The Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) Interstate 95 Express Phase 3 project was named a top 12 finalist in the 2025 America’s Transportation Awards competition, sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).
In addition, FDOT’s State Road 26 Safety Improvements project, the Georgia Department of Transportation’s (GDOT) I-20 Eastbound Exit Ramp Roundabout at Maynard Terrace, and the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s (TDOT) I-65 June Lake Boulevard Interchange project won regional awards from the Southern Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (SASHTO).
“The America’s Transportation Awards shine a spotlight on the vital projects state DOTs deliver for their communities to enhance safety, expand mobility for users, deliver a better quality of life for residents and visitors, and keep our economy moving,” said AASHTO Executive Director Jim Tymon. “The America’s Transportation Awards competition continues to show us that state DOTs are able to transform communities in a variety of ways. And as Congress works toward a new federal surface transportation bill, lawmakers need to only look at the tangible benefits that states deliver to their customers through examples like these winners to see why robust federal funding to states is so important.”
This year’s competition received 113 nominations from 35 state departments of transportation nationwide. As a top scorer in the SASHTO region, FDOT’s I-95 Express Phase 3 project advanced to the next round of the competition.
The top 12 now compete for two final awards. The Grand Prize will be chosen by an independent panel of judges, while the People’s Choice Award will be decided through online voting, weighted by state population. The public can vote once per day until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on November 17, 2025, at americastransportationawards.org.
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AASHTO will reveal winners of the Grand Prize and People’s Choice awards at its annual meeting in November 2025. Each winner will receive a $10,000 cash award for a charity or transportation-related scholarship of their choice.
“The FDOT I-95 Express Phase 3 project was a landmark initiative that significantly enhanced operational efficiency and connectivity along one of South Florida’s most vital corridors,” said Matt Carlock, P.E., District Construction Engineer for FDOT’s District 4.
The project added capacity and improved safety through a congested, 6-mile section of I-95 between Glades Road and Linton Boulevard in Boca Raton, Florida. Because of increasing traffic volumes, many drivers had been using adjacent roads, negatively impacting quality of life in local neighborhoods while increasing travel times. Integrated with prior I-95 express lane projects, the new roadway accommodates future growth and improves emergency evacuation routes.
Delivered through a $148 million design-build contract, the project was led by Prince Contracting of Tampa, Florida, with WSP serving as the lead design firm. The team also included HNTB, Consor Engineers, and Creative Engineering Group, Inc.
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“One of the most notable achievements was the delivery of FDOT District 4’s first diverging diamond interchange (DDI), which originated as an alternative concept during the design phase and ultimately proved to be an innovative solution for traffic flow, operational performance, and safety,” Carlock said.
Incorporating the DDI eliminated the need for additional right-of-way from the City of Boca Raton and relocation of multiple water mains. That interchange, as well as the replacement of the Clint Moore Road Bridge over the I-95/South Florida Rail Corridor, also enhanced safety for pedestrians and cyclists.
“This project is a shining example of how innovative design to stakeholder collaboration were a priority for the team,” Carlock said. “Every aspect of this corridor reflected our shared dedication to delivering a safe, connected, and resilient transportation network for the communities we serve.”
This $2.7 million project in Gainesville, Florida, improved pedestrian connectivity and enhanced safety for all roadway users in the area north of the University of Florida.
New pedestrian and bicyclist facilities on SR 26 reduce the distance between crosswalks, eliminating the need for risky road crossings at unsafe locations. Additionally, drivers are operating at slower speeds because of safety-focused features such as raised crosswalks. The project also impacted economic development by providing college students with safer, more convenient access to businesses and housing adjacent to campus.
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The intersection at the terminus of this exit ramp in Atlanta, Georgia, experienced major delays and caused backups on the ramp, with traffic spillback to I-20 contributing to increased rear-end collisions, often severe in nature due to higher vehicle speeds on the interstate.
The new roundabout significantly improved traffic flow and cut crash rates — including severe accidents — by 71 percent. To enhance safety for residents and students at nearby Alonzo A. Crim High School, the $7.4 million project also introduced new pedestrian infrastructure.
Funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act supported the construction phase, allowing timely completion of the critical safety improvements.
To address rapid growth and traffic congestion in Spring Hill, Tennessee, TDOT collaborated with the city on a DDI to optimize traffic flow.
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TDOT selected design-build delivery to fast-track the $42 million project and meet the city’s immediate congestion relief needs. The work improved safety and access to I-65 while expanding the area’s economic development opportunities. The project also supports the nearby June Lake mixed-use development, which includes 2,900 residences, 400 hotel rooms, 1.3 million square feet of retail/restaurant space, and 3.9 million square feet of commercial office space.
