Wekiva Parkway Section 6 Project Wins ACEC Florida’s Outstanding Major Project Award

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (JUNE 22, 2023) — Superior Construction, an American family-owned infrastructure contractor, is proud to announce its Wekiva Parkway Section 6 project has received the Outstanding Major Project Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Florida (ACEC Florida). WGI, Inc. was the lead designer for the project, supported by Finley Engineering (now COWI) for the segmental portion of the project. The Outstanding Project Awards, which recognize ACEC-Florida members’ outstanding roadway and bridge design and construction achievements, were presented at the organization’s 2023 transportation conference in Orlando. 

Built across a federally designated Wild and Scenic River, Wekiva Parkway Section 6 is an iconic $243 million design-build project near Sorrento, Florida. Though the project itself stretches across Lake and Seminole Counties, its most prominent feature, the Wekiva River Crossing, comprises three cast-in-place segmental bridges (370,172 square feet of bridge deck) that carry the Wekiva Parkway (SR 429) and a service road/shared use path over the picturesque and pristine Wekiva River, seamlessly blending in with the natural landscape.

“The Wekiva River Crossing showcased groundbreaking advancements in bridge engineering, as its three signature bridges were built using top-down balanced cantilever construction to minimize environmental impacts by eliminating work in the water,” said Superior COO Pete Kelley, who served on the Wekiva Parkway Section 6 executive committee. “From the engineering of precision-cast segments to the use of state-of-the-art construction robotics, this project pushed the boundaries of what is achievable in the segmental bridge industry. We’re truly proud to have been a part of this project.”

Beyond increasing the Wekiva Parkway’s capacity by extending its new four-lane toll road 6.85 miles, the team prioritized environmental conservation and ecological protection, implementing measures to minimize its impact on the delicate ecosystem. The project improved safety, maintained wildlife habitat connectivity, reduced vehicle-wildlife conflicts, and provided locals with improved recreational opportunities, including biking and jogging trails. 

Nominations for ACEC Florida’s Outstanding Project Awards were submitted from each of FDOT’s seven districts, Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise and the Central Office. They were evaluated by an awards committee comprised of ACEC Florida and FDOT representatives. This year, the committee chose just seven winners for this prestigious award.