The Town of Cutler Bay has received the “Project of the Year, Category I” award from the Cuban American Association of Civil Engineers (C-AACE) for the town’s recently completed Old Cutler Roadway Improvements Project.
The annual award is presented by the C-AACE to a municipality for an Engineering or Architectural project in which the main component is Civil Engineering. For this category, the cost of the project has to be less than $10 million and the project must be constructed and the facility operational.
Work to improve historic Old Cutler Road from SW 97th Avenue to SW 87 Avenue began in November 2011 and was completed in the fall of 2013. The makeover included two traffic-calming circles, decorative street lighting and traffic signals, a new storm-water drainage system, native pineland landscaping, decorative treatments at key intersections and new pedestrian sidewalks.
The award was presented at the CAACE’s 2014 Annual Engineers Gala Banquet at the Miami Airport Hilton on Mar. 15. Town manager Rafael G. Casals accepted the award on behalf of the mayor and town council.
“This award is truly an honor which reflects the town’s partnership with Miami-Dade County and more importantly accomplishes several goals outlined by residents during the 2003 Old Cutler Road Charrette,” Casals said. “It is truly satisfying to have a project such as this which encompasses the vision of the Old Cutler Road Charrette which is a result of the residents and business community’s wants and needs for our historic Old Cutler Road.”
Victor Pujals, president of the C-AACE, made the presentation of the Award to Casals and the project team members, which included the town’s Public Works director Alfredo Quintero; Ramon Soria, president of Marlin Engineering; Maria Porrata, public information officer of Marlin Engineering; Felix Acosta, president of Acosta Tractors Inc.; Sergio Vigoa of Acosta Tractors Inc.; Alejandro “Alex” Ros of Acosta Tractors Inc., and Miguel Soria of Marlin Engineering.
As part of the stringent selection process the C-AACE appoints a selection committee comprised of renowned civil engineers who review several projects within this category. As a result of this procedure the Town’s Old Cutler Roadway Improvements Project was selected as a Category I, Project of the Year.
