NSBA calls for Prize Bridge Competition entries

Chicago — The National Steel Bridge Alliance (NSBA) is now accepting entries for the 2018 Prize Bridge Competition. This awards competition, held biennially, honors significant and innovative steel bridges constructed in the U.S.

“The 2018 Prize Bridge Awards program marks 90 years recognizing our nation’s bridge owners, designers, fabricators, and erectors,” said Danielle D. Kleinhans, PE, PhD, AISC’s vice president of bridges and NSBA’s managing director. “We look forward to another year of amazing entries highlighting economic, aesthetic, and innovative steel bridge solutions.”

Winners are selected to receive either a Prize Bridge Award or a Merit Award in the following categories:

• Major span: One or more spans greater than or equal to 400 feet
• Long span: Longest span equal to or greater than 250 feet but less than 400 feet
• Medium span: Longest span equal to or greater than 140 feet but less than 250 feet
• Short span: No single span greater than 140 feet
• Movable span
• Reconstructed: Having undergone major reconstruction, rehabilitation, or widening
• Special purpose: Bridge not identifiable in one of the above categories including pedestrian, pipeline, and airplane

In addition to the above categories, NSBA will also offer special commendation to projects that best exemplify Accelerated Bridge Construction, and projects that exemplify a full range of sustainable attributes.

All award-winning bridges must be built of domestically fabricated structural steel and located in the U.S. (defined as the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and all U.S. territories.) Eligible bridges must have been completed and opened to traffic between May 1, 2015 and September 30, 2017.

An independent panel of judges will select winners based upon the following criteria: innovation, aesthetics, economics, design and engineering solutions. Quality of submitted presentations, though not a criterion, is important. Entries may be judged in more than one category, but an entry can only receive one award.

All of the award-winning bridges will be featured in Modern Steel Construction magazine. In addition, designers of the winning Prize Bridge entries will be presented with plaques and recognized during the 2018 World Steel Bridge Symposium, which will be held in conjunction with NASCC: The Steel Conference, April 11-13 in Baltimore. Owners of the winning Prize Bridge entries will be presented with plaques and honored at the NSBA networking event during the 2018 AASHTO Subcommittee on Bridges and Structures.

Entries are due by 11:59 p.m. on December 8, 2017. For more information and to enter the competition, visit www.steelbridges.org/2018prizebridge.