Posted March 4, 2015
The Southern Arizona Branch of the American Public Works Association (APWA) yesterday honored two City of Tucson Department of Transportation (TDOT) employees for their contributions to the Public Works industry and the community.
Mr. Donovan Durband, TDOT Park Tucson Administrator, received the 2015 Public Works Employee of the Year Award for his exceptional leadership, management skills and strategic innovations in TDOT’s Park Tucson Division. Mr. Durband, who has been employed with the City of Tucson for five years, has spearheaded the installation of modern parking garage management systems and payment equipment, as well as solar-powered smart meters in the downtown area and Fourth Avenue Business District.
Ms. Ann Chanecka, TDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Manager, received the 2015 Professional Award of Merit for her tireless commitment to improving pedestrian and bicycling facilities and safety features within the City of Tucson. Ms. Chanecka, who has been employed with TDOT for almost three years, has been instrumental in bringing innovative infrastructure improvements to promote biking and walking in the community. She has helped increase the number of Bicycle Boulevards in the City and has increased bicycle parking facilities and the number of HAWK crossings in the community.
Two TDOT improvement projects also received honors at yesterday’s APWA luncheon at Tucson Electric Power Co. Downtown Headquarters.
Downtown Links Phase II, St. Mary’s Road/Sixth Street – I-10 to Church Avenue – received the 2015 Project of the Year Award for projects between $5 million and $20 million. This phase of Downtown Links included drainage, lighting and safety improvements, as well as concrete sidewalks, protected bike lanes, desert landscaping, public art, landscaped median islands and new asphalt paving. The overall Downtown Links project is part of the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) that will result in a four-lane roadway north of the Union Pacific Railroad that will link Barraza-Aviation Parkway and Interstate 10.
The Houghton Road - Irvington Road to Valencia Road Widening Project received the 2015 Honorable Mention for projects greater than $20 million. This three-mile-long RTA project was the first roadway segment to be widened as part of the 14-mile-long improvement project on Houghton Road. The widening project transformed the strip-paved, two-lane roadway into a six-lane divided multi-modal scenic parkway featuring native landscaping, water harvesting and wildlife
compatible crossings. The project included significant drainage improvements, two Florida T configured intersections to allow for free-flowing movement of travel, 12 bus pullouts and a paved multi-use path. The project finished on time and $1.3 million under budget.
In other honors, the Southern Arizona’s Engineers Week Committee recently named Sam Credio 2015 Young Engineer of the Year. Mr. Credio, who has been employed with TDOT for three years, was recently promoted to TDOT’s Engineering Manager.