Two transportation projects by engineering firm American Structurepoint, Inc., were chosen among the Top 10 Roads in the Nation by Roads & Bridges magazine in its 2011 contest. Projects were judged on several factors, including size, contractor challenges and impact on drivers.

The US 421 Milton Madison Bridge over the Ohio River, a project led by construction inspection firm Michael Baker Corporation with assistance from American Structurepoint, has been named No. 3 on the list.

Construction of the new US 421 bridge began this year and is expected to be complete in late 2012. The project features innovative design and construction methods, making it possible for the project to be built years ahead of schedule and millions of dollars under budget. To keep the bridge open to traffic for all but 10 days, a new superstructure is being constructed next to the existing bridge. Using a method called "truss sliding," the new 2,400-foot-long steel truss and road deck eventually will be slid into place on the existing bridge piers, which are being rehabilitated and reused. During this process, traffic will be allowed to continue on the existing bridge until the new deck is ready. The length of the new bridge from the center of the south abutment to the center of the north abutment will be 3,117 feet.

In addition, American Structurepoint’s Keystone Parkway Corridor has been named No. 7 on the list.

Developing tight teardrop-shaped grade-separated roundabouts at each of its six major existing intersections in lieu of traditional interchange configurations provided an innovative strategy for the City of Carmel, Ind. Led by American Structurepoint, the redesign of Keystone Parkway included the tightest double-teardrop roundabout interchange footprint in the US, eliminating the need for traffic signals and allowing for freer vehicular flow and a reduction in crashes with injury by 78 percent.

American Structurepoint designed the first roundabout in the City of Carmel, which now boasts more than 67 total roundabouts, giving even more credibility to its nickname, "Roundabout Capitol, USA." In May 2011, the Transportation Research Board held its Third Annual International Conference on Roundabouts in Carmel, which included a bus tour of the city’s roundabouts, including more than 25 designed by American Structurepoint, the single patron level sponsor of the event.

Top 10 Roads in the Nation winners will be recognized at the Roads & Bridges Live event in Las Vegas on November 9 and will be highlighted in the October/November issue of Roads & Bridges magazine. For more information on the event, visit www.roadsbridgeslive.com.

In the last few years, the American Council of Engineering Companies has also recognized both projects with state and national awards.