Western State DOT Projects Recognized for Improving Safety, Quality of Life in National Competition

Las Vegas- Fourteen state department of transportation projects in California, Hawaii, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming have won top regional honors in the 2026 America's Transportation Awards competition. From transforming an outdated roadway into a vibrant community gathering space to implementing real-time variable speed limits that adapt to changing weather conditions, these projects are strengthening communities by improving safety, mobility, and quality of life.

Selected from 36 projects submitted by 15 states in the Western Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (WASHTO) region, these entries are part of a record 127 nominations from 45 state DOTs in this year's overall competition. Sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the America's Transportation Awards honor transportation projects that deliver meaningful benefits to communities. Projects compete in four categories-Quality of Life/Community Development, Operations Excellence, Best Use of Technology & Innovation, and Safety-showcasing the essential role transportation plays in improving mobility, safety, and quality of life for all users.

"For almost two decades, the America's Transportation Awards has highlighted the innovative work state DOTs do to improve communities and enhance the lives of the people who live and visit them. But the truth is, these projects are just a fraction of the incredible work done by state DOTs every year," said AASHTO Executive Director Jim Tymon. "AASHTO is proud to recognize the diverse and forward-thinking projects that are improving safety, mobility, and quality of life in communities across the country. As we look forward to Congress completing a federal surface transportation reauthorization bill by the end of September, this year's winners underscore the importance of sustained federal investment in transportation and demonstrate how those resources are delivering meaningful benefits to residents, businesses, and travelers nationwide."

Many of this year's WASHTO regional winners benefited from IIJA funding, demonstrating the critical role the next federal surface transportation legislation will play in continuing progress toward safer communities and improving mobility and access for all.

All nominated projects first compete at the regional level against projects of their own size: "Small" (projects costing up to $10 million), "Medium" (projects costing between $10 million and $100 million), and "Large" (projects costing more than $100 million). This year's winning WASHTO regional projects are:

• California Department of Transportation's Oceano Plaza (Quality of Life/Community Development, Small Project)
  
• New Mexico Department of Transportation's Jarales Road - Railroad Grade Separation Project (Quality of Life/Community Development, Medium Project)
  
• Wyoming Department of Transportation's Snake River Bridge Replacement and Intersection Project (Quality of Life/Community Development, Medium Project)
  
• Texas Department of Transportation's US 181 Harbor Bridge Project (Quality of Life/Community Development, Large Project)
  
• Washington State Department of Transportation's State Route 520 Montlake Lid and Bridges Project (Quality of Life/Community Development, Large Project)
  
• Hawaii Department of Transportation's Port of Honolulu Cargo Pre-Check Program (Operations Excellence, Small Project)
  
• Nebraska Department of Transportation's 192nd Street, Omaha (Operations Excellence, Medium Project)
  
• Nevada Department of Transportation's I-15/Tropicana Interchanges (Operations Excellence, Large Project)
  
• South Dakota Department of Transportation's Variable Speed Limits (Best Use of Technology and Innovation, Small Project)
  
• Nebraska Department of Transportation's I-80 Variable Advisory Speed Signs (Best Use of Technology and Innovation, Medium Project)
  
• Washington State Department of Transportation's State Route 509, I-5 to 24th Avenue S - New Expressway Project (Best Use of Technology and Innovation, Large Project)
  
• North Dakota Department of Transportation's Devils Lake Road Diet and Updated School Crossings (Safety, Small Project)
  
• South Dakota Department of Transportation's S.D. Highway 37 (Dakota Avenue) Reconstruction (Safety, Medium Project)
  
• Utah Department of Transportation's Multiple Interchanges on Bangerter Highway (Safety, Large Project)
  

Following the WASHTO competition, additional regional competitions will continue throughout the summer. Once all regional winners are announced, the three top scoring winners from each region will advance to the Top 12, which will be revealed in early September. These standout projects will then compete for two national honors in the 2026 America's Transportation Awards.

The Grand Prize will be chosen by an independent panel of transportation industry judges, while the People's Choice Award will be decided through online public voting. AASHTO will reveal both winners at its annual meeting in November 2026 in Louisville, KY. The winners of both of those awards will each receive $10,000 to donate to a scholarship fund or charitable cause of their choice.Visit https://americastransportationawards.org/ to learn more about this year's WASHTO nominees.

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The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials represents State Departments of Transportation in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. AASHTO is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association catalyzing excellence in transportation.