Wekiva Parkway Section 6 wins outstanding major project award
The contract significantly improved safety, maintained wildlife habitat connectivity, and reduced vehicle-wildlife conflicts
Superior Construction announces its Wekiva Parkway Section 6 project has received the ‘Outstanding Major Project Award’ from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Florida (ACEC Florida).
Built across a federally designated wild and scenic river, Wekiva Parkway Section 6 is an iconic $243 million design-build project near Sorrento, Florida.
Although the project itself stretches across Lake and Seminole counties, its most prominent feature, the Wekiva River Crossing, comprises three cast-in-place segmental bridges that carry the Wekiva Parkway and a shared-use path over the picturesque and pristine Wekiva River.
The awards, which recognize ACEC-Florida members’ outstanding roadway and bridge design and construction achievements, were presented at the organization’s 2023 transportation conference in Orlando.
Nominations for ACEC Florida’s Outstanding Project Awards were submitted from each of Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) seven districts, Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise and the Central Office. This year, the committee chose just seven winners for this prestigious award.
“The Wekiva River Crossing showcased ground-breaking advancements in bridge engineering, as its three signature bridges were built using top-down balanced cantilever construction to minimize environmental impacts by eliminating work in the water,” said Superior COO Pete Kelley, who served on the Wekiva Parkway Section 6 executive committee.
“From the engineering of precision-cast segments to the use of state-of-the-art construction robotics, this project pushed the boundaries of what is achievable in the segmental bridge industry. We’re truly proud to have been a part of this project.”
Beyond increasing the Wekiva Parkway’s capacity by extending its new four-lane toll road 6.85 miles, the team prioritized environmental conservation and ecological protection, implementing measures to minimize its impact on the delicate ecosystem.