MECHANICSBURG, PA | Bridge engineering firm Modjeski and Masters today announced the winner of the Ralph Modjeski Award for Excellence in Transportation Design, Preservation and Archaeology. Michael Britt, senior vice president and director of business development at Modjeski and Masters, presented the Award to Nate Clark and Brian Yedinak at the 2016 Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Awards.
At the awards luncheon on October 14, 2016, the award honored the preservation of the Quaker Bridge in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. The bridge, which was scheduled to be demolished, was preserved after more than a decade’s worth of obstacles. A lesson in extreme perseverance, the Quaker Bridge became the first highway bridge saved in place ever in Pennsylvania, and is now in place as part of a new park.
“Preservation of the Quaker Bridge is a testament to one man’s tenacity and the power of a creative partnership,” said Mr. Britt. “Nate Clark, Brian Yedinak, and a cadre of supporters navigated numerous obstacles and used innovative thinking for more than a decade to save this historic bridge for others to enjoy and create a precedent for future bridge preservation in Pennsylvania.”
In its nineteenth year, the Ralph Modjeski Award for Excellence in Transportation Design, Preservation and Archaeology acknowledges exceptional effort within the transportation field that results in an improvement in transportation systems while respecting and preserving the best practices of compatible design and historic preservation principles. Previous award winners include the Masonry Arch Rehabilitation Initiative, the Franklin Street Station, Charles Davis and Henry Berman and the Academia/Pomeroy Covered Bridge.
About Preservation Pennsylvania
Preservation Pennsylvania is the Commonwealth’s only statewide, private nonprofit membership organization dedicated to the protection of historically and architecturally significant properties. The organization was created in 1982 as the Preservation Fund of Pennsylvania to operate a revolving fund that would assist in the acquisition and rehabilitation of historic properties. Since its incorporation, the organization has evolved and now hosts the Statewide Conference on Heritage, hosts the Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Awards, and publishes an annual list of endangered historic properties in “Pennsylvania At Risk” in addition to managing the revolving loan fund. Preservation Pennsylvania also participates in educational programs and advocacy initiatives, as well as conducts special projects and offers on-site technical assistance to people across the Commonwealth. For more information, visit: http://preservationpa.org/
About Modjeski and Masters
Modjeski and Masters is one of the world’s leading bridge engineering firms, with a reputation for technical excellence and innovation that goes beyond current standards. Established more than 120 years ago, the firm is responsible for the design and maintenance of some of our nation’s most recognizable structures. Services include fixed and movable bridge design, inspection and rehabilitation, and all facets of life-cycle maintenance, research and code development. For more information, including in-depth videos of Modjeski and Masters at work, please visit www.modjeski.com