Diamond Sponsor: 
Ruby Sponsosr: 
Reception Sponsors: 
Burgundy Sponsors: 
2025 ACEC/MA Platinum Corporate Sponsors: AECOM Arup Gannett Fleming TranSystems
Geocomp, Inc. HDR Jacobs MG + M The Law Firm Michael Baker International
Mott MacDonald Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Stantec VHB WSP
BOSTON, Mass. – April 8, 2025 – The American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts (ACEC/MA) announced the recipients of the 2025 Engineering Excellence Awards along with several other awards at the ACEC/MA Engineering Excellence and Awards Gala. Emcees Luciana Burdi, Director, Capital Programs and Environmental Affairs at Massachusetts Port Authority and Linda Bauer Darr, President & CEO of ACEC presented the awards on Monday, April 7 in a ceremony at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel in Boston, MA.
Here are the award-winning projects recognized this year:
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Project: Cold Brook Restoration Firm: Inter-Fluve Client: Harwich Conservation Trust |
The Cold Brook Ecological Restoration Project transforms 66 acres of former cranberry bogs into nitrogen-attenuating wetlands, achieving goals in wastewater treatment, coastal climate resilience, habitat restoration, and recreation. By restoring natural hydrology and creating diverse habitats, the project addresses Cape Cod’s critical water quality issues. The innovative, process-based design uses natural materials and ecological principles to reduce nitrogen levels, offering a scalable model for other coastal communities. While the site appears untouched by human intervention, it is the product of advanced engineering that supports long-term environmental health and resilience, potentially saving millions in future wastewater treatment costs. |
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Sumner Tunnel Reconstruction Boston, MA Firm: Delve Underground Client: MassDOT |
This project presented many challenges that required innovative design, construction strategies, and planning. The project team found and developed solutions that:
Greatly increased the tunnel’s design life
Dramatically improved the preexisting ventilation system
Minimized changes to the tunnel operations
Did not require replacing the hung ceiling throughout the entire tunnel length, thereby reducing overhead hazards, future maintenance, and inspection costs
Specific innovations included using precast elements that allowed accelerated construction, better quality control and durability, and increased tunnel strength and fire resistance. A mobile and rapid testing system was used to validate the smoke movement.
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Lyrik, Air Rights Parcel 12 Firm: Haley & Aldrich Client: Samuels & Associates |
The Lyrik, Air Rights Parcel 12 project is the first successful air rights project to take shape over the Massachusetts Turnpike in 40 years. Haley & Aldrich’s client, Samuels & Associates, shaped the concept for this 1.77-acre parcel: a mixed-use development that would unite neighborhoods, attract top-tier commercial clients, and incorporate sustainable design features. As the project’s primary geotechnical and environmental consultant, the Haley & Aldrich team combined every tool in the geotechnical engineering toolbox to overcome the site constraints. They designed the deep foundation system, construction methodologies, and instrumentation and monitoring system ensured the project’s success. |
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The SHED Firm: LeMessurier Client: Rochester Institute of Technology |
The SHED at RIT represents a new era of creativity and collaboration, merging technology, art, and design into one vibrant space. As a central hub for hands-on learning, this 203,000-square-foot facility houses cutting-edge maker spaces, studios, and theaters. Its innovative double-skin façade and tension wire sunshades set new standards for energy efficiency and structural ingenuity. The SHED not only enhances the student experience but also reflects RIT’s forward-thinking vision, positioning engineering as a visible and integral part of the design. This fusion of function and creativity makes the SHED a landmark for future generations of innovators. |
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East Midtown Greenway Pedestrian Bridge Firm: Rosales + Client: NYC Economic Development Corporation |
The East 54th Street Bridge, a pivotal element of the East Midtown Greenway project, has transformed NYC’s waterfront. This groundbreaking structure, built off-site and transported by barge, links to a new linear greenway, providing a distinctive experience for pedestrians and cyclists. The bridge's unique inclined arches, railings, and ramp piers beautifully complement its architectural design, establishing it as a striking landmark. Featuring fully accessible approach curved ramps, including S-shaped geometries to minimize local park impacts, this bridge establishes a new benchmark. Noteworthy as the first tied-arch bridge over FDR Drive, it has become an iconic symbol of the city's waterfront. |
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CPH Regional Care Pavilion Firm: Fitzemeyer & Tocci Associates Client: Rochester Regional Health, St. Lawrence Health, Canton-Potsdam Hospital, Potsdam, NY |
The Regional Care Pavilion at Canton-Potsdam Hospital deserves special recognition for its innovative engineering and significant social impact. This multi-million-dollar project showcases advanced design and collaborative construction, improving healthcare services for the community. Challenges such as seasonal construction and integrating new systems with existing infrastructure were successfully addressed. The pavilion features state-of-the-art mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, fire protection upgrades, and energy-efficient designs, demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainability. Ultimately, this project enhances patient care and prepares the hospital to meet growing community needs, setting a new standard for healthcare facilities. |
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Worcester Union Station Improvements Firm: HDR Client: MBTA |
Worcester Union Station is a key hub for the MBTA’s commuter rail, servicing commuter rail trains, along with daily inter-city passenger and freight trains daily. The station originally had a single-sided platform, limiting train access. HDR's efforts were focused on building a center island platform for better accessibility and increased capacity, enhancing connections to underserved areas. Led by HDR, the project focuses on improving public transportation, supporting economic development in Worcester, and encouraging new residential and commercial development. These enhancements will help make Worcester a more attractive place for residents and businesses, driving continued growth. |
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101 Cambridgepark Drive Firm: Highpoint Engineering Client: King Street Properties |
Highpoint played a key role in establishing 101 Cambridgepark Drive as a modern laboratory and life science cluster. The aged site was poised for transformation, to create a best-in-class life science development with essential improvements to improve flood resilience and stormwater management, restore degraded habitat and environmental resource areas, and improve alternative transportation. The Project design balanced the new facility with stormwater and environmental enhancements including integration of surface compensatory flood storage areas with subsurface stormwater management and provisions for public pedestrian and bicycle access in and around the Alewife neighborhood. |
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Tremont Street Multimodal Improvements Client: Boston Transportation Department |
Howard Stein Hudson (HSH) worked with Boston to prepare conceptual through final design for the Tremont Street corridor, including neighborhood outreach and construction support. This corridor was identified in GoBoston 2030 as a Neighborhood Complete Streets corridor to promote safe, multimodal travel. The City developed alternatives, and the preferred concept included innovative, evidence-based safety interventions, including raised crosswalks, Pedestrian Protection Islands, Daylighting Islands, Leading Pedestrian Intervals, floating bus stops, and parking-protected bike lanes. The completed project successfully accomplished the City’s safety and connectivity goals for the corridor. |
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Center for Computing & Data Services Client: Boston University
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The Boston University Center for Computing & Data Sciences is a dynamic vertical campus building that leverages shifting free-floating volumes to organized research neighborhoods, each with its own outdoor terrace. The building's structure supports these neighborhoods through exposed, two-story perimeter steel trusses that cantilever to hold the offset massing. A slender concrete core reduced building weight, allowing the building to be supported by a concrete mat slab bearing on marine clay and eliminating the need for deep foundations. The project employed concrete with portland cement replacement rates of up to 63%, reducing total embodied carbon by 6%. |
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BWSC Green Infrastructure Manuals Firm: Nitsch Engineering Client: Boston Water and Sewer Commission |
The Boston Green Infrastructure Planning and Design and Operations and Maintenance Handbooks are comprehensive guides for the processes of implementation and maintenance of green infrastructure (GI) on public and private properties throughout the City of Boston. As a tool for all audiences – from the general public, to architects and engineers, to private land owners and developers, to City of Boston agencies – the Handbooks create a vision of how GI can serve as a multi-beneficial tool to address environmental issues and build resilience to the changing climate in Boston. |
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Overlook Terrace at Orient Heights Firm: Nitsch Engineering Client: ICON Architecture, Inc. |
Nitsch Engineering worked as part of a collaborative project team to provide civil and transportation engineering, permitting, and land surveying services for the renovation of Overlook Terrace, a midcentury public housing community in East Boston whose location on a steep hill made construction tricky. Nitsch coordinated with the project team and the community to completely reconstruct the neighborhood in three phases, so that people could continue to live in the parts of the development that were not under active construction. Overlook Terrace is now a contemporary, beautiful, functional community, with wide sidewalks, more trees, new housing, and modern utilities. |
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Post-9/11 & Service Dog Memorial Park Firm: SLR International Client: City of Chicopee, MA |
The Western Massachusetts Post-9/11 & Service Dog Memorial Park has been designed and dedicated to honoring post-September 11th military service and the contributions of military dogs. Although it incorporates the City’s first dog park, it is much more than just a dog park. The park contains walking trails, granite pavers etched with a timeline of Massachusetts deployments since 2001, sculptures holding replica tags from veterans, sand features evoking areas where people deployed, and a mural reflecting Massachusetts service. There are activities and facilities for all ages, incorporating many historical and educational informational forums. |
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L1332-C4 Terminal B-C Main Roadways Firm: Stantec Client: Massachusetts Port Authority |
The L1332-C4 project at Logan International Airport exemplifies exceptional collaboration and success in civil engineering, highlighting a strong partnership with Massport and Bond/SPS JV throughout its execution. By successfully deconflicting the traffic weave between the airport’s two busiest terminals, the project effectively addressed critical infrastructure needs while minimizing disruption to operations. The innovative design solutions, made possible by the implementation of Lean and BIM/VDC tools, showcased the team's commitment to efficiency and quality. This collaborative effort not only enhanced passenger flow and safety but also elevated public appreciation for the engineering profession, setting a new standard for future infrastructure projects. |
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Comprehensive DPW Facility Renovation Design Firm: Weston & Sampson Engineers Client: Town of Arlington, MA |
Weston & Sampson and the entire project team worked hand-in-hand with the Town of Arlington to design and deliver a reimagined public works and town services facility. Constructing on the site of a former manufactured gas plant, adjacent to a high school and with a stream bisecting the site, presented significant engineering and environmental challenges. The interior design of the existing and new facilities thoughtfully connects visitors and employees to the site’s past industrial uses. Thorough planning, construction oversight, and commitment to cost-effective solutions ensured that the needs of the DPW and the town are fully met. |
Bronze Winners
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Boston Logan International Airport | Terminal E Firm: AECOM
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Terminal E exemplifies engineering’s power to redefine airport design. The project showcases engineering's role in transforming the passenger experience and advancing infrastructure needs with a signature structure and form. The project underscores the impact of engineering in creating adaptable, efficient, and resilient spaces. With its energy-efficient systems, and innovative structure, Terminal E sets a new global standard for engineering airport expansions. |
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Amaya at Suffolk Downs Firm: Beals and Thomas Client: The HYM Investment Group, LLC
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Amaya has created a resilient, vibrant, and inclusive community. As the gateway to Suffolk Downs, Amaya expands Revere’s Beachmont neighborhood, provides significant housing and retail opportunity within steps of the MBTA blue line, and creatively incorporates resiliency. Grounded in the community, significant outreach to and input from residents and officials informed Amaya. The eight-story building overlooks 40 acres of public open space that mitigates flooding and engages the community with amenities and events. A resiliency berm protects Amaya and off-site properties from increased future flooding. Where a historic racetrack once existed now lies the foundation for an exuberant new neighborhood. |
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Lexington Battle Green Traffic & Streetscape Client: Town of Lexington, MA |
The Lexington Battle Green Traffic and Streetscape Project improves safety, accessibility, and connectivity around the historic Battle Green. The project creates a safer, more connected space by replacing a high-crash intersection with a modern roundabout, improving sidewalks, implementing state-of-the-art streetscape amenities, and enhancing pedestrian and bicycle paths. Completed in time for the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington, the project blends historical respect with modern design while promoting sustainability. It features innovative engineering, including sustainable solutions and lighting that beautify the area. Public outreach played a key role, securing stakeholder support and coordinating with local businesses, residents, and visitors. |
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Taunton's Main Lift Pumping Station Client: City of Taunton, MA |
The City of Taunton's new Main Lift Pumping Station showcases innovative design, resilience, and sustainability. The project upgraded the station’s capacity to 25 million gallons per day, overcoming capacity and reliability issues that previously contributed to combined sewer overflows affecting the Taunton River. The design includes elevated structures above the 100-year floodplain, provided cutting-edge pumping systems, and introduced flood-resilient features like dry-pit submersible pumps and a backup generator. The complex, deep excavation near the river was managed without service interruptions, improving wastewater management for the city and surrounding communities. This project ensures long-term environmental protection and system efficiency. |
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ResilientMass Plan Action Tracker
Client: Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs |
In 2023, BSC developed and launched the ResilientMass Plan Action Tracker in collaboration with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. The Tracker helps municipalities manage and prioritize climate resilience initiatives. Integrating GIS data, remote sensing, and a public-facing dashboard, the tool provides an innovative solution for planning and tracking environmental actions across the state. The project modernized the way communities approach climate planning and enhanced public engagement in these critical processes. |
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Buckland/Charlemont Bridge Rehabilitation Firm: CHA
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The Massachusetts Department of Transportation hired CHA to replace the deck of a 1950s-era bridge at the Buckland and Charlemont town line. CHA’s plan included a wider concrete deck to add two sidewalks, which were not in the original design. Extra steel beams were added to the bridge to support these sidewalks. Hollow areas under approach spans were filled with lightweight cellular foam concrete to reduce maintenance needs. The project involved strengthening steel and implementing measures to prevent scour, enhancing the bridge’s long-term stability. Adding the sidewalks aligns with Massachusetts’s Complete Streets initiative, improving pedestrian safety and future urban planning. |
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Champeaux Road Bridge Replacement Firm: CHA Client: MassDOT |
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation hired CHA to replace the Champeaux Road Bridge over Long Pond in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. Built in 1938, the bridge required total replacement due to structural deficiencies. CHA’s innovative design featured an integral abutment bridge supported by small-diameter, high-capacity structural elements called micropiles. This minimally invasive technology eliminates joints at the bridge’s ends, reducing long-term maintenance needs. CHA developed a comprehensive structural monitoring plan to track the bridge’s performance, with the data helping to inform future design standards. Completed a year ahead of schedule, the project improved flood resilience, enhanced safety, and minimized environmental impact. |
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CA/T (I-93) Tunnel Lighting Rehab Project Client: MassDOT |
The Tip O’Neill Tunnel carries thousands of vehicles a day and tops even higher numbers during special events and other city events. It holds the Central Artery Tunnel infrastructure through the heart of the city. This is a highly complex tunnel system given its number of on-ramp entrance portals, the five exit ramps combined with the changing curvature and superelevation of the roadway surface, varying total number of lanes, and the issue of tunnel power being supplied from five different ventilation buildings. This is the type of project that keeps the Commonwealth moving safely and efficiently. |
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Bruce Freeman Rail Trail, Phase 2D
Client: Town of Sudbury |
The Bruce Freeman Rail Trail (Phase 2D) project in Sudbury is 4.4 miles of newly completed 10-foot-wide paved trail, approximately 20% of the late State Representative Bruce Freeman’s 25-mile rail trail envisioned in 1985. This linear park and non-motorized path required a design that balanced the needs of commuters as a transportation corridor while also providing an experience that feels meaningful and enjoyable. The complex project with 2 bridges, 7 roadway crossings, 2 spur paths, and one parking facility provides a safe, ADA-compliant facility that enables users access to unapparelled recreational activities and commuter opportunities. |
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Rail Line Sinkhole Risk Management Firm: Geocomp, Inc.
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Geocomp helped Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) address a sinkhole threat along an important freight line near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Geocomp designed, implemented, and operated a unique, state-of-art, data driven, sinkhole risk management program to mitigate sinkhole hazards along a 1.5-kilometer section of a busy commercial rail line operated by SAR. This innovative project used advanced technology to monitor the ground for signs of sinkholes, allowing for real-time alerts and data management. By combining various sensors and monitoring systems, Geocomp was able to detect potential issues before they caused significant damage, ensuring the safety of train operations. |
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RIRRC - Maintenance Building Client: Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation (RIRRC) |
HDR, together with Weston & Sampson and Maron Construction, delivered a state-of-the-art maintenance facility for the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation. This project demonstrated the power of engineering to solve complex infrastructure challenges, while incorporating innovative techniques to enhance operational efficiency and sustainability. The RIRRC Maintenance Garage stands as a benchmark for future maintenance facility projects, showcasing the value of multidisciplinary collaboration, sustainable design practices, and innovative problem-solving in the engineering profession. |
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Building Condition Assessment (MICA-BICA) Firm: HNTB Client: Massachusetts Port Authority |
MICA-BCA provides Massport with a comprehensive knowledge base of their buildings, serving as a single source of truth for stakeholders regarding asset conditions. The program is driving positive, data-driven change through continuous evaluation of people, processes and technology, and adapting to the expanding needs of stakeholders. The MICA Living Platform will keep condition data current and enhance automation and integration so that critical infrastructure is maintained in a state of good repair. Key to MICA’s success was executive leadership who fostered a culture valuing stakeholder involvement while leveraging technology to develop a comprehensive baseline for informing strategic business decisions. |
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MassDOT Highway Resilience Improvement Plan
Client: MassDOT |
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Highway Division’s Resilience Improvement Plan (RIP) presents the agency’s systematic approach to surface transportation system resilience and a clear roadmap for increasing resilience through immediate and long-range planning activities and investments. The RIP coalesces vulnerability assessments, interagency coordination, State and Federal regulations and best practices, and completed and ongoing resilience actions at MassDOT. The RIP is integrated into MassDOT’s Beyond Mobility Plan. With FHWA’s approval of this document, MassDOT is set up for success in funding resilience investments with a 90-percent federal cost share for PROTECT program-funded projects. |
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Sherborn's Landmark Safety Transformation
Client: Town of Sherborn, MA |
Sherborn's Landmark Safety Transformation project is a modern roundabout at Washington Street and Maple Street-Sanger Street. This unique project, designed and managed by Kimley-Horn, considered the historic environment and the community's safety needs. It culminates more than 25 years of local discussions and evaluations. The project was sensibly designed, completed on a truncated timeline to deliver before school reopened, came in under budget, and has enhanced the Town Center's charm, especially with the relocation of the historic Leland monument. It surpassed the Town's expectations and set the stage for future safe and healthy transportation initiatives in the area. |
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Marion Street Pedestrian Bridge Firm: Rosales + Client: City of Seattle - Office of the Waterfront |
The bridge connects downtown Seattle with the Colman Dock Ferry Terminal over a new promenade and reconfigured Alaskan Way. It replaced a narrow, unattractive pedestrian bridge. The new bridge acts as a gateway to the city along the improved waterfront with excellent views of Elliott Bay and beyond. The Marion Street Bridge includes a main span over the Alaskan Way and two balancing, long cantilevers that allowed the bridge to be built independently of the new ferry terminal and future buildings along the waterfront. The bridge is functional, cost effective, sculptural, well proportioned, and artfully illuminated at night. |
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Assembly Innovation Park Phase 1 Firm: Sanborn, Head & Associates Client: BRE-BMR Assembly Innovation I LLC |
Assembly Innovation Park (AIP) is a 1.5-million-square-foot life sciences campus developed in Somerville, Massachusetts by BioMed Realty. The first phase included a 12-story laboratory and office building, a 9-level parking garage with a fire station, and a public green space on 7.8 acres. The park will later be redesigned to align with future phases, minimizing waste and disruption. The project overcame complex subsurface challenges by redesigning foundations after the start of construction, ensuring progress stayed on track. AIP prioritizes sustainability with LEED Gold and WELL certifications. The campus integrates with the community, fostering innovation and providing public spaces for engagement. |
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State Route 133 (Main Street) over Essex River
Client: MassDOT |
The replacement of Bridge No. E-11-001 was declared as an emergency due to significant and rapid deterioration of the existing bridge. The surrounding area is historic and lively in nature, with many adjacent commercial properties. Unique to this project were multiple complexities and constraints related to roadway typical section and profile, traffic management, detour, utility relocation and constructability, and traffic and pedestrian safety improvements. Through innovative engineering and extensive coordination, Steere Engineering was able to efficiently and effectively deliver a design that successfully fulfilled the needs of involved parties and provided an essential and safe crossing for all. |
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Accessibility & Safety Upgrades at Pettee Sq Firm: TEC, Inc. Client: City of Newton |
Located in the heart of the Upper Falls neighborhood in Newton, Pettee Square’s complete streets improvements include a new traffic signal, roadway pavement reconstruction, raised table intersection and crosswalks, new concrete sidewalks, new ADA curb cut ramps, new pavement markings, lighting upgrades, new traffic signs, landscaping and streetscape improvements, stormwater and utilities. Using a combination of funding from the MassWorks Infrastructure Program and ARPA, the project goals include traffic calming, streetscape beautification, ADA accessibility improvements, and drainage and stormwater upgrades. The City is pleased with the aesthetic improvements of this functional space, while also enhancing safety and accessibility |
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Beaver St. Bridge Superstructure Replacement
Client: City of Lowell, MA |
The Beaver Street Bridge Superstructure Replacement project is an example of engineering excellence. After an unexpected closure which significantly impacted traffic, including UMass commuters, TEC designed a superstructure replacement utilizing prefabricated bridge elements that utilized Accelerated Bridge Construction techniques to quickly re-open the road while also being mindful of the City’s budget. TEC’s solution accomplished multiple goals for the City – maintaining service to all utilities, eliminating costly temporary utility bridges/utility moves, and providing a second permanent sidewalk over the bridge. The final design satisfied all necessary regulatory requirements while providing a context sensitive solution to the local neighborhood. |
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Westfield PFAS Response & Dry Bridge Road WTP Firm: Tighe & Bond Client: City of Westfield, MA |
In response to PFAS contamination of the Barnes Aquifer, the City of Westfield, MA implemented fast-track bench-scale testing, planning, designing and constructing PFAS treatment systems at multiple well sites to ensure high quality drinking water was supplied to residents. With the construction of the permanent PFAS treatment plant at Dry Bridge Road, the City is improving the quality of treated water and the reliability of its distribution system, while leading broader industry discussions on the treatment of emerging contaminants. |
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Route 24 over Canton Street Firm: GFT Client: MassDOT |
This project highlights the successful use of Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) techniques to replace the Route 24 bridge over Canton Street with minimal disruption. By utilizing prefabricated bridge units and real-time traffic management, TranSystems completed the bridge replacement in two weekends while maintaining continuous traffic flow on one of Massachusetts' busiest highways. The innovative approach not only reduced construction time but also minimized economic and environmental impacts. This project sets a benchmark for future infrastructure improvements, demonstrating how engineering innovation can solve complex logistical challenges while delivering essential public benefits. |
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Route 125 Sewer Extension and Pump Station Firm: Woodard & Curran
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The Town of North Andover hired Woodard & Curran to design, permit, and oversee construction of a sewer extension and pump station project that made way for Amazon to open a 3.8 million square foot, five story e-commerce storage, warehouse, and distribution facility. The project included extending the wastewater collection system approximately 11,000 feet north along Route 125 and a pump station. The project was funded by a public-private partnership between the town, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and Amazon, through a combination of town monies, a tax increment financing program, and grants.
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