Benesch Engineers Receive Awards of Distinction

NASHVILLE, TN – Benesch engineers Katie Lewis and Nitaya Chayangkura have been honored with Awards of Distinction from the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) in recognition of their design work on the Southeast Park Bridge in Franklin, Tennessee. Chayangkura as project manager and Lewis as the lead project engineer led the design of the new 528-foot-long three-span structural steel girder bridge.

“The award is a very tangible way of acknowledging all the hard work that went into this project. This is the longest bridge I have designed, and the experience has been invaluable,” said Lewis. “It’s great to be recognized for both my project work and my commitment to being a role model for younger engineers.”

Last week, a representative of AISC visited Benesch’s Nashville office to present the awards in person to Chayangkura and Lewis.

“This was such an unexpected honor! It means a great deal to me to know that my contributions as an engineer and project manager are valued and recognized by the industry,” said Chayangkura. “What is the most special to me is that this award emphasizes serving as a role model for those entering engineering, which is something I always hope that I can do.”

Southeast Park Bridge provides a crossing over the Harpeth River and connects to the future home of a new park and water treatment facility. The roadway serves as the entrance to the park and was used as an access road during its construction, as it is effectively landlocked by the Harpeth River and I-65. Construction was completed with minimal impacts to the travelling public and the new road and bridge will facilitate continued growth in the area.

The project earned the Structural Systems — Large Projects category Grand Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies – Tennessee in 2022.