The Dorr Street interchange and I-475 widening project earned regional recognition as part of the 2022 America’s Transportation Awards competition. It is one of eight states’ department of transportation projects to be selected for the honor among 18 nominations.
The $46.7 million Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) interchange, completed in August 2021, included widening I-475 from Wolf Creek to Central Avenue, widening Dorr Street to five lanes from McCord to Holland-Sylvania roads, and installing roundabouts at Dorr/McCord, Dorr/Springfield Crossing and Dorr/ I-475 north and southbound ramps.
It received the top regional award for operations excellence for a medium project– costing between $25 million and $200 million–among more than a dozen in the Mid America Association of State Transportation Officials or MAASTO region.
“I would like to thank the Mid America Association of State Transportation Officials for recognizing the operational excellence of the Dorr Street interchange and widening of I-475 project completed last year.” said Mike Pniewski, Lucas County engineer. “We are proud to be a part of an outstanding team which delivered a complex project that moves traffic more efficiently while providing better access to western Lucas County. The project team of ODOT, Miller Brothers Construction and Tetra Tech fulfilled a longterm need which improves the quality of life for the citizens of Lucas County.”
Sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation (AASHTO), AAA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the contest honors those state DOT projects that improve quality of life and safety in communities in several ways.
The three highest-scoring projects from each regional competition earn a place in a “Top 12” list that will compete for the national Grand Prize–selected by an independent panel of judges–and the People’s Choice Award, chosen by the public through online voting.
In addition, the top national winners each receive $10,000 cash awards to be donated to a charity or scholarship of the state DOT’s choosing.
The 12 finalists will be announced and online voting will begin in September, after all regional winners have been announced.
