At the Engineering Excellence Awards on March 13, 2024, the American Council of Engineering Companies of New Jersey (ACEC NJ) awarded two STV projects: the Newark Liberty International Airport Terminal A received the Grand Honor Award—the highest honor in the state—and the Kresson Road Bridge reconstruction project team earned the Distinguished Award.

Each year, ACEC NJ selects projects within four major categories to compete for the Grand Honor Award, announced at the gala. Newark Airport’s new Terminal A earned the top honors in the Large Project category for its historic role as the largest design-build project in New Jersey.

STV served as the architect-and engineer-of-record, in association with Grimshaw and on behalf of Tutor Perini/Parsons, for the new three-level, 1-million-square-foot, 33-gate domestic terminal that features soaring floor-to-ceiling windows and a brand-new departures and arrivals. STV also designed the 660-foot-long pedestrian bridge that connects the terminal to a consolidated rental car facility, as well as an associated generator building. To date, the project represents the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s largest-ever investment in New Jersey and is a key part of the aviation renaissance happening in the New York Metropolitan region.  

The ACEC NJ award comes on the heels of another major win for the Terminal. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey recently announced that Skytrax, the preeminent aviation industry ratings group, gave Terminal A a five-star rating. The terminal is now only one of two airport terminals in North America to receive this prestigious rating.

“I think I can speak for the entire team when I say how honored we are to receive the Grand Award from ACEC NJ,” said Michael Meloni, PE, associate and project director for the Terminal A project. “Terminal A is truly an homage to New Jersey. The community has embraced the project through awards like this, showing that EWR’s redevelopment is making a significant impact on the region’s residents and travelers alike.”

Bridge Reconstruction Project Gets Distinguished Honor 

For the Kresson Road Bridge program, STV performed construction management (CM) and inspection services for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) to reconstruct the 70-year-old bridge in Cherry Hill, NJ.  

Crossing over the New Jersey Turnpike in Cherry Hill, NJ, the aging bridge faced deterioration due to heavy traffic volumes and exposure to the elements. A key part of NJTA’s 1 to 4 Capacity Enhancements Program to widen the Turnpike, the project is the first structure to lengthen overhead bridges between interchanges 1 to 4. Now complete, the new superstructure features full-width travel lanes with shoulders on both sides and was built using a high-performance composite (HPC) deck. 

STV’s team managed the two-stage construction that saw the existing structure demolished and reconstructed all within one work zone – all while maintaining traffic on the busy mainline. The team also coordinated the installation of temporary pedestrian sidewalks, as requested by Cherry Hill Township officials.

“We’re proud to be supporting NJTA as they transform the Turnpike to have greater capacity for commuters, especially along this busy corridor,” said Jim Takacs, PE, CCM, vice president and senior construction manager for Kresson Road Bridge. “I’m so honored, as is our amazing team, to be recognized at this level by ACEC NJ.”