Instituted in 2000, the Awards have distinguished more than 150 programs, projects and products from around the world. This year, the IRF honours 11 projects from around the world, each leading the way in innovation across major road and highway disciplines. The selection was made by an international panel of senior road development specialists.
"As an industry, we understand the importance of setting a long-term agenda for our research activities and capital investments" said IRF chairman Abdullah Al-Mogbel. "By promoting innovations and the successes in our industry, we provide a forward-looking road map for others to follow".
The winning projects this year range from the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing, Australia, an extremely complex infrastructure project that showcases impressive environmental mitigation features, to an integrated road safety management system developed by Thailand’s Department of Rural Roads.
Jeff Roberts, senior vice president of VSS International, accepted the award in the “Asset Preservation & Maintenance Management” category for pavement preservation work on the Pacific Coast Highway. Roberts stated: “Not only is winning this prestigious award a tremendous testimony to the hard-working men and women of VSS who performed this work in Los Angeles, we are so grateful to the IRF for recognising that sustainable pavement preservation techniques play a huge role globally in protecting our planet through the conservation of limited natural resources.”
IRF is now accepting applications for the 2021 Awards which will be presented in Dubai, UAE, on the occasion of the IRF World Meeting & Exhibition.
Winners of the 2020 GRAA competition:
Asset Preservation & Maintenance Management
VSS International, for the Pacific Coast Highway - South Los Angeles, CA
Construction Methodology
UAE Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure, for the Largest Metal-Buried Bridge
Design
Directorate General of Highways, CECI Engineering Consultants, and SINOTECH Engineering Consultants, for the SUHUA Highway Improvement Project
Environmental Mitigation
Nexus Delivery, for the Toowoomba Second
Range Crossing
Program Management
Sri Lanka Road Development Authority, for the Integrated Road Investment
Program - iRoad
Project Finance & Economics
Abu Dhabi Municipality, for the Smart LED Lighting Retrofit for Abu Dhabi
Island Streets
Quality Management
Shandong Hi-speed Co.,
for the Jinan-Qingdao Expressway Reconstruction and Extension Project
Research
State Key Laboratory of Road Engineering Safety and Health in Cold and High-Altitude Regions & CCCC, First Highway Consultant Co for the Gonghe-Yushu Expressway
Safety
Thailand Department of Rural Roads, for the Integrated Road Safety Management System Development Project
Traffic Management and ITS
Hazen.ai, for AI for Traffic Safety
Urban Mobility
Lindsay Transportation Solutions, for the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Bike/Pedestrian Walkway
IRF Nominates Woman of the Year
Cora van Nieuwenhuizen, the Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management, has been nominated to receive IRF’s highest individual recognition. Minister Van Nieuwenhuizen is being recognised for her vision and leadership in achieving one of the best-run road networks worldwide, characterised by efforts to promote innovation, consensus building, and the embracing of “big picture” challenges, from mobility pricing to preparing for the arrival of autonomous vehicles.
