Analysis of the 2025 Best in Construction Awards: Advancing Florida’s Infrastructure and Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A collaborative initiative between the Florida Transportation Builders Association (FTBA) and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has recognized 15 exemplary construction projects through the 2025 Best in Construction awards. These projects are pivotal in enhancing Florida’s transportation infrastructure and demonstrate a strong alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in fostering resilient infrastructure, promoting sustainable communities, and ensuring public safety.

The awards highlight the critical role of public-private partnerships (SDG 17) in achieving sustainable development. As stated by FTBA President Dan Hurtado, these efforts “will contribute to Florida’s prosperity for many years to come,” underscoring the long-term economic and social benefits (SDG 8). FDOT Secretary Jared W. Perdue added that the projects are delivered by partners “deeply committed to delivering infrastructure that enhances safety, strengthens communities, and supports our state’s continued growth,” directly reflecting the core tenets of multiple SDGs.

Award Recipients and Sustainable Development Goal Contributions

1. Alternative Contracting

   • Recipient: Weekley Asphalt Paving Inc.
   • Project: State Road 7 and U.S. 441 at Oakes Road widening.
   • SDG Impact: This project supports SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) by upgrading critical transport corridors. It also contributes to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by improving traffic flow and accessibility in urban areas.

2. Bridge

   • Recipient: Southern Road & Bridge LLC
   • Project: U.S. 1 Overseas Highway Bridge repairs.
   • SDG Impact: The repair of vital links like the Overseas Highway enhances infrastructure resilience, a key target of SDG 9. It ensures safe and reliable access for communities, supporting SDG 11.

3. Community Awareness

   • Recipient: de Moya Highway Infrastructure LLC
   • Project: Emerson Street Expressway.
   • SDG Impact: Effective community engagement is central to inclusive development. This project exemplifies the principles of SDG 11 by ensuring that infrastructure development is responsive to community needs and awareness.

4. Design-Build

   • Recipient: The Lane Construction Corp.
   • Project: Wekiva Parkway Section 8.
   • SDG Impact: The innovative design-build approach fosters efficiency and sustainability in construction, aligning with SDG 9. The parkway itself improves regional connectivity, contributing to SDG 11.

5. Interchange

   • Recipient: Skanska USA Civil Southeast
   • Project: Interstate 75 at Big Bend Road interchange.
   • SDG Impact: By modernizing a major interchange, this project directly addresses SDG 9 by building quality infrastructure and supports SDG 11 by reducing congestion and improving safety for a large volume of commuters.

6. Interstate

   • Recipient: Hubbard Construction Company
   • Project: Interstate 4 resurfacing from McIntosh Road to County Line Road.
   • SDG Impact: Resurfacing projects are crucial for maintaining infrastructure integrity (SDG 9) and ensuring road safety, a component of SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 11.

7. ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems)

   • Recipient: Traffic Control Devices LLC
   • Project: Traffic signal upgrades to enhance connectivity throughout the city of Tampa.
   • SDG Impact: This project is a prime example of innovation in infrastructure (SDG 9). By creating smarter and more efficient traffic systems, it makes urban transport safer and more sustainable (SDG 11) and can help reduce emissions from idling vehicles (SDG 13: Climate Action).

8. LAP (Local Agency Program)

   • Recipient: Weekley Asphalt Paving Inc.
   • Project: Fort Lauderdale Beach Park entrance to State Road 838.
   • SDG Impact: Improving access to public and recreational spaces supports community well-being and sustainable tourism, contributing to SDG 11 and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

9. Major Bridge

   • Recipient: MasTec Civil LLC
   • Project: U.S. 1 and Dixie Highway.
   • SDG Impact: The construction of a major bridge is a significant investment in resilient infrastructure (SDG 9), facilitating economic activity and ensuring community connectivity (SDG 11).

10. MOT (Maintenance of Traffic)

    • Recipient: OHLA USA Inc.
    • Project: Boynton Beach Boulevard safety improvements.
    • SDG Impact: This project directly targets SDG 3.6, which aims to halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents. It is a critical contribution to creating safe transport systems under SDG 11.

11. Partnering

    • Recipient: Orion Marine Construction Inc.
    • Project: NASA Causeway Bridge.
    • SDG Impact: The success of this complex project highlights the importance of collaboration, embodying SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The bridge itself is a piece of critical infrastructure supporting a key economic and innovation hub (SDG 9).

12. Rural

    • Recipient: M of Tallahassee Inc.
    • Project: U.S. 98 from the Wakulla River Bridge to State Road 267.
    • SDG Impact: Developing infrastructure in rural areas is essential for equitable growth (SDG 9), connecting rural communities to economic opportunities and essential services, thereby supporting SDG 11.

13. Special Significance

    • Recipient: Watson Civil Construction Inc.
    • Project: U.S. 41 widening from State Road 44 to Withlacoochee Trail Bridge.
    • SDG Impact: Widening a key artery enhances its capacity and safety, contributing to SDG 9 and SDG 11. Its proximity to a trail also suggests an integration of transport with recreational and green infrastructure.

14. Urban

    • Recipient: Ajax Paving Industries of Florida LLC
    • Project: State Road 78 Resurfacing and Safety Improvements.
    • SDG Impact: This project improves the quality and safety of urban road networks, directly supporting SDG 11. The safety improvements component also aligns with the road safety targets of SDG 3.

15. Utility Coordination and Damage Prevention

    • Recipient: Florida Engineering and Development Corp.
    • Project: State Road A1A (Collins Avenue) resurfacing.
    • SDG Impact: This award recognizes the importance of integrated and careful planning in construction, a key aspect of sustainable and resilient infrastructure development (SDG 9). Preventing damage to utilities ensures the uninterrupted delivery of essential services, a cornerstone of sustainable communities (SDG 11).

SDGs Addressed in the Article

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  This goal is central to the article, which focuses entirely on the construction and improvement of transportation infrastructure. The text highlights the building of “quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure” through projects involving roads, bridges, and interchanges. The mention of “innovation” in the awards and the statement that “Florida’s roads and bridges are among the best in the world” directly support the connection to SDG 9.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The article discusses numerous projects aimed at improving transportation within Florida’s communities. Projects like “traffic signal upgrades to enhance connectivity throughout the city of Tampa” and urban resurfacing work contribute to making transport systems safer and more efficient. The FDOT Secretary’s comment that the projects “strengthen communities” explicitly links the work to the goal of creating sustainable and resilient community infrastructure.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  Several projects mentioned in the article have a direct impact on public health and safety. The awards for “Boynton Beach Boulevard safety improvements” and “State Road 78 Resurfacing and Safety Improvements” are clear efforts to improve road safety, which is a key component of SDG 3, specifically in reducing injuries and deaths from road traffic accidents.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article discusses large-scale construction projects undertaken by major contractors, which are a significant source of employment and economic activity. The statement by the FTBA President that “Their efforts will contribute to Florida’s prosperity for many years to come” directly connects the infrastructure development to sustained economic growth, a core principle of SDG 8.

Specific SDG Targets Identified

1. Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure

   The entire article is a showcase of efforts to achieve this target. It lists 15 “Best in Construction” awards for projects that develop and upgrade Florida’s transportation infrastructure. Examples like the “U.S. 1 Overseas Highway Bridge repairs,” “Interstate 4 resurfacing,” and the construction of the “NASA Causeway Bridge” are direct contributions to building quality and resilient infrastructure to support economic development and well-being.

2. Target 11.2: Provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety

   This target is addressed through projects aimed at enhancing safety and connectivity. The “MOT (Maintenance of Traffic)” and “Urban” project awards for “Boynton Beach Boulevard safety improvements” and “State Road 78 Resurfacing and Safety Improvements” directly align with the goal of improving road safety. Furthermore, projects like the “ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems)” award for “traffic signal upgrades to enhance connectivity” work towards creating more accessible and sustainable transport systems.

3. Target 3.6: Halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents

   The article implies progress towards this target through the implementation of specific safety-oriented projects. While no statistics on accident reduction are provided, the explicit naming of projects such as “Boynton Beach Boulevard safety improvements” demonstrates a direct effort to reduce the risk of traffic injuries and fatalities, which is the core objective of Target 3.6.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

• Indicator for Target 9.1

  A direct indicator mentioned in the article is the number of completed quality infrastructure projects. The article explicitly names 15 award-winning projects, from bridge repairs and road widening to interchange construction and interstate resurfacing. Each completed project (e.g., “Wekiva Parkway Section 8,” “Interstate 75 at Big Bend Road interchange”) serves as a tangible measure of progress in developing infrastructure.

• Indicator for Target 11.2

  An implied indicator is the number of infrastructure projects with a specific focus on safety and connectivity improvements. The article provides concrete examples that can be tracked, such as the “traffic signal upgrades to enhance connectivity throughout the city of Tampa” and the “State Road 78 Resurfacing and Safety Improvements.” These projects serve as measurable actions toward creating safer and more sustainable transport systems.

• Indicator for Target 3.6

  The article implies an indicator through the implementation of specific road safety measures. The completion of projects explicitly titled with “safety improvements,” like the one on “Boynton Beach Boulevard,” can be used as a proxy indicator for efforts to reduce road traffic injuries. The number and scale of such completed projects reflect the commitment to achieving this target.

Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: floridapolitics.com