ORLANDO, Fla. – The Wekiva Parkway Section 8 Interchange Design-Build Project has been honored as a 2026 Grand Winner in the American Council of Engineering Companies of Florida (ACEC Florida) Engineering Excellence Awards, receiving recognition in the Transportation Category. This award recognizes the project’s groundbreaking engineering achievement, innovative delivery methods, and its transformative impact on mobility throughout Central Florida.
The Grand Winner award is the latest recognition earned by the $274.5 million design-build project, which represents the final link in the 25-mile Wekiva Parkway and completes the beltway around the Orlando metropolitan area. The award will be presented on Feb. 13 at the ACEC Florida banquet at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando. At the event, the top honor – the Grand Conceptor Award – will be presented to the project selected as the overall grand winner.
“This award is especially meaningful because it celebrates the long-term value this project delivers to the region,” said DRMP Senior Vice President of Alternative Delivery TJ Lallathin, PE, DBIA. “Wekiva Parkway Section 8 demanded complex engineering, creative problem-solving, and true partnership. Being named the Grand Winner shows what can happen when talented people come together with a shared commitment to doing something exceptional for the community.”
DRMP served as the lead designer and partnered with The Lane Construction Corporation (prime contractor) and subconsultants Ardaman & Associates, Inc.; Ardurra Group, Inc.; BCC Engineering, Inc.; Bentley Group, Inc.; Brindley Pieters & Associates, Inc. (BPA); Florida Bridge & Transportation (FBT); Osiris 9 Consultant, LLC; and Terracon Consultants, Inc.
The 2026 ACEC Florida Grand Winner distinction adds to a list of accolades for the project, including:
• National Award of Merit from the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) in Transportation (Other than Aviation) Category •Project of the Year from the DBIA Florida Region in the Transportation - Structures Category
• Engineering News-Record (ENR) Southeast Highway/Bridge Award of Merit in the 2025 Best Projects Competition
• Florida Transportation Builders’ Association (FTBA) Best in Construction Award for Design-Build 2025
• 2025 Outstanding Design-Build or Construction Manager at Risk Project Award from ACEC Florida and FDOT
About Wekiva Parkway Section 8
Wekiva Parkway Section 8 includes a 2.63-mile limited access toll road from Orange Boulevard to east of Rinehart Road and delivers a new system-to-system interchange connecting I-4, SR 417, and SR 429. This critical segment eliminates the long-standing gap in the regional beltway and significantly enhances mobility, safety, and operational efficiency across Central Florida.
The project also incorporates 2 miles of I-4 reconstruction to support future I-4 Beyond the Ultimate express lanes. In total, Section 8 comprises 20 new bridges, two bridge widenings, 25 stormwater management facilities, advanced intelligent transportation systems (ITS), all-electronic tolling, lighting, signage, and complex traffic control plans.
Innovative design and construction practices produced $75 million in cost savings, reduced bridge deck area by 200,000 square feet, preserved four existing bridges, and minimized long-term maintenance and environmental impacts. The project team also prioritized sustainability by reducing impervious surface area, protecting wetlands, and maintaining conservation easements wherever possible.
About DRMP
DRMP is a multi-discipline firm serving clients in the public, private and industrial sectors in the development of infrastructure and has been in business since 1977. DRMP currently employs 700 professionals in 23 office locations spread strategically across our service area. Today, DRMP is ranked among Engineering News-Record’s “Top 500 Design Firms” in the United States. For more information, please visit www.drmp.com.
