Bill Russell Bridge Awarded ACEC/MA Grand Conceptor Award
BOSTON, MA – The Bill Russell Bridge over Boston Harbor has earned the American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts’ highest honor—the Grand Conceptor Award. Redefining connectivity in Boston’s historic core, the Bill Russell Bridge was recognized for its high degree of achievement, value and ingenuity. Benesch led the transformation of this iconic structure, pairing innovative bridge construction techniques with a sustainable design to create a safer, more inviting multimodal gateway that serves 42,000 daily vehicles plus thousands of pedestrians and cyclists.
“For the past 20 years, I’ve had the privilege of working on this project, starting with inspections moving to repairs and finally the replacement,” shared Benesch Massachusetts Division Manager Ed Baumann. “Because so many people rely on this structure, it was incredibly important to deliver a bridge that provides a safe, enjoyable experience for all users. I’m proud to say we did exactly that, and I’m honored that ACEC/MA recognizes our efforts and the value of this project.”
Serving as the lead designer, Benesch worked collaboratively with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the City of Boston Public Works Department and architecture firm Rosales + Partners to design a modern, accessible and aesthetically significant gateway between two of Boston’s most important neighborhoods. Benesch was responsible for the full spectrum of engineering services—planning, design, traffic management, permitting, Right of Way acquisitions and construction phase services—for the replacement of this critical multimodal crossing. Benesch integrated “Complete Streets” features, innovative traffic staging to maintain city connectivity and signature architectural elements to enhance Boston’s urban landscape. Learn more about the bridge’s key design elements here.
The project team gathered at the ACEC/MA Engineering Excellence & Awards Gala on April 14 to receive the award and celebrate this signature project.
