and construction knowledge, creativity, and ingenuity.

2020 Best Small Project Award (under $2.5 Million )

Dibble Engineering

Client: ADOT

Project Name: Grand Canyon National Park Airport Drainage Master Plan & Water Use Study

The Grand Canyon National Park Airport serves the number-one tourist site in the State of Arizona. Owned and operated by ADOT, the airport faces water use and drainage challenges. Dibble Engineering evaluated the issues in detail and developed a unique drainage master plan and water use study. Dibble identified sustainable methods for harvesting, storing, and treating stormwater to be used as potable water, leading to
cost savings and long-term sustainability. 2D modeling and statistically based analyses determined that there is enough rainfall throughout the year to meet the water needs of the Airport, now and in the future.

2020 Best Large Project Award (over $2.5 Million )

J2 Engineering & Environmental Design, LLC

Client: Town of Queen Creek

Project Name: Mansel Carter Oasis Park

Mansel Carter Oasis Park (MCOP) is an exciting, innovative 46-acre regional
facility serving many recreational needs for the Queen Creek community.
The site beautifully accommodates world-class park amenities and is full
of innovative design features including the inclusive hilltop destination
playground, five-acre urban fishing lake, custom pirate-themed splash pad,
roadways with stormwater harvesting/LID bio-swales, sports fields with total
cutoff LED lighting, rock climbing wall, social media photo hillside, destination
lakeside peninsula activity zone, custom baseball field complex, bike-friendly
skate park, and more. MCOP is heavily used and loved by the community
and is a must-visit destination for people of all ages