UW Architectural Engineering Alumnus Michael Svoboda Honored with Bowen Prize for Great Builders

Michael Svoboda, a member of the University of Wyoming class of 2013, has been honored with the inaugural Bowen Prize for Great Builders for his critical role in the planning and construction of the Broadway Bridge Replacement Project in Nashville, Tenn.

The award is issued by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) Education and Research Foundation to honor the under-sung heroes of the construction industry. The award is given to "the leaders with boots on the ground, who, day in and day out, managed that critical construction project from planning through execution," according to the AGC website.

Svoboda met the AGC's criteria with flying colors, demonstrating excellence in leadership, customer service, job site safety and innovation in construction methods in his role as project manager at Kiewit Infrastructure South Co.

"In today's great builders, we see state-of-the-art engineering, never-before-seen construction methods, leader-management at the forefront and a deep commitment to service to the community," says the AGC. "The Bowen Prize seeks to recognize those builders who are most responsible for extraordinary contributions to the built environment."

The Broadway Bridge Replacement Project represents an extraordinary achievement. The $71.8 million project presented multiple unique challenges, including a remarkably short time frame to replace one of the main thoroughfares into Nashville, which spans busy downtown city streets and five active CSX rail lines. Svoboda's team was allowed an eight-week closure to both demolish the original 75-year-old bridge and erect the new one. However, they completed the massive undertaking two weeks ahead of schedule without a single safety incident over the course of 110,000 work hours.

This impressive feat was made possible through outstanding planning and the use of novel techniques, including 3D plans and the construction and installation of precast concrete panels, allowing the new bridge to be built quickly with minimal disruptions. The substructure was built within one foot of the existing bridge while both the high-traffic highway and railway remained open. Demolition and addition of the superstructure proceeded during the closure.

Svoboda's team also had to strategize around existing telecommunications lines and very tight quarters for guiding new sections into place, while maintaining access to popular bridge-adjacent hotels on both ends. This required extensive coordination with multiple stakeholders to ensure minimal impacts on essential services.

This isn't the first such complex project for Svoboda, whose 12-year track record with Kiewit also includes emergency bridge repairs over the Nolichucky River in eastern Tennessee after Hurricane Helene. So, he was well-prepared for the project, both by his professional experience and by his UW education in architectural engineering.

Svoboda credits his professors at UW with helping him find his current career path and get connected to Kiewit.

"Aside from just a great academic program, I think the culture of the University of Wyoming's College of Engineering helped prepare me for my current career," Svoboda says. "There are a work ethic and passion for continuous improvement, which I think gets instilled in students who graduate from the college."

Not only does Svoboda embody that work ethic, which will inspire many future students, but he designated UW's Construction Management program in the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management as the recipient of his $50,000 Bowen Prize award. Donating the award funds to a construction education program of the awardee's choice is stipulated by the AGC, and the support will help one of UW's newest programs make the most of its robust growth.

"The CM program has decided to require all construction management students to engage in a minimum of one internship during their course of study," says Francois Jacobs, the Roy L. and Caryl L. Cline Distinguished Professor of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management at UW. "This funding will be used to strengthen the relationship between companies and our students, and to also expand the internship platform in the program."

Svoboda, who has continued his involvement at UW by serving on the Construction Management Industry Advisory Board, says it was a no-brainer to support his alma mater.

"It was just the natural choice," Svoboda says. "Being able to see what the program has done in a short time has been truly amazing to witness, and it is exciting to contribute in whatever little way I can. Once a Cowboy, always a Cowboy."