Milone & MacBroom, Inc., was recently honored with two 2018 Engineering Excellence Awards by the American Council of Engineering Companies/Vermont Section (ACEC/VT). ACEC/VT sponsors an annual Engineering Excellence Awards Program to showcase exemplary engineering projects completed in Vermont. A panel of judges, comprised of distinguished planners, engineers and construction professionals, selected award winners from entries submitted. Awards were presented at the 2018 Engineering Excellence Awards Gala Dinner on June 8th, 2018.
MMI, along with Fitzgerald Environmental, DuBois & King, Smart Mobility, Stone Environmental, and the Vermont Agency of Transportation, received the Grand Award in the Studies, Planning and Consulting Engineering Services Category for the Vermont Transportation Resilience Planning Tool Project.The Vermont Transportation Resilience Planning Tool is now up and running to display results and improve transportation planning in the pilot watersheds. The web-based application is available for use by anyone connected to the internet. Maps show the vulnerability, criticality, and risk results. Variable scores for each road segment or structure may also be viewed to understand what is driving the level of risk. The list of possible mitigation strategies is also provided. The goal of the project is to create a more resilient transportation network in Vermont through improved planning. Project outcomes include a method to systematically identify road segments, bridges, and culverts that are vulnerable to flood and erosion damages; a screen to pinpoint the most critical locations and mitigation options on the transportation network; and a web-based application to display risk information. To learn more about this project, visit: https://www.miloneandmacbroom.com/work/transportation-resiliency-planning-vermont
In the Transportation Category, MMI and team members Lamoille County Planning Commission, received an Engineering Excellence Merit Award for engineering services provided on the Cambridge Greenway Trail / Railroad Bridge Replacement Flood Mitigation Project in Cambridge, Vermont. The former railroad plate-girder bridge had a 48-foot span and was replaced with a 150-foot span pre-fabricated steel beam bridge (i.e., two 75-foot spans). The new bridge design combines the disciplines of river science, hydraulic engineering, and structural engineering at a flood prone river confluence to fine-tune bridge design parameters and reduce flood vulnerability. Project benefits include reducing flooding in the Village, improved aquatic habitat, increased wildlife passage, and enhanced community recreation. The recreation path has been improved, and better access to the river for fishing and swimming has been created. A FEMA Benefit-Cost Analysis was completed for the project and illustrated that the project benefits in the form of reduced flood damages outweighed the project costs. This project serves as an example to other towns that have experienced repeat flood damages and are seeking a collaborative approach to evaluate, select, and implement flood mitigation strategies.
