HNTB ASCE has recognized the Sixth Street Viaduct Replacement in Los Angeles as the 2024 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award winner.
Established in 1960, the OCEA honors the year’s project that best illustrates superior civil engineering skills and represents a significant contribution to civil engineering progress and society.
The OCEA winner announcement is a hallmark of the annual ASCE OPAL Gala. However, Hurricane Milton canceled this year’s event – scheduled for Oct. 8 during the ASCE 2024 Convention in Tampa, Florida. There are still plans for a gala makeup date to be announced soon.
In the meantime, ASCE salutes the Sixth Street Viaduct Replacement’s remarkable achievements. It is the largest, most complex bridge project in Los Angeles history.
The new $588 million viaduct replaces an iconic double-steel-arch structure, one seen in many movies and TV series, with a span featuring 10 pairs of sculptural arches. A new seismic design makes it so strong it is expected to still function safely after a 1-in-1,000-year earthquake.
Designers believe it’s the world’s longest seismically isolated concrete arch bridge at nearly 3,100 feet long. The multimodal span, 40 feet wider than its predecessor, carries four vehicular lanes, two bike lanes, and two pedestrian walkways.
“Historic infrastructure becomes a part of a community’s identity and maintaining that legacy while adapting structures to modern needs and resilience measures can be a challenge,” said Feniosky Peña-Mora, Sc.D., P.E., ASCE president. “The Sixth Street Viaduct Replacement updated a historic structure with its community in mind, sparing no details as to the aesthetic of the bridge while also building a bridge that can withstand seismic events.
“Resilience is at the forefront of ASCE’s priorities, and we are proud to recognize a project with broad public appeal that will also improve public safety.”
ASCE has also announced the 2024 OCEA Silver Award won by the EchoWater Project, greatly enhancing wastewater facilities in Sacramento, California.
The winner of the OCEA Bronze Award is Hale Kalele, a 20-story affordable rental tower and justice center in Honolulu.
ASCE saluted 11 OCEA Honor Award projects in all:
- BNSF Sandpoint Junction Connector Bridge – Sandpoint, Idaho
- Cross Bay Link – Hong Kong
- EchoWater Project – Sacramento, California
- Fern Hollow Bridge Emergency Replacement – Pittsburgh
- Hale Kalele – Honolulu
- I-4 Ultimate Improvements Project – Orlando, Florida
- I-91 Rockingham Bridges – Rockingham, Vermont
- Kansas City International Airport New Terminal – Kansas City, Missouri
- Orlando International Airport Terminal C – Orlando, Florida
- Presidio Tunnel Tops Park – San Francisco
- Sixth Street Viaduct Replacement – Los Angeles
Learn more about the history of the OCEA Award and see past winners.
