2025 GPTQ Preconstruction Design Awards
Celebrating Excellence in Georgia’s Transportation Engineering
The Georgia Partnership for Transportation Quality (GPTQ) Awards honor the exceptional engineering achievements that are shaping the future of mobility across our state. Each year, transportation agencies nominate projects that exemplify outstanding planning, innovative design, and a shared commitment to GPTQ’s mission: delivering Georgia’s transportation program efficiently, collaboratively, and with an unwavering focus on quality.
Eligible projects must demonstrate technical excellence and alignment with GPTQ’s goals, including fostering strong partnerships, elevating quality across every phase of project delivery, and improving the long-term performance and durability of Georgia’s transportation network. To ensure relevance and recency, nominated design projects must have a “let” date within the past five years, and projects that have previously received a GPTQ Preconstruction Design Award are not eligible. Firms may submit projects in multiple award categories, though each project will only be shortlisted in one category.
About the Awards
GPTQ Awards are presented to the top projects in each category—categories intentionally designed to reflect the evolving challenges, innovations, and opportunities within Georgia’s transportation landscape. Awards recognize the engineer or engineering firm most responsible for the project’s success, while also honoring the full design team and partner agencies involved in bringing the project to life. Additional award plaques may be purchased through ACEC Georgia upon request.
Together, these awards showcase the high-quality work being done across the state and celebrate the collaborative spirit that continues to advance Georgia’s transportation system.
GPTQ Awards – Project Winners
| ♦ Category 1 – Innovative Solution to a Design Problem ♦ | ||
| US 17 Emergency Bridge Repair Over Cypress Mill Creek | Gresham Smith | |
| ♦ Category 2 – Design of an Alternative Mode Transportation Facility ♦ | ||
| SR 141/Medlock Bridge Road Trail | Foresite Group | |
| ♦ Category 3 – NEPA / Environmental Protection / Preservation / Restoration ♦ | ||
| I-285 Top End Express Lanes | GDOT / HNTB / Jacobs | |
| ♦ Category 4 – Context Sensitive Planning & Design ♦ | ||
| The Stitch – Master Plan | WSP USA | |
| ♦ Category 5 – Bridge / Structural Design ♦ | ||
| I-285 at I-20 East Interchange Project | Infrastructure Consulting & Engineering | |
| ♦ Category 6 – Traffic Safety & Intersection Design ♦ | ||
| SR 7 / US 341 at SR 7 Connector | GDOT | |
| ♦ Category 7 – Highway Design (Large Project ≥ $35M) ♦ | ||
| I-285 from SR 14 to CR 2838 / Paces Ferry Road | WSP USA Inc. | |
| ♦ Category 8 – Highway Design (Small Project < $35M) ♦ | ||
| Akers Mill Ramp Extension | Parsons Transportation Group Inc. | |
| ★ Category 9 – Design-Build (Grand Prize Winner) ★ | ||
| I-85 at SR 42 / North Druid Hills Road | Infrastructure Consulting & Engineering | |
| ♦ Category 10 – Right of Way Acquisition ♦ | ||
| Sardis Road Connector | Croy | |
GPTQ Legacy Award
T
he GPTQ Legacy Award honors individuals whose leadership, service, and commitment have shaped Georgia’s transportation industry. The inaugural recipient, John Heath, PE, SE, leaves an enduring footprint on the consultant community and the statewide GPTQ partnership.
With a 49-year career spanning two continents, John’s journey began in Middlesbrough, England, where he worked on the groundbreaking River Trent Bridge—the UK’s first precast segmental post-tensioned concrete box girder bridge. That experience led him to the United States, where he continued building major long-span bridges and, later, discovered a passion for quality engineering management.
John’s leadership grew during his years at Benesch and continued when he co-founded Heath & Lineback Engineers, a firm dedicated to delivering high-quality transportation design across Georgia.
His legacy extends far beyond his technical contributions. John has devoted decades to the GPTQ partnership—serving in roles that include Procurement Subcommittee leader, Transportation Forum leader, Consultant Relations Committee Co-Chair, and ultimately GPTQ Steering Committee Co-Chair. His steady guidance, collaborative spirit, and unwavering commitment to quality helped strengthen GPTQ into the partnership it is today.
ACEC Georgia and the entire GPTQ community proudly honor John Heath as the first-ever recipient of the GPTQ Legacy Award.
