CHICAGO – The American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois (ACEC Illinois) recognized Illinois’ top engineering feats of 2022 during their annual Engineering Excellence Awards Gala. Projects from across the state were recognized for their innovation, complexity and overall design. Among the top winners this year were projects for the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois Tollway and the Chicago Department of Transportation.
Winning this year’s coveted “Lincoln’s Grand Conceptor” Award was Alfred Benesch & Company for its work on the I-74 Corridor Over the Mississippi River for the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Iowa Department of Transportation. In its inaugural year, the “Engineering Works” Award went to TYLin International Great Lakes Inc and Wight & Company for its development of Phase Two of the I-294/I-57 Interchange for the Illinois Tollway after receiving the largest number of votes cast by the public in a competition with ten other nominated public transportation and private infrastructure projects.
“The Engineering Excellence Awards honors the exceptional work done by the engineering industry in collaboration with public agencies and private partners who give Illinois engineers the opportunity to do their best work designing and modernizing our state’s critical transportation and infrastructure network,” said Kevin Artl, President and CEO of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois. “Our congratulations go to all of the award winners for their great success in rebuilding Illinois.”
The event also featured award presentations to other companies in several other categories. In the transportation category, TYLin International Great Lakes Inc. and Wight & Company won the Outstanding Graphic Award for the quality of the display photograph submitted for its development of Phase Two of the I-294/I-57 Interchange for Illinois Tollway.
“ACEC Illinois engineers contribute immensely to the maintenance and modernization our state’s transportation networks and public infrastructure,” said P.J. Fitzpatrick, Chair of the Board of Directors of ACEC Illinois. “Our annual awards gala is a special opportunity to celebrate them, recognize their contributions and inspire them to excel as they get to work on projects across the state every single day.”
In the Judges Choice Awards category, Primera Engineers won the award in the Special Projects category for its work modernizing the Downtown Streetscape for the City of Wheaton, AECOM and TranSystems won in the Transportation category for its practical design and innovation working on the Jane Bryne Interchange for IDOT, WSP USA won in the Structural Systems category for its impactful Lakefront Trail Widening at DLSD Bascule Bridge for Chicago Department of Transportation’s Division of Engineering and Chastain & Associates won in the Studies Research and Consulting category for the environment friendly and sustainable approach to its work on Pavement Assessment and Management for the Village of Schaumburg.
Other winners are Farnsworth Group Inc., who won in the Industrial Manufacturing Processes and Facilities category for replacing Dock Lines for Phillips 66 and WRB Refining LP. Crawford, Murphy & Tilly emerged winner in the Water Resources category for High Service Pump Improvements for the City of Waukegan and HLR and Teska Associates Inc. won in the Small Projects category for Tudor Court Street and Streetscape Improvements for the Village of Glencoe.
The 2023 Award-winning projects, categories, project owners and engineers are listed below:
Grand Conceptor Award: Benesch & Company for its work on the I-74 Corridor Over the Mississippi River for the Illinois Department of Transportation and Iowa DOT Engineering Works Award (Based on votes by the public): TYLin International Great Lakes Inc and Wight & Company for its development of Phase Two of the I-294/I-57 Interchange for the Illinois Tollway
Outstanding Graphic Award: TYLin International Great Lakes Inc. and Wight & Company for the quality of the display photograph submitted for its development of Phase Two of the I-294/I-57 Interchange for Illinois Tollway
Judges Choice Award categories and winners:
Special Projects: Wheaton Downtown Streetscape – Primera Engineers for the City of Wheaton
Transportation: Jane Bryne Interchange – AECOM and TranSystems for IDOT
Structural Systems: Lakefront Trail Widening at DLSD Bascule Bridge – WSP USA for Chicago DOT’s Division of Engineering
Studies Research and Consulting: Pavement Assessment and Management – Chastain & Associates for the Village of Schaumburg
Industrial Manufacturing Processes and Facilities: Phillips 66 Dock Lines Replacements – Farnsworth Group Inc. for Phillips 66 and WRB Refining LP
Water Resources: Waukegan High Service Pump Improvements – Crawford, Murphy & Tilly for the City of Waukegan
Small Projects: Tudor Court Street and Streetscape Improvements – HLR and Teska Associates Inc for the Village of Glencoe
Mentor of the Year: Marco Loureiro – VP Operations Management, Jacobs Engineering Group
Emerging Professional of the Year: Ryan Delves, Senior Transportation Engineer, Stanley Consultants
Small firm of the Year: Lakeshore Engineering, LLC
Medium firm of the Year: Morreale Strategic Communications and Atlas Engineering Group, Ltd
Large firm of the Year: Milhouse Engineering & Construction, Inc
About the American Council of Engineering Companies
Representing hundreds of companies, we are the voice of the engineering industry in Illinois. With roots dating back more than 100 years, ACEC Illinois represents more than 11,000 engineers, architects, land surveyors and other specialists. Our primary mission is to strengthen the business environment for our member firms through government advocacy, political action, and business education. For more information, please visit https://www.acecil.org/