This month, the American Council of Engineering Companies of California (ACEC California) announced the 2019 recipients of its annual Engineering Excellence Awards. Projects were recognized for demonstrating an exceptional degree of innovation, complexity, achievement and value.

Michael Baker International, Inc., in Ontario served as the prime design consultant for the I-10/Jefferson Street Interchange project in Riverside County, Calif., in the city of Indio, Calif. The $42.3 million project included the design and construction of two parallel bridges, resulting in a six-lane overcrossing designed for traffic entering and exiting the I-10 freeway from both directions, relieving traffic congestion for approximately 16,500 vehicles who drive the overpass daily.

The project replaced an existing bridge and northbound Indio Boulevard overcrossing with a new six-lane bridge with bicycle lanes on each side and a sidewalk on the northbound side of Jefferson Street. Improvements also included intersection reconfigurations, traffic signal construction and multi-stage construction phasing plans.

In all, fourteen projects earned the prestigious Honor Award distinction, fifteen were recognized with Merit Awards, and eight Commendation Awards were granted.

Photographs of award-winning projects can be found here.