CHICAGO – The American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois (ACEC Illinois) has recognized the state’s top engineering achievements of 2023 during their annual Engineering Excellence Awards. Projects from across the state were recognized for their innovation, complexity, overall design and economic impact. The top construction projects honored this year were those completed for the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA), The Illinois Tollway, the City of Peoria, the Lake Forest Open Lands Association, the Pritzker Military Museum & Library and the Village of Wilmette.
This year’s coveted “Lincoln’s Grand Conceptor” Award was won by Benesch and WSP for their work on Weber Road at the I-55 Diverging Diamond Interchange, completed for the Illinois Department of Transportation. Last year, Benesch won the same award for constructing the I-74 Corridor Over the Mississippi River for both the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Iowa Department of Transportation. 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 Works” Award was won by Bowman Consulting Group, Ltd., H.W. Lochner, Inc., HDR Engineering, Inc., and Quigg Engineering, Inc. for building the Long Mile Bridge, two side-by-side bridges that span two railroads, three waterways, local roads and major UPS and BNSF Railway distribution centers.
“Illinois engineers are doing outstanding work designing and building transformative projects that bring social and economic progress to many communities across our state,” said Kevin Artl, President and CEO of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois. “The Engineering Excellence Awards highlights these projects and honors the efforts and ingenuity of our engineers as they work to improve our transportation networks and other critical infrastructure, thanks to support from state leaders, public agencies and private partners who give engineers the opportunity to excel at what they do.”
The award ceremony also featured award presentations to other companies in several other categories. In the studies, research and consulting category, HBM Engineering Group, LLC won the Outstanding Graphic Award for the quality of the display photograph submitted for its development of I-39 over the Kishwaukee River for the Illinois Department of Transportation.
“The overall success of Rebuild Illinois depends largely on Illinois engineers who are doing great work on the maintenance and upgrade of transportation networks and the construction of new public infrastructure projects across our state,” said Linda Moen, Chair of the Board of Directors of ACEC Illinois. “We congratulate and celebrate our award winners and urge them to be even more creative and innovative as they work on impactful projects in the future.”
In the Judges Choice Awards, Benesch won in the Special Projects category for its work on the 43rd Street Pedestrian Bridge over LSD/Metra/CNRR for the Chicago Department of Transportation; TranSystems won in the Transportation category for its development of O’Hare International Airport’s Multi-Modal Facility for Chicago’s Department of Aviation, EXP U.S. Services Inc. won in the Structural Systems category for building the I-74 Bridges over Market Street & ICRR/Oak Street for the Illinois Department of Transportation; TERRA Engineering, Ltd won in both the Studies, Research and Consulting category for its work developing the Peoria Riverfront Master Plan for the City of Peoria, and in the Building/Technology Systems category for improvements to the Pritzker Military Archives Center. Klingner & Associates, P.C. took away the prize in the Water Resources category for constructing Supplemental Pump Stations for the Sny Island Levee Drainage District.
Other winners are Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. who won in the Small Projects category for building the Deromedi Family Bridge for the Lake Forest Open Lands Association, Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd. won in the Waste and Storm Water category for its work on the Neighborhood Storage Project for the Village of Wilmette, and Morreale Communication won in the Public Engagement & Communications category for its public engagement efforts while developing improvements for the Commercial Avenue Corridor for the City of Chicago’s Department of Transportation.
2024 Award-winning projects, categories, and project owners:
Lincoln’s Grand Conceptor Award: Benesch and WSP – Weber Road at I-55 Diverging Diamond Interchange for the Illinois Department of Transportation
Engineering Works Award (Based on votes by the public): The Mile Long Bridge constructed by Bowman Consulting Group, Ltd., H.W. Lochner, Inc., HDR Engineering, Inc., and Quigg Engineering, Inc. for Illinois Tollway
Outstanding Graphic Award: HBM Engineering Group, LLC – I-39 over the Kishwaukee River for the Illinois Department of Transportation
Judges Choice Award categories and winners:
Special Projects: Benesch – 43rd Street Pedestrian Bridge over LSD/Metra/CNRR for Chicago Department of Transportation
Transportation: TranSystems – O’Hare International Airport Multi-Modal Facility for Chicago Department of Aviation
Structural Systems: EXP U.S. Services Inc. – I-74 Bridges over Market Street & ICRR/Oak Street for the Illinois Department of Transportation
Studies Research and Consulting: TERRA Engineering, Ltd – Development of the Peoria Riverfront Master Plan for the City of Peoria
Building/Technology Systems: TERRA Engineering, Ltd – Pritzker Military Archives Center for Pritzker Military Museum & Library
Water Resources: Klingner & Associates, P.C. – Supplemental Pump Stations for the Sny Island Levee Drainage Districts
Small Projects: Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc – Deromedi Family Bridge for the Lake Forest Open Lands Association
Waste and Storm Water: Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd. – Neighborhood Storage Project for the Village of Wilmette
Public Engagement and Communications: Morreale Communication – Commercial Avenue Corridor Improvements for the City of Chicago’s Department of Transportation
Mentor of the Year: Joseph Catalano, Office Executive, Vice President, Michael Baker International
Emerging Professional of the Year: Nick Piekarski, Officer/Project Manager, Hampton, Lenzini and Renwick, Inc (HLR)
Small Firm of the Year OSEH, Inc.
Medium Firm of the Year: HBM Engineering Group, LLC
Large Firm of the Year: Primera Engineers
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 www.acecil.org.