WisDOT Announces 2023 Excellence in Construction Awards

Six Wisconsin construction companies received Excellence in Construction Awards at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s annual Contractor-Engineer Conference held this week in Wisconsin Dells.

Top winners include an asphalt paving project in Polk County, a concrete paving project in Dane County, a grading project in Outagamie County, a small bridge project in Lafayette County, a large bridge project in Racine County and a large contract project in Milwaukee County.

“We are extremely proud of the work over the past five years to improve more than 7,400 miles of roadway and 1,780 bridges in Wisconsin,” WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson said. “We continue to make strategic transportation investments in every county across the state and these awards showcase those efforts. In coordination with industry partners, we are working together to enhance safety, mobility and quality of life benefits
for everyone.”

“We are grateful for the strong working relationships with many skilled contracting firms to help make our transportation system safer and more reliable for millions of people across Wisconsin,” Michael Hoelker, director of WisDOT’s Bureau of Project Development, said. “The annual Excellence in Construction Awards are an opportunity for us to recognize quality work and embrace innovations that help us save time and money.”

Excellence in Asphalt Paving – Monarch Paving, based in Amery, received the award for work on US 63 from the St. Croix County line north to Polk County J. This project rehabilitated just over eight miles of pavement on US 63 and completed major geometric safety improvements at several intersections. Despite tight scheduling expectations, the strong collaboration between contractors helped the project finish two weeks ahead of schedule.

Excellence in Concrete Paving – Trierweiler Construction, located in Marshfield, received the award for work on Blair Street, between Williamson Street and East Washington Avenue in Madison,
in Dane County. This project fully reconstructed a portion of Business US 151, a major road in downtown Madison. Concrete paving was a critical schedule item to keep the rest of the project on track, and Trierweiler worked continuously with project staff to maximize efficiency for all aspects of their work.

Excellence in Grading – Mashuda Construction, Inc., based in Princeton, received the award for work on the WIS 15 expansion, between US 45 in New London and Lily of the Valley Drive in Greenville, in Outagamie County. This two-year project reconstructed 3.6 miles of WIS 15 from two to four lanes. The project required effective communication with businesses and residents as traffic staging had significant impacts to access during construction. Due to this close cooperation, the project made cost effective decisions while keeping the project on schedule.

Excellence in Small Structures – Kraemer North America, located in Plain, received the award for the WIS 23 bridge over the Pecatonica River in Lafayette County. The bridge work replaced the deteriorated superstructure and wingwalls, and added new elements like sidewalks, steel railing, decorative lighting, and a polymer overlay to the bridge deck. The unique geometry and environmental commitments provided challenges for the contractor and project team to overcome, and without all parties working together, this project would not have been as successful.

Excellence in Large Structures – Zenith Tech Inc., located in Waukesha, received the award for the Jefferson Street bridge over the Fox River in Racine County. This project replaced the existing Jefferson Street bridge in the City of Burlington with a new 3-span slab structure, as well as work along the City’s scenic riverwalk. Spring flooding and unexpected foundation soil issues threatened to delay the project, but with open communication and close coordination with all stakeholders, the project met the completion date.

Large Contract – Michels Road & Stone Inc., located in Brownsville, received the award for work on the Zoo Interchange North Leg, along US 45 between Swan Boulevard and Burleigh Street, in Milwaukee County. The project expanded nearly two miles of highway from three to four lanes in each direction, as well as reconstructed the North Avenue interchange. The project lasted three full construction seasons, making management of interim
traffic patterns critical to the long term success of the project. Michels partnered with the department to deliver this highly complex project on time, on budget, and with minimal public disruption.

Photos of the award-winning projects can be found on the WisDOT website​.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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