Northwest Corridor Express Lanes wins National People’s Choice Award 

Georgia Department of Transportation’s (GDOT) popular Northwest Corridor Express Lanes project received the highest number of online votes in the national America’s Transportation Awards (ATA) competition, earning it the People’s Choice Award. The award was announced at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) annual meeting in St. Louis on Oct. 8.  “We are gratified that the public has voted for the Northwest Corridor as the People’s Choice,” said Georgia DOT Commissioner Russell R. McMurry, P.E. “Users of the Northwest Corridor Express Lanes know the quality of life advantages this project has brought to the I-75 and I-575 corridors in northwest metro Atlanta. With travel times significantly reduced in both the Express Lanes and the general-purpose lanes, Northwest Corridor is a national model for projects that are moving the needle and giving motorists time back in their day. As always, our focus remains on continuing to deliver major projects that build upon and complement the success of the Northwest Corridor Express Lanes and meet the ever-evolving transportation needs of our state.”  Georgia DOT’s $834 million NWC project in Cobb and Cherokee counties has been open for 13 months and is deemed an unprecedented success with travel speeds in the express lanes 30 percent faster than the general-purpose lanes. As a result, rush hour has been reduced by over one hour in both the morning and evening commutes. Sponsored by AASHTO, AAA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the 12th annual competition evaluated projects in three categories: Quality of Life/Community Development; Best Use of Technology & Innovation; and Operations Excellence. Overall, 39 state DOTs nominated 81 projects in four regional contests, with the four highest-scoring projects in each region comprising the list of 12 national-level finalists that competed for the People’s Choice.  “This annual competition is tough,” said Jim Tymon, AASHTO’s executive director. “All 81 of this year’s project nominees demonstrate the many ways transportation improves the quality of people’s lives. Some of these projects increased mobility by giving commuters more travel options, including biking and walking. Others spurred economic development, cut traffic congestion, or improved safety. And while we honor today’s champions, the biggest winners are by far the American people.” The People’s Choice Award comes with $10,000 cash prize to be used to support a charity or transportation-related scholarship program. The recipient of GDOT’s donation of the prize will be announced soon. The Northwest Corridor Express Lanes has garnered numerous recent honors including the National Award of Merit (Transportation) by the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA); the 2019 state award in the “Large Project-Overall” category by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE); the 2018 Roads & Bridges No. 1 project on their Top 10 Roads list; and a Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) 2019 project achievement award.  This is the second consecutive year that a Georgia project has won the prestigious People’s Choice Award. In 2018, the PATH 400 Trail in Buckhead won the national honor. GDOT plans, constructs and maintains Georgia’s state and federal highways. GDOT and its nearly 4,000 employees are committed to delivering a transportation system focused on innovation, safety, sustainability, and mobility. The Department’s vision is to boost Georgia’s competitiveness through leadership in transportation.