Seattle’s Lynnwood Link Extension L300 project was named the most outstanding construction projects of 2024, according to the Associated General Contractors of America. As a result, the project’s contractor Skanska, received the overall top prize in the coveted Baldwin Group Build America Awards. The Skanska team also won a Build America Award for the best construction management civil project.
“Projects like this require an unparalleled level of skill, dedication and competence to pull off,” says Tom Brown, the association’s national president and president of San Diego-based Sierra Pacific West. “This award acknowledges, recognizes and honors the unique accomplishments of the men and women who made this project a success.”
The Lynwood Link L300 project extended Sound Transit light rail service by 3.7-miles to the new Lynnwood Transit Center. The Skanska team built 2.3 miles of elevated guideway, 1.4 miles of at-grade guideway, two elevated stations, and a parking structure. As the guideway runs alongside and crosses I-5, the team had to organize 14 full freeway closures during the project.
Skanska also devised a temporary work platform over the highway, which reduced the number of closures overall. The team even had to find a way to overcome a shortage of semiconductors that would have delayed the installation of two key escalators by at least six months.
More Construction Projects Awarded
In addition to the Grand Award winner, four additional Seattle-area projects were also named among some of the most outstanding projects of 2024. Sound Transit’s L200 Lynnwood Link extension project by Stacy Witbeck/Kiewit, a joint venture won the “Build America Award” for the best new highway and transportation project valued over $100 million.
Vigor Shipyards SW Yard NRD Habitat Project by Orion Marine Contractors won the Build America Award for best environmental enhancement project. SeaTac’s Baggage Optimization project by Hensel Phelps Construction won the Build America Award for the best highway and transportation renovation project valued over $100 million. And Ronald’s Cle Elum Dam Fish Passage Juvenile Facility by Garco Construction won for Build America Merit Award for best new federal and heavy project.
The other Lynwood project, L200 Lynnwood Link Extension project, a joint venture of Stacy Witbeck and Kiewit delivered this five-mile transit segment to bring new Sound Transit light rail service north from Seattle into Snohomish County. The joint venture team worked hard to coordinate with, plan and schedule the many different partners involved in the project. The transit extension includes four aerial guideway bridge structures, as well as eight miles of walls. the project.
The Orion Marine team completed this aquatic habitat restoration project to restore habitat on Harbor Island and the Duwamish River ecosystem. The Vigor Shipyard site supported commercial and naval shipbuilding during both World Wars, leaving the site polluted. The team removed more than 6,000 creosote-treated pilings, contaminated soils and sediments, then creating new intertidal and marsh habitats. Crews operated around the clock to meet deadlines, completing nearly 24-hour shifts of dredging and placing armor rock to stay within the state-mandated window.
The Hensel Phelps team expanded and optimized the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport baggage handling system. The team completely removed the conveyor to one of the airport’s terminals gates and replaced it with a temporary system. They also removed the isolated handling system systems and replaced and expanded the system for two other terminals. They installed an expanded Checked Baggage Inspection System and Checked Baggage Resolution Area. The project took place within the operational airport in phases to minimize disruptions. To complicate matters, the baggage conveyors needed to remain in operation throughout the project.
Garco Construction constructed a six-level intake system that allowed the lake to continue to pass fish through the system even as the reservoir level fluctuates throughout the year. The team designed a shoring system for a new intake trench and tied the reservoir to the open chamber.
Garco’s project management and field supervision team held regular pre-planning meetings throughout the project, offering innovative construction techniques to improve the job cost and timeline. Given the environmental sensitivities of the location, the team created a buffer around the secant shaft and the surface of the lake.
“The Baldwin Group is honored to partner with the AGC to celebrate the 2025 Build America Award recipients and nominees. This year’s award winners exemplify a remarkable fusion of ingenuity and project excellence, setting a new standard that propels the entire construction industry forward,” says Joe Charczenko, Partner & Construction Practice President. “These thoughtfully executed projects do more than just transform blueprints into reality; they breathe new life into our cities, fortify our communities and strengthen our nation’s infrastructure. Receiving one of these prestigious awards is a powerful reminder that collective effort combined with the relentless pursuit of excellence can truly build America.”
The Baldwin Group Build America Awards highlight the nation’s most significant construction projects. A panel of judges, representing all areas of construction, evaluated an impressive number of submissions this year, assessing each project’s complexity, use of innovative construction techniques and client satisfaction, among other criteria.
The awards, which were announced during the association’s annual convention in Columbus, Ohio, are considered by many to be the most prestigious recognition of construction accomplishments in the U.S.
