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Highway users in South Dakota, Washington state, Nevada, and New Mexico are safer because of the hard work of their state DOTs on the five projects that were named winners in the America's Transportation Awards western regional competition.

"State departments of transportation are completing projects faster and for less money. They are working hard to fix roads and keep people moving, but this hard work often gets overlooked," said John Horsley, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, in announcing the winners at the Western Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (WASHTO) annual meeting in Bismarck, N.D. "These awards are really about showcasing the best projects these states have completed, and recognizing them for their determination and innovation," Horsley said.

Sixteen transportation projects from 10 western states were judged in four categories: Best Recovery Act; On Time; Under Budget; and Innovative Management. The five winning projects are now in the running for the America's Transportation Awards Grand Prize and the People's Choice Award, which will be presented this fall.

AASHTO, AAA, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are teaming up for the third year to host the competition to honor America's very best in transportation.

The Washington State Department of Transportation received two awards: one for the Nile Valley Landslide Project, which took home a prize in the Innovative Management, Small Project category; and another for the Burley-Olalla Interchange Project, which won in the On Time, Small Project category.

One of the largest stimulus-funded paving projects in the country, the South Dakota Department of Transportation's I-90 White Lake Paving Project, won in the Best Recovery Act, Small Project Category. The I-15 Las Vegas Design-Build Project from the Nevada Department of Transportation won in the On Time, Large Project category. The New Mexico Department of Transportation's San Mateo Interchange Project won in the On Time, Medium Project category.

Winners in the final remaining regional competitions will join the previous winners in competing for the grand prize and People's Choice Award, which will be presented at the AASHTO Annual Meeting in Biloxi, Miss., Oct. 31, 2010. The grand prize is awarded to the state DOT project receiving the greatest number of points in judging by a panel of experts. The separate People's Choice Award is presented to the transportation project that receives the greatest number of online votes from the general public. Online voting will begin later this year.

For more information, visit www.americastransportationaward.org.