VHB has received seven 2026 Engineering Excellence Awards from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Rhode Island and Vermont, recognizing the firm’s innovative, community-focused transportation solutions across the region.
In Rhode Island, two VHB projects earned the ACEC RI Hope Award—for the Henderson Bridge and Pell Bridge Approaches—along with a Gold Star Award for the Quaket Creek Culvert Replacement. In Vermont, three projects received Merit Awards, highlighting advancements in sustainable infrastructure, visualization technology, and data-driven decision-making.
Transforming Infrastructure to Better Serve Communities
Across the award-winning Rhode Island projects, VHB helped modernize aging infrastructure while improving mobility, safety, and long-term value.
- The Henderson Bridge project replaced an overbuilt, structurally deficient crossing with a right-sized, multimodal connection that improves local access and unlocks approximately 33 acres of waterfront for future development.
- Similarly, the Pell Bridge Approaches Reconstruction transformed an outdated interchange into a more efficient, connected gateway to Newport—enhancing traffic flow, expanding multimodal access, and creating opportunities for future economic growth.
- At Quaket Creek in Tiverton, VHB delivered a full culvert replacement using accelerated construction techniques, completing the work during a single weekend closure to minimize disruption to the traveling public and nearby businesses.
Advancing Innovation and Sustainability in Vermont
In Vermont, ACEC recognized three VHB projects that demonstrate forward-thinking approaches to transportation planning and design.
- On the I-89 Exit 14 Interchange scoping study, VHB integrated life cycle assessment methodologies to evaluate embodied carbon alongside traditional performance metrics—helping inform more sustainable infrastructure decisions early in project development.
- VHB also applied 3D modeling and visualization tools during early-stage scoping studies, enabling clearer communication of complex design concepts and supporting more informed stakeholder engagement.
- In Brattleboro and Putney, a mobile LiDAR mapping initiative captured high-resolution data across more than 14 miles of roadway in a fraction of the time required for conventional surveying—enhancing safety while accelerating project delivery.
Delivering Lasting Value
Collectively, these projects highlight how VHB is advancing infrastructure solutions that balance technical excellence with community benefit—whether through improving connectivity, minimizing construction impacts, or integrating sustainability into early decision-making.
