Black River Falls Road Construction Project Receives Recognition

Friday, March 25th, 2022 -- 10:00 AM

Short Elliott Hendrickson submitted the extension of Andrews Road for the American Council of Engineering Companies of Wisconsin’s 2022 Engineering Excellence Award, and the project earned recognition as a state finalist.

The extension of Andrews Road was an important goal for the City of Black River Falls to provide a vital connection to US Hwy 12, increasing access for businesses and tourism.

The project was continually delayed by funding and environmental concerns and its completion began to look like a pipe dream. Short Elliott Hendrickson designed a solution that moved the project back to reality. The team worked with the city to develop a Tax Increment Financing District.

This is a common funding mechanism that helped pay for the project. SEH also created a flexible construction schedule that would complete the project over a full year. This flexibility reduced costs and still met the city’s goals.

The next challenge was minimizing environmental impacts. The extended Andrews Road crossed wetlands and the locally important Coffee Creek. The design team reviewed a wide range of options to preserve the environment.

In addition to standard stormwater and runoff mitigation techniques, the team hit upon a unique alignment for the roadway. This alignment avoided most wetlands and created the shortest span possible over Coffee Creek.

This project was one of the biggest in the City of Black River Falls’ history. SEH worked with the city throughout the process to overcome all barriers and turn a dream into reality. The awards will be presented in Kohler, WI on April 22, 2022.

ACEC serves as the voice of the engineering industry, continually promoting the profession to a variety of audiences.  The organization serves as a source of ideas, a sounding board and a professional resource for state and city leaders, as well as a fervent promoter of the profession.

Their work involves advocating, education, providing networking opportunities, and enhancing the image of professional engineers.  They keep an eye on the big picture in the engineering industry, allowing their member firms to concentrate on keeping Wisconsin safe, healthy, and moving forward. 

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