AASHTO Awards & Past Winners
Alfred E. Johnson Achievement Award
Alfred E. Johnson Achievement Award was created in 1973 and honors A. E. Johnson, one of the Executive Directors of the association, for his many contributions to management in the field of highway engineering. This award is authorized to be presented at the annual conference of the association to the nominee selected by the award committee as the person judged as rendering the most outstanding service in the field of engineering or management, which can cover both technical and administrative aspects.
Alfred E. Johnson Achievement Award was created in 1973 and honors A. E. Johnson, one of the Executive Directors of the association, for his many contributions to management in the field of highway engineering. This award is authorized to be presented at the annual conference of the association to the nominee selected by the award committee as the person judged as rendering the most outstanding service in the field of engineering or management, which can cover both technical and administrative aspects.
2021 Award Winner
During the 2021 AASHTO Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA the following awards were presented:
Tony Allen, Washington State Department of Transportation
2020 Award Winner
During the 2020 AASHTO Virtual Meeting, the following awards were presented:
Chad Sheppick, Utah Department of Transportation
2019 Award Winner
During the 2019 AASHTO Annual Meeting in St. Louis, MO, the following awards were presented:
Lorie Tudor, Arkansas Department of Transportation
2018 Award Winner
During the 2018 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA, the following awards were presented:
Blaine Leonard, P.E., F.ASCE, Utah Department of Transportation
2017 Award Winner
During the 2017 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Phoenix, AZ, the following awards were presented:
Susan N. Shaw, P.E., Virginia Department of Transportation
2016 Award Winner
During the 2016 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Boston, MA, the following awards were presented:
Earle S. “Jock” Freedman, Maryland State Highway Administration, Maryland Department of Transportation (Jock’s acceptance speech)
2015 Award Winner
During the 2015 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois, the following awards were presented:
Alfred E. Johnson Achievement Award
2014 Award Winner
During the 2014 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, the following awards were presented.
Alfred E. Johnson Achievement Award
Thomas H. MacDonald Memorial Award
Thomas H. MacDonald Memorial Award was established in 1957 in recognition of the outstanding achievements of the late Thomas H. MacDonald, chief of the Bureau of Public Roads in the fields of highway administration, engineering and research, this award is authorized to be presented at the association’s annual conference.
2021 Award Winner
During the 2021 AASHTO Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA the following awards were presented:
Tony Allen, Washington State Department of Transportation
2020 Award Winner
During the 2020 AASHTO Virtual Meeting, the following awards were presented:
Dr. Eric Kalivoda P.E., Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
2019 Award Winner
During the 2019 AASHTO Annual Meeting in St. Louis, MO, the following awards were presented:
Matthew L. Garrett, Oregon Department of Transportation (Retired)
2018 Award Winner
During the 2018 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA, the following awards were presented:
Malcolm Dougherty, California Department of Transportation (Retired)
2017 Award Winner
During the 2017 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Phoenix, AZ, the following awards were presented:
John R. Njord, P.E., Utah Department of Transportation (Retired)
2016 Award Winner
During the 2016 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Boston, MA, the following awards were presented:
Scott E. Bennett, P.E., Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department
2015 Award Winner
During the 2015 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois, the following awards were presented:
Thomas H. MacDonald Memorial Award
2014 Award Winner
During the 2014 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, the following awards were presented.
Thomas H. MacDonald Memorial Award
President’s Transportation Awards
President’s Transportation Awards nominations can be made by the Chief Executive Officers of the member departments or by the Chairpersons of the AASHTO Standing Committees “based on the nominee(s) having performed exemplary service during the year furthering the transportation activities of his/her member department or committee which has, or potentially could have, a salutary impact on transportation nationwide or on a regional basis.”
2021 Award Winner
During the 2021 AASHTO Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA the following awards were presented:
- Administration – Tiffany Pocock, Utah Department of Transportation
- Environment – Building Wildlife Sanctuaries Team, Idaho Transportation Department
- Highway Traffic Safety – I-84 Traffic Corridor Safety, Capacity and Commerce Enhancement Team, Idaho Transportation Department
- Highways – Pennsylvania Avenue Overpass Team, Idaho Transportation Department
- Performance Excellence – Keith Killen, Missouri Department of Transportation
- Planning – Dallas District I-30 Canyon Team, Texas Department of Transportation
- Research – Michael Townley, Michigan Department of Transportation
2020 Award Winner
During the 2020 AASHTO Virtual Meeting, the following awards were presented:
- Administration – Gas Tax Transparency Team, South Carolina Department of Transportation
- Environment – Raft River Reversal, Idaho Transportation Department
- Highway Traffic Safety – Buckle Up Phone Down, Missouri Department of Transportation
- Highways – Transforming Malfunction Junction, Idaho Transportation Department
- Performance Excellence – Angelo Papastamos, Utah Department of Transportation
- Planning – Pedro R. Alvarez, Texas Department of Transportation
- Rail Transportation – Rail Corridor Project, Missouri Department of Transportation
- Research – Barbara Davis, Florida Department of Transportation (Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise)
2019 Award Winner
During the 2019 AASHTO Annual Meeting in St. Louis, MO, the following awards were presented:
- Administration – William Cass, New Hampshire Department of Transportation
- Environment – US-12 Lochsa Revival, Idaho Transportation Department
- Performance Excellence – Data & Technology Driven Strategic Guardrail Management Program, Virginia Department of Transportation
- Planning – Washington State Ferries Planning Team, Washington State Department of Transportation
- Research – Israel & Idaho: Swelling Clay of Elephant Butte, Idaho Transportation Department
2018 Award Winner
During the 2018 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA, the following awards were presented:
- Administration – Development of Menu of Funding Options Team, South Carolina Department of Transportation
- Aviation – Glenn G. Stott, New Jersey Department of Transportation
- Environment – ITD Big Wood River Bridge Team, Idaho Transportation Department
- Highways – US-23 Flex Route Project, Michigan Department of Transportation
- Highway Traffic Safety – Rural Road Safety Program, South Carolina Department of Transportation
- Intermodal Transportation – Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Education, Michigan Department of Transportation
- Performance Excellence – Masters of Disaster, South Carolina Department of Transportation
- Planning – 17 Bridges Team, Idaho Transportation Department
2017 Award Winner
During the 2017 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Phoenix, AZ, the following awards were presented:
- Administration – Citizen’s Guide to Transportation Funding Team, Missouri Department of Transportation
- Administration – MDOT For-Hire Passenger Transportation Team, Michigan Department of Transportation
- Environment – I-75 Corridor Conservation Plan Core Team, Michigan Department of Transportation
- Highways – Jack Rick, Road Design Program Manager; the MDOT University Region Design Squad; and the I-96/US-23 Interchange Reconstruction Project Team, Michigan Department of Transportation
- Highway Traffic Safety – US 20 Thornton Interchange Saves Lives, Idaho Transportation Department
- Performance Excellence – PennDOT HAV Senior Leadership Team, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
- Public Transportation – Jonathan Loree, P.E., Michigan Department of Transportation
2016 Award Winner
During the 2016 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Boston, MA, the following awards were presented:
- Administration – Local County Roads Program, North Dakota Department of Transportation
- Environment – Environmental Stewardship – Osprey Nesting Program, Idaho Transportation Department
- Highways – Josh Van Jura, Utah Department of Transportation
- Highway Traffic Safety – Child Passenger Safety Seat Education and Distribution Program, Texas Department of Transportation
- Performance Excellence – GARVEE Program Management Team, Idaho Transportation Department
- Planning – TDOT Long Range Planning Division Team, Tennessee Department of Transportation
- Public Transportation – Paul Comfort, Esq., Administrator/CEO, Maryland Transit Authority, Maryland Department of Transportation
- Research – Steve Cook, P.E., Michigan Department of Transportation
- Research – Road to Tomorrow Team, Missouri Department of Transportation
- Water Transportation – Conference of Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers Maritime Initiative, Michigan Department of Transportation
2015 Award Winner
During the 2015 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois, the following awards were presented:
President’s Transportation Awards
2014 Award Winner
During the 2014 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, the following awards were presented.
President’s Transportation Awards
Francis B. Francois Award
Francis B. Francois Award is an annual Award for Innovation, presented to one AASHTO member state, enabling that state to fund a $10,000 graduate fellowship at a state university of the winner’s choice. Innovation is defined as something worthwhile that establishes, increases, or enhances value to the public.
2021 Award Winner
During the 2021 AASHTO Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA the following awards were presented:
Ohio’s First Distracted Driving Corridor,Ohio Department of Transportation
2020 Award Winner
During the 2020 AASHTO Virtual Meeting, the following awards were presented:
Marine Navigation Retroreflective Markers, New Jersey Department of Transportation
2019 Award Winner
During the 2019 AASHTO Annual Meeting in St. Louis, MO, the following awards were presented:
Data-Driven Safety Analysis in Design-Build, Missouri Department of Transportation
2018 Award Winner
During the 2018 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA, the following awards were presented:
Utah Connected Vehicle Smart Transit Signal Priority Project, Utah Department of Transportation
2017 Award Winner
During the 2017 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Phoenix, AZ, the following awards were presented:
Moab Peer-To-Peer Adaptive Signal Control Systems, Utah Department of Transportation
2016 Award Winner
During the 2016 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Boston, MA, the following awards were presented:
Field Traffic Alert System, Missouri Department of Transportation
2014 Award Winner
During the 2014 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, the following awards were presented.
Francis B. Francois Award for Innovation
25-Year Award of Meritorious Service
25-Year Award of Meritorious Service – Information for the Memorial List and the Employees Killed in the Line of Duty is included with the 25-Year Award of Meritorious Service.
The 25-Year Award of Meritorious Service was presented.
AASHTO’s America’s Transportation Award
AASHTO’s America’s Transportation Award – Please also be sure to visit the website to see more examples of the great work state DOTs are doing every day!
*All state department of transportation entries must be completely submitted to AASHTO by April 8 to be considered in both the regional competition and the Top 12 finals.*
2021 Award Winner
During the 2021 AASHTO Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA the following awards were presented:
- Grand Prize – Reconstruction of Salem Parkway, North Carolina Department of Transportation
- People’s Choice Award – Turner Diagonal: Partnering for Growth, Kansas Department of Transportation
2020 Award Winner
During the 2020 AASHTO Virtual Meeting, the following awards were presented:
- Grand Prize – State Route 99 Tunnel Project, Washington State Department of Transportation
- People’s Choice Award – Columbus Riverwalk Project, Georgia Department of Transportation
2019 Award Winner
During the 2019 AASHTO Annual Meeting in St. Louis, MO, the following awards were presented:
- Grand Prize – Infrastructure Improvements to Downtown St. Louis project, Illinois and Missouri Departments of Transportation
- People’s Choice Award – Northwest Corridor Express Lanes, Georgia Department of Transportation
2018 Award Winner
During the 2018 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA, the following awards were presented:
- Grand Prize – Interstate 55 and Lake Shore Drive Interchange project, Illinois Department of Transportation
- People’s Choice Award – 400 Trail project, Georgia Department of Transportation
2017 Award Winner
During the 2017 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Phoenix, AZ, the following awards were presented:
- Grand Prize – Colorado Department of Transportation
- People’s Choice Award – Idaho Transportation Department
2016 Award Winner
During the 2016 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Boston, MA, the following awards were presented:
- Grand Prize – Connecticut Department of Transportation
- People’s Choice Award – Florida Department of Transportation
Transportation Vanguard Award
Transportation Vanguard Award – AASHTO is accepting nominations for the Transportation Vanguard Award until September 9, 2022. Any individual from an AASHTO member department, age 40 or younger, who exemplifies a commitment to excellence and/or implementation of innovative technologies and processes, is welcome to be nominated. Only one nominee will be accepted per member department. Additional information may be found here: flyer and nomination form.
2020 Award Winner
During the 2020 AASHTO Virtual Meeting, the following awards were presented:
Gregory Ciparelli, Connecticut Department of Transportation
2018 Award Winner
During the 2018 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA, the following awards were presented:
- Alison Ragan, Wyoming Department of Transportation
- Collin Castle, P.E., Michigan Department of Transportation
2016 Award Winner
During the 2016 AASHTO Annual Meeting in Boston, MA, the following awards were presented:
Dr. Ning Li, P.E., PMP, Virginia Department of Transportation
AASHTO Awards 