OMAHA, NE — Hawkins Construction Co. President Chris Hawkins has been recognized as a model of excellence in innovative transportation leadership and finance, the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) recently announced.

The awards were presented during ARTBA’s 33rd Annual Public Private Partnerships (P3s) in Transportation Conference, held virtually.

This award is given to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to, and advocacy for, the forward progress of P3s in the U.S. transportation industry.

From concept to construction, Hawkins has been a central player in Nebraska’s first ever P3. As the state struggled to accelerate construction of the Lincoln South Beltway, conventional wisdom dictated that speed be sacrificed and the highway built in phases, over a decade or more. Such an approach would have resulted in more traffic congestion, and increased costs because of the double-handling of massive earthwork in multiple contract packages.

Throughout the process, Hawkins analyzed multiple approaches, provided feedback to the Nebraska Department of Transportation, and assembled a team to provide answers. The critical players included underwriting, a financial advisor, underwriter’s counsel, and a conduit issuer to develop a model that would allow the simplest solution for NDOT.

Hawkins has put together a team that has already completed over 40 percent of the work in the first season of a three-year project.

Established in 1902, ARTBA brings together all facets of the transportation construction industry to responsibly advocate for infrastructure investment and policy that meet the nation’s need for safe and efficient travel.