HNTB wins ACEC Maine Grand Conceptor Award for Madawaska-Edmundston International Bridge

HNTB, a leading infrastructure solutions firm, has been awarded the 2025 Grand Conceptor Engineering Excellence Award by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Maine for its work on the Madawaska-Edmundston International Bridge Replacement project.

The Grand Conceptor Award is ACEC Maine’s highest honor, part of its annual Engineering Excellence Awards program, which recognizes projects that exemplify quality, innovation, value and client satisfaction.

HNTB partnered with the Maine Department of Transportation to evaluate and design a new long-span bridge to restore this critical, cross-border connection from Madawaska, Maine to Edmundston, New Brunswick, Canada. This vital connection point is essential to improve safety and support economic growth on both sides of the international border.

“This is an incredible honor for our firm and for our client, MaineDOT,” said Bob Driscoll, vice president and interim office leader for HNTB’s Northern New England offices. “This project stands as a testament to innovative engineering and the use of advanced techniques to address complex challenges, and we are thrilled it has been recognized with the Grand Conceptor award from ACEC Maine.”

The new 1,828-foot bridge features a six-span, steel four-girder design that supports two lanes of traffic, six-foot shoulders for multimodal use and a six-foot sidewalk for pedestrians.

“This new bridge is a vital link that enhances mobility, safety and sustainability for the interconnected communities on both sides of the St. John River,” said Josh Olund, project manager and associate vice president at HNTB. “This award recognizes the collaborative effort from all parties to support this important infrastructure project for the international communities it serves.”

The Madawaska-Edmundston International Bridge opened to traffic in June 2024. HNTB and MaineDOT were presented with the Grand Conceptor award at ACEC Maine’s 2024 Fall Forum in Freeport, Maine.