The New York State Department of Transportation won the “Owner of the Year” Award for its rapid response following the 2024 Bridge Strike and 2023 Flash Flood events, officials said recently.
NYSDOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said the department had been honored by the American Institute of Steel Construction and the National Steel Bridge Alliance for its innovative approach to accelerating critical infrastructure projects ahead of schedule in Hamilton and Saratoga counties. The biennial Prize Bridge Awards recognize projects that demonstrate outstanding aesthetics, economy, and structural innovation. NYSDOT was honored as “an extraordinary bridge owner whose vision and dedication to the public help keep American moving,” officials said.
“This recognition is a testament to the talent, dedication, and ‘can-do’ spirit of the professional staff on the NYS Department of Transportation’s team,” Dominguez said. “From bridge strikes in the Capital Region to catastrophic flooding in the Adirondacks, our team members work tirelessly to restore traffic and critical infrastructure —safely and quickly—with modern and resilient structures along these vital corridors within New York State. This award belongs to the hardworking individuals at NYSDOT who prioritize the safety and mobility of New Yorkers every single day.”
The award highlights the NYSDOT’s rapid response to the Riverview Road Bridge strike in June 2024, where a trailered excavator struck the Saratoga County overpass, causing damage that closed the bridge and required a two-mile detour. Bridge work started immediately and a temporary repair that restored mobility was completed by January 2025. The bridge’s full replacement was originally slated for 2028, but was accelerated by more than two years, and will begin this spring.
The department was also praised for its handling of the July 2023 flash floods that required Route 28N Bridge over Fishing Brook to be replaced. Crews designed and installed a temporary bridge over the damaged structure and opened a temporary crossing on July 28, 2023, just 18 days after the floods. Contractors worked through the summer to complete a replacement bridge by October 2023, days before the area’s first snow fall.
“The New York State Department of Transportation provided a vital model for DOTs responding to critical situations,” AISC Vice President Brandon Chavel, PE, PhD. said. “Whether implementing cost-effective shoring systems at Riverview Road or deploying rapid-response steel trusses in Long Lake, the NYSDOT team displays outstanding in-house capabilities.”