Arizona and Utah win awards for infrastructure projects at the 2024 America's Transportation Awards. Utah's West Davis Highway (SR-177) and Arizona's Loop 303 interchanges recognized for community development and traffic congestion reduction. The projects aim to enhance quality of life and transportation efficiency.
Photo courtesy of Arizona Department of Transportation
The new interchanges were designed to help manage future transportation needs in the area, support the Phoenix area’s growing semiconductor footprint and its supply chain and allow for community development, including businesses and services.
Several projects were recently honored by American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) at the 2024 America's Transportation Awards for quality in construction in numerous categories.
Among the award winners, two projects earned "Quality of Life/Community Development" honors, one for a large project (Utah) and one for a medium project (Arizona).
West Davis Highway (Utah)
Photo courtesy of Ames Construction
The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) recently announced that the West Davis Highway (SR-177) won the America's Transportation Award in the category of Quality of Life/Community Development — Large Project.
This award recognizes how the West Davis Highway (SR 177) is helping improve the quality of life for Utahns by providing them more options to get where they want in the way they want.
Farmington Bay Constructors were responsible for building the massive project. The joint veture consisted of Ames Construction as the managing partner, Wadsworth Brothers Construction and Staker Parson Materials and Construction. HNTB was the project's lead designer. Other subcontractors and key contractors included Cache Valley Electric, Comers Concrete, Harris Rebar, Harper Precast, Craghead Building Co. and Cell Crete.
UDOT congratulated all the engineers and crew members that helped make this such a successful project for the residents of Davis County.
With a rapidly growing population, the $750 million West Davis Highway project aimed to facilitate smoother and more efficient travel for commuters of various transportation modes. Led by UDOT, this highway significantly reduces traffic congestion by more than 30 percent on local roads west of I-15. According to data from the project's Environmental Impact Statement, the anticipated time savings due to reduced congestion will amount to approximately $55 million by 2040 compared to the "no-action" alternative. Beyond its traffic alleviation benefits, the West Davis Highway project has extended the local active transportation infrastructure by almost 10 mi. of new trails, linking several existing regional trails such as the Emigration Trail and the Legacy Parkway Trail. This trail network provides additional opportunities for recreational users as well as bicycle commuters; helping them get where they want to go via the mode they want to use to get there.
Loop 303 Interchanges
Photo courtesy of Arizona Department of Transportation
A recent Arizona Department of Transportation project that constructed Loop 303 interchanges at 43rd and 51st avenues near Interstate 17 is a winner in the 2024 America's Transportation Awards competition that includes a focus on community development.
The $70 million Loop 303 project earned a West Region award in the "Quality of Life/Community Development, Medium Project" category in the national competition among state departments of transportation.
Fisher Sand and Gravel, the general contractor based out of Tempe, Ariz., was tasked with performing the work.
The competition is sponsored by AASHTO, an association representing highway and transportation departments nationwide, as well as AAA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
ADOT partnered with the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG), the regional transportation planning agency and city of Phoenix to accelerate construction of the Loop 303 bridges and ramps to address current and future traffic growth near the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. plant in the north Valley. The interchanges were completed in September 2023, several years sooner than originally planned.
"This project is an example of great teamwork and cooperation among partnering organizations," said ADOT's Central District Administrator Randy Everett. "It took a lot of hard work by staff at MAG, city of Phoenix, ADOT and the contractor, Fisher Sand and Gravel, to deliver this project on the accelerated schedule."
The award was presented at the annual meeting of WASHTO, which represents departments of transportation in the West.
Construction of new Loop 303 interchanges at 43rd and 51st avenues was funded through the dedicated Proposition 400 half-cent sales tax approved by Maricopa County voters in 2004. The project is part of the Phoenix area's Regional Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Investment Plan managed by MAG.
The new interchanges were designed to help manage future transportation needs in the area, support the Phoenix area's growing semiconductor footprint and its supply chain and allow for community development, including businesses and services.
ADOT manages the construction and maintenance of nearly 7,000 mi. of state highways, including Phoenix-area freeways. Project information is available at azdot.gov/projects.
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