The Engineering Excellence Award winners are selected among submissions from more than 60 member firms that are judged on a variety of criteria, including complexity, innovation, and value to society. Dewberry projects earned diamond and platinum awards.

Diamond Award, Transportation Category – Wyandanch and Pinelawn Stations Track and System Installations for the New Second Track on the Main Line Ronkonkoma Branch Phase II Option #2

Dewberry served as the lead designer as part of the design-build team for MTA Long Island Rail Road (MTA LIRR) Wyandanch and Pinelawn Stations. The MTA LIRR Wyandanch Station involved two 12-car-long platforms, with an automated snow and ice melt system, a pedestrian overpass with elevators, new stairs, canopies, and platform shelters. The firm designed a custom automated snow and ice melt system that heats the platform and prevents snow and ice from accumulating. The MTA LIRR Pinelawn Station included the design of two 192-foot platforms, passenger shelters, parking areas, and site improvements. Structural elements and building components were prefabricated and assembled either offsite or in staging areas adjacent to the tracks for faster, safer installation for both stations. 

The project is valued by the traveling public and an economic driver for the Wyandanch area and the Town of Babylon. It supports transit-oriented development, which promotes sustainability, urban mobility, and the reduction of traffic congestion. The Second Track Program, for which these stations are an integral part, has changed the experience of the commute for riders along the 18- mile stretch between Ronkonkoma and Farmingdale by introducing the double track that provides more train service and flexibility for the reverse commute.

Platinum Award, Studies, Research, and Consulting Engineering Services Category – Hunts Point Interstate Access Improvement Project

An AECOM/Dewberry joint venture provided project scoping, preliminary engineering, and preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the $1.7-billion project. The Hunts Point Food Distribution Center, located on the Hunts Point Peninsula, is the largest food distribution facility in the nation, but there is no direct highway connection into and out of the peninsula. The goal of the project was to improve mobility, operations, and safety within the corridor, while improving access to the peninsula.

Platinum Award, Transportation Category – Arthur Sheridan Enhancement Project

An AECOM/Dewberry joint venture led the effort for the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) in developing the preliminary engineering and design report, while providing community outreach support, leading final design completion, and providing construction support services. The project also incorporated NYSDOT’s design of the arch bridge over the Bronx River into the contract.

This was the first project in New York state to de-designate a federal interstate highway. The existing expressway was transformed into an urban arterial highway with a boulevard treatment. Many iterations of traffic modeling and analysis were required to develop the pedestrian crosswalk features and signal timing to achieve optimal vehicle throughput and safety for the pedestrians.