WisDOT announces excellence in construction awards

January 19, 2012

Projects honored in Winnebago, Shawano, Outagamie, Brown, Lincoln, Ozaukee and Milwaukee counties

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation announced its annual Construction Awards during the 2012 Contractor-Engineer Conference held in Madison on January 18. Award winners include a grading project in Winnebago County, asphalt paving project in Shawano and Outagamie counties, concrete paving project in Brown County, small bridge construction project in Ozaukee County, and a large bridge project in the city of Tomahawk. A Special Recognition Award recognized work on the South Lion bridge in Milwaukee.

"At the Wisconsin DOT, we work closely with a host of private-sector partners who do an outstanding job keeping our transportation facilities operating safely and smoothly," said Beth Cannestra, director of WisDOT’s Bureau of Project Development. "Choosing award winners is a challenging job because all our contractors do great work, but after careful consideration, we feel these projects are among the finest completed last year."

The Excellence in Grading Award went to Hoffman Construction Company of Black River Falls for work on 3.5 miles of US 41 in Winnebago County between WIS 26 and Breezewood Lane, and between WIS 26 and WIS 21. The $34 million project is part of the US 41 Corridor Expansion Project and was completed ahead of schedule. Along with roadway improvements, the work included expansion of a park-and-ride lot, and four urban roundabouts with planting and irrigation systems.

The Excellence in Asphalt Paving Award went to Northeast Asphalt of Appleton for work on 17 miles of WIS 47 in Shawano and Outagamie counties. The $9.4 million project included pulverizing existing pavement and replacing it with three layers of 121,000 tons of asphalt pavement, all while keeping the highway open to traffic. The contractor used a specialized transfer machine that allowed continuous paving and a uniform paver speed resulting in an extremely smooth riding surface.

The Excellence in Concrete Paving Award was given to Vinton Construction Company of Manitowoc for its work on a one-mile segment of US 141 from Military Avenue to US 41 in Brown County. The $3.1 million project included roadway improvements in the village of Howard and city of Green Bay. The project was constructed in stages under traffic and involved close coordination with the business community to maintain access throughout construction.

The Excellence in Small Structures Award was presented to Zenith Tech of Waukesha for its work on the Highland Road bridge over I-43 in Mequon in Ozaukee County. The $1 million project spans a four-lane divided Interstate and Union Pacific Railroad mainline track. The bridge also includes bike lanes and several decorative features such as railings on top of a fieldstone-look and a stained parapet wall.

The Excellence in Large Structures Award went to Lunda Construction Company of Black River Falls for work on the Wisconsin River bridge in the city of Tomahawk. The $5.4 million project replaced an 89-year-old steel girder bridge that connects the north and south sides of Tomahawk. Lunda worked throughout last fall and winter to complete the project in time for the main summer tourism season. The project includes stamped and stained concrete parapets, a pedestrian tunnel, bicycle lanes, sidewalks and wireless-controlled LED street lighting.

Vista Design and Construction of Milwaukee received a Special Recognition Award for the $1.1 million South Lion bridge rehabilitation project in Milwaukee. In 1993, the bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Along with deck improvements, the bridge’s railing, steel and limestone masonry were removed and installed by hand.

For more information, contact:
Don Greuel, WisDOT Bureau of Project Development
(608) 516-1793, donald.greuel@dot.wi.gov