The Virginia Department of Transportation's (VDOT) Rte. 58 Danville Bypass project received the 2005 Engineering Excellence Awards Grand Award in the transportation category by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Virginia.
The award was presented to VDOT officials and the project contractor, The Louis Berger Group, at the Engineering Excellence Awards banquet in Richmond. The award recognizes innovation, expertise and ingenuity in engineering achievement.
The new 7.1-mile southern bypass opened in May 2004. The bypass increases the safety of travelers using the Rte. 58 corridor, allows for improved traffic flow through the city and is expected to help expand the regional economy while maintaining the area's unique rural character.
The project involved the design of three interchanges, 2.1 miles of frontage road and two truck weigh stations, the construction of 13 bridges, the relocation of a half-mile of railroad track and numerous local roads. VDOT and Berger coordinated with the North Carolina Department of Transportation on the portion of the project that extends across the state line, while maintaining traffic flow and the rural aesthetic of the surrounding countryside.
The project team worked with the public and area property owners to develop and construct a design that is aesthetically pleasing and minimized impacts to the environment and existing properties.
