WASHINGTON, DC (March 15, 2024) – KL Engineering, of Madison, Wisc., has earned a National Recognition Award for exemplary engineering achievement in the American Council of Engineering Companies’ (ACEC) 57th annual Engineering Excellence Awards (EEA) for the WIS 26 Interchange Project in Janesville.
WIS 26 and I-39/90 are vital lifelines that connect communities, enable commerce, and foster tourism. However, the corridors’ pavement, bridges, and interchanges had significantly deteriorated over the years which resulted in worsening congestion and safety issues, and no accommodations enabling safe passage for bicyclists or pedestrians.
KL Engineering transformative design replaced an outdated cloverleaf with the state’s third Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI), while expanding to six lanes with designated bicycle and pedestrian features. Additionally, I-39/90 was expanded to 12 lanes, which included increasing the original four lanes to eight, and adding two 2-lane collector-distributor roads. The project also included 10 bridges, retaining and noise walls, and 14 overhead sign supports. All improvements were constructed while maintaining two lanes of traffic in each direction, minimizing disruption to local residents and businesses.
The project is part of 203 entries this year representing engineering excellence from throughout the nation and the world. Judging for the awards program—known industry-wide as the “Academy Awards of the engineering industry”– took place in February and was conducted by a national 26-member panel of built environment leaders, along with experts from government, the media and academia. Award criteria focused on uniqueness and originality, technical innovation, social and economic value, and generating excitement for the engineering profession.
Recognition of all award winners including top winners—16 Honor Awards, eight Grand Awards and the prestigious “Grand Conceptor Award” for the year’s most outstanding overall engineering achievement—will take place during the 2024 EEA Gala, to be held at the Grand Hyatt, Washington, DC, on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, later this spring.
The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) is the business association of America’s engineering industry, representing more than 5,200 independent engineering firms and more than 600,000 professionals throughout the United States engaged in the development of America’s transportation, water, and energy infrastructure, along with environmental, industrial, and other public and private facilities. Founded in 1906 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., ACEC is a national federation of 51 state and regional organizations.
