A Look at Our 2024 ACEC Wins
It’s Engineers Week 2025, a time to recognize the limitless possibilities in engineering. To celebrate, we’re highlighting our projects that received 2024 ACEC Engineering Excellence Awards. These awards celebrate engineering achievements that demonstrate exceptional creativity, complexity, and value to the communities we serve.
Amidon Bridge Reconstruction
Built in 1964, the Amidon Avenue bridge in Wichita—which carries 16,000 vehicles daily across the Arkansas River—had reached the end of its service life. The City of Wichita contracted with us for design engineering services for the replacement, and we hit the ground running, navigating challenges such as accelerated design and construction schedules due to environmental limitations, material shortages, and a fire during construction. We proactively sought out cost-saving solutions, such as seismic pile design and semi-integral abutments, that provided long-term savings for the City.
The project also benefited from strong support from City entities, When the bridge closure disconnected a neighborhood from its fire station, the Wichita Fire Department established a temporary fire station in the neighborhood to provide effective emergency services. Wichita Transit provided 50,000 free bus rides to residents affected by the closure, helping them access a nearby shopping area.
Completed ahead of schedule, the bridge features artwork designed by a local art teacher and stands as a vital, durable river crossing for the community. The Wichita City Council considers it a resounding success and is thrilled with the result.
K-96 Expansion
As Wichita continues to grow, traffic congestion on Kansas Highway 96 (K-96) has increased. To address this, the City, KDOT, and WSP USA, Inc. are expanding K-96 from four to six lanes and upgrading nine interchanges. We provided surveying for the 8.5-mile corridor, using aerial, mobile, and static LiDAR to efficiently collect data despite heavy traffic and tight deadlines.
Our work included establishing control points, recovering alignments, monumentation, and conducting topographic surveys. We also tackled utility location challenges by partnering with a utility exploration company. By combining LiDAR, maps, and on-site data, we created detailed utility and right-of-way maps. This was our largest topographic survey to date, completed on schedule with rigorous quality control, producing over 2,000 pages of documentation and 100 electronic deliverables.
Alda Crane Viewing Site
Each spring, over 80% of the world’s Sandhill Crane population gathers along Nebraska’s Platte River, drawing visitors from around the world. The Alda Crane Viewing Site, a key viewing location for this event, had deteriorated after 30 years of exposure to the elements. To address safety and accessibility concerns, the Central Platte Natural Resources District partnered with us for a full renovation.
We upgraded the site with a new elevated viewing deck, a 1,160-foot ADA-compliant concrete path, improved parking, shoreline stabilization, and habitat enhancements. Supported by over $322,000 in grants, we kept the project on budget and delivered a safer, more accessible experience for visitors, ensuring the site remains a key destination for years to come.
Gretna Crossing Park
We partnered with the City of Gretna to develop a master plan, design documents, and oversee construction for a new 157-acre park on the city’s southern edge. Designed to meet the needs of Gretna’s growing population, Gretna Crossing Park blends recreation and green space for all ages and abilities. The park features a community recreation facility, an aquatic center with Nebraska’s first drop-gate slide, natural grass ballfields, playgrounds, walking trails, and educational exhibits. We also designed a three-acre pond with ADA-accessible fishing piers, boardwalks, picnic shelters, and an amphitheater for community events. With frisbee golf, an off-leash dog park, and open play areas, Gretna Crossing Park enriches the city’s cultural and recreational offerings, making it a premier destination for residents and visitors alike.