Innovative infrastructure projects set the industry standard.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (December 20, 2023) Three HNTB projects were honored by Roads & Bridges on its 2023 Top 10 Bridges and Top 10 Roads lists. The Top 10 Awards recognize the top projects in North America. Each year, nominations are submitted to the R&B editorial staff, which determines the Top 10 lists based on project challenges, impact to a project’s region and scope of work.
Portland Area Widening and Safety Improvement Program, No. 1 Road
HNTB played a key role during planning, and subsequently became the primary designer for the Portland Area Widening and Safety Improvement Program. Developed on behalf of Maine Turnpike Authority, the project reduces congestion, enhances mobility, improves safety and accommodates future growth in the Portland, Maine region. The project opened to the public in the fall of 2023 after nearly a decade of meticulous planning, design and construction. The Portland Area Widening Program is Maine’s largest transportation project in decades and included widening six centerline miles of highway, reconstructing medians with concrete barriers, improving drainage and upgrading sixteen bridges and five interchanges among many other elements.
I-95/395 Express Lanes, No. 9 Road
HNTB served as the designer for the I95/395 Express Lanes, which make up the longest reversible road in America. Developed on behalf of Virginia Department of Transportation, the Express Lanes provide travelers with congestion relief northbound in the morning and southbound in the evening. The I-95 Express Lanes project also utilize innovative and complex intelligent transportation system (ITS) design solutions to improve reliability of travel times and better accommodate rush-hour commuters. The project benefits include increased highway capacity, lower congestion and safer roads for travelers near the nation’s capital.
Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge Upper-Level Deck and Brooklyn Approach Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, No. 10 Bridge
HNTB was the lead designer and engineer-of-record for the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, which is an integral part of New York transportation, allowing 220,000 motorists to commute between Brooklyn and Staten Island daily. The project coupled structural solutions with a highly strategic approach to work zone traffic control and construction staging to minimize disruptions to the traveling public. The project replaced 225,000 square feet of bridge deck; reconstructed the anchorage span superstructure; upgraded seismic performance; implemented two-way cashless tolling; and improved lighting, drainage and sandpipes.