The American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts (ACEC/MA) has named VHB as a winner of a 2018 Bronze Engineering Excellence Awards for work on the replacement of four bridges along the future South Coast Rail in New Bedford and Fall River, Massachusetts.
The 2018 Engineering Excellence Awards were announced at the recent ACEC/MA Engineering Excellence and Awards Gala with emcees Beth J. Larkin, PE, MBTA Assistant General Manager for Capital Delivery and Housamm (“Sam”) H. Sleiman, PE, CCM, MassPort Director of Capital Programs & Environmental Affairs.
VHB, with offices in Boston, Springfield, Watertown and Worcester was retained by MassDOT and the MBTA to assist with the $45 million accelerated project, encompassing the replacement of four bridges along the future South Coast Rail (SCR) to improve freight service to the South Coast region and provide critical momentum for the SCR project. The project included construction of four bridges, elevated freight platform and loading docks, roadway and track upgrades. The most complex component was the replacement of the existing bridge over Route 18/Wamsutta Street/Acushnet Avenue in New Bedford. Due to short railroad closure windows, the 420-foot three-span Wamsutta bridge required the use of precast substructure elements and other accelerated bridge construction techniques.
“The awards honor this year’s most outstanding engineering accomplishments in Massachusetts,” said ACEC/MA President Michael J. Scipione, PE President and CEO of Weston & Sampson Engineering, Inc. “They are excellent examples of how engineers create projects that improve or lives and communities. Professional engineers are dedicated to providing quality infrastructure, providing safe and reliable water and energy, and making our buildings safe and energy efficient. We congratulate our winners on their exceptional achievements.”
About ACEC/MA
The American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts (ACEC/MA) is the business association of the Massachusetts engineering industry, representing over 120 independent engineering companies engaged in the development of transportation, environmental, industrial, and other infrastructure. Founded in 1960 and headquartered in Boston, MA, ACEC/MA is a member organization of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) based in Washington, DC. ACEC is a national federation of 51 state and regional organizations. For more information on ACEC/MA, visit their website at www.acecma.org. ACEC/MA is undertaking an awareness campaign to educate the public on the many contributions engineers make (or the engineering innovations) in everyday life through their hash tag #EngineeringGoFigure. To Follow us on Twitter: @ACECMA
