ACEC-TN Honors Benesch Projects at Engineering Excellence Awards Gala
NASHVILLE, TN — The American Council of Engineering Companies of Tennessee (ACEC-TN) 2022 Engineering Excellence Awards gala proved to be an exciting event for Benesch and our clients. Both the State Route 56 Slide Repair in Beersheba Springs and the Southeast Park Access Road and Bridge in Franklin, TN were honored with Grand Awards in their respective categories.
“At the end of the day, our goal is always to make our communities better and help our clients,” said Benesch Tennessee Division Manager Sammie McCoy. “But to see my team’s hard work be recognized by this organization is a great reminder of the impact of our work. I couldn’t be prouder of all involved in these projects.”
The State Route 56 Slide Repair project received the Grand Award in the Special Projects — Large Projects category. The project began after heavy rains in early 2020 caused a significant slide event near Beersheba Springs, TN and made the road impassable. While the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) was able to perform emergency repairs, they called on Benesch to provide roadway and retaining wall designs for the section.
Benesch designed a solution to stabilize the subgrade with the construction of two anchored soldier pile walls downslope of the roadway. While the expedited timeline and the mountainous terrain presented challenges, the team successfully repaired the roadway and provided the rural community of Grundy County the ability to travel safely once again.
“We were able to deliver a long-term solution in an accelerated manner,” said Project Manager Jake Williams. “Not only did we solve complex challenges, but we also demonstrated the power engineers have to improve the lives of community members.”
In Franklin, TN, the landlocked Southeast Park was set to be home to a new park and water treatment facility. The City enlisted Benesch to design a new access road and bridge across the Harpeth River. To reduce construction traffic in residential neighborhoods and adhere to a tight schedule, the project team designed a temporary bridge that would allow necessary access for the contractor.
“By collaborating with the stakeholders and creating an innovative geotechnical and structural design, we successfully accomplished the project goals while staying on schedule and on budget,” said Project Manager Brian Ralstin. “I look forward to seeing the growing community enjoy the new park.”
The project earned the Structural Systems — Large Projects category Grand Award from ACEC-TN. Members of the project teams attended the gala last week to accept the award and celebrate the projects’ success.
