OVERLAND PARK, Kansas – State transportation departments in Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio are winners in this year’s fourth and final regional contest in the America’s Transportation Awards competition. The announcement today was made Aug. 11 at the 2015 Mid America Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials annual meeting. Seven projects won in the competition’s three categories: Best Use of Innovation, Under Budget, and Quality of Life/Community Development.

“These projects are winners for managing costs, meeting community needs and innovation,” said John Cox, President of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and Director of the Wyoming Department of Transportation. “When State DOTs succeed the nation wins because everyone depends on transportation.”

Winning in the “Under Budget” category: Ohio Department of Transportation‘s $149 million Interstate 71 Widening – The Golden Spike: medium project designation. The project relieved congestion on I-71 in Central Ohio by reconstructing the highway while expanding one lane in each direction. The project was completed more than $10 million under budget and an estimated three years early—reducing construction costs and inconvenience to motorists.

The America’s Transportation Awards – co-sponsored by AASHTO, AAA and the US Chamber of Commerce – annually recognizes the best of America’s transportation projects in four regional competitions. The 10 regional winners with the highest overall scores will compete for the National Grand Prize, the People’s Choice Award, and $10,000 prizes to be given by the winners to a transportation-related charity or scholarship program. The top two national winners will be announced in September at the AASHTO Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois. Learn more about the projects and the competition at:AmericasTransportationAwards.org.

From ODOT – District Six