IRF Global Road Achievement Awards: Showcasing Global Industry Excellence

The International Road Federation’s Global Road Achievement Awards (GRAA) is a one-of-a kind competition to recognize innovative road projects and exemplary people that place the road industry at the forefront of worldwide social and economic development.

Instituted in 2000, the Awards have distinguished more than 185 programs, projects and products from around the world. Today, the Awards are recognized as a prestigious industry accolade in their own right, but they also serve to remind a much wider audience that the mobility everyone takes for granted would not be possible without the talent and commitment of our industry. By showcasing new technologies and creative solutions, they also serve as an accelerator of progress and new ideas.

IRF views the awards as an important way to promote road innovation around the world and will make substantial efforts to see that the awarded achievements receive maximum worldwide publicity, including a presentation of a crystal trophy at the IRF Annual Awards Dinner and recognition in industry publications.

Winners of the 2022 GRAA competition

2022 IRF GRAA WINNERS

Winners of the 2022 GRAA competition:

Asset Preservation and Maintenance Management
New Pavement Technology, Materials & Green Energy Smart IoT Active Safety Operation Management
JD Construction Co., Ltd

Construction Methodology
1915çanakkale Bridge And Motorway Project
Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, Republic of Turkiye

Design
The Second Wuhu Yangtze River Bridge
Anhui Transport Consulting & Design Institute Co., Ltd

Environmental Mitigation
The Guizhou Zhengxi Expressway Project
China State Construction International Holdings Limited

Program Management
Tal Moreeb Road Project
Aldar Projects

Quality Management
Samuel De Champlain Bridge Corridor Project
TYLin

Research
Research on Key Technology and Application of Sponge City
CCCC Second Highway Consultants Co., Ltd.

Safety
The Surface Emitting Lighting Type Iot Base Intelligent Road Traffic Sign System
EZ GROUP Inc.

Technology, Equipment & Manufacturing
Development of a New Asphalt Binder Test Method (ABT)
US Federal Highway Administration

Traffic Management and Intelligent Transportation Systems
San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge Metering Lights System Upgrade
Parsons Transportation Group

Urban Planning and Mobility
Strategic Transportation Evaluation and Assessment Model (STEAM+)
Integrated Transport Center (ITC)

Winners of the 2021 GRAA competition

2021 IRF GRAA WINNERS

Winners of the 2021 GRAA competition:

Asset Preservation and Maintenance Management
NYC DOT Asset Management Portal (AMP)
Fortis Consulting Services Corp

Construction Methodology
Bang Pa-in to Korat of Motorway 6 in Thailand
China Construction Civil Engineering Co., Ltd

Design
Jiayu Bridge
Hubei Provincial Communication Planning and Design Institute Co. Ltd

Environmental Mitigation
Red Ridge No.1 Parkway in the Dabie Mountains
Anhui Transport Consulting & Design Institute Co., Ltd

Program Management
Woolgoolga to Ballina Pacific Highway Upgrade
Pacific Complete

Project Finance and Economics
1915ÇANAKKALE Bridge And Motorway Project
Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, Republic of Turkey

Research
Field Monitoring of Road Pavement Responses and their Performance in Thailand
Department of Highways, Thailand

Safety
Integrated Road Safety Management System Development Project
Department of Rural Roads, Ministry of Transport, Thailand

Technology, Equipment & Manufacturing
6d Road Scanning and Surveying
XenomatiX

Traffic Management and Intelligent Transportation Systems
ITS 2020 – Intelligent Traffic Systems Expansion and Dubai ITS Center
Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai

Urban Planning and Mobility
Urban Cooling + First/Last Mile Strategies in Los Angeles-Canoga Park Project
City of Los Angeles, Department of Public Works, Bureau of Street Services (StreetsLA)

Winners of the 2020 GRAA competition

Winners of the 2020 GRAA competition:

Asset Preservation and Maintenance Management
Pacific Coast Highway – South Los Angeles, California
VSS International, Inc.

Construction Methodology
Largest Metal Buried Bridge
The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure Development, UAE

Design
Suhua Highway Improvement Project
Ceci Engineering Consultants, Inc., Sinotech Engineering Consultants, Ltd., and
Directorate General Of Highways, Motc

Environmental Mitigation
Toowoomba Second Range Crossing Project - Australia
Nexus Delivery (Acciona & Ferrovial Joint Venture)

Program Management
The Integrated Road Investment Program (iRoad)
Sri Lanka Road Development Authority (Rda)

Project Finance and Economics
Noor Abu Dhabi Project - Smart Led Lighting Retrofit For Abu Dhabi Island Streets
Abu Dhabi Municipality

Quality Management
Jinan-Qingdao Expressway Reconstruction and Extension Project
Shandong Hi-speed Co., Ltd.

Research
Gonghe - Yushu Expressway
CCCC First Highway Consultants Co. Ltd

Safety
Integrated Road Safety Management System Development Project
Department of Rural Roads, Minister of Transport, Thailand

Traffic Management and Intelligent Transportation Systems
Hazen.ai: AI for Traffic Safety
Hazen.ai

Urban Planning and Mobility
Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Bike/Pedestrian Walkway
Lindsay Transportation Solutions

2020 IRF GRAA Highlights

Applications open for 2023 Competition

2023 applications are currently being accepted across the 12 award categories through May 31, 2023.

Entries are judged by an international panel of expert judges drawn from the IRF’s academic members, as well as independent subject matter specialists. No member of the selection panel may have an interest or bias related to the current applications. If a judge should have such an interest, that judge will be excused from reviewing the applicable entry/entries and an alternate will be appointed.

The selection panel is not obligated to select an award recipient in each of the eleven categories. Rather, the panel will recognize only those submissions that show outstanding merit. The panel also has the discretion to recognize submissions that do not win an award, yet nevertheless, show exceptional merit.

Entries are open to projects that may have been recognized in other award programs, provided that they have not been recognized in a previous IRF Global Road Achievement Award competition.

There is no limit to the number of entries an organization may submit.

Note: Winners will produce a 90- to 120-second HD/UHD (16:9) video highlighting their winning project. The video will be displayed on the IRF website and during the GRAA awards dinner.

Key Dates

• May 31: Application due
• July 17: Winners notified
• August 15: Book of Winning Projects materials due
• September 15: Project video due
• November 2: IRF Awards Ceremony

Award Categories

Asset Preservation & Maintenance Management

Innovative asset preservation solutions combined with effective maintenance management programs are essential pillars of economic, fiduciary and environmental stewardship in the road sector. Public and private sector authorities providing these services to the general public are encouraged to compete in this category which is designed to recognize innovation in the planning and delivery of durable pavements, maintenance functions and advances in safety, energy efficiency, and materials recycling.

Construction Methodology

Competitive entries in this category will demonstrate significant achievements in construction that enhance the quality, timeliness, cost effectiveness, safety, and/or efficiency in the construction means, methods and delivery on road development projects. An award will seek to recognize those entrants who demonstrate effective construction strategies that can be replicated or serve as examples to advance the process of road construction generically. Entrants will base their applications on the success of a concept as demonstrated on a specific project.

Design

This category recognizes organizations that demonstrate outstanding achievements in the broad design arena, including aesthetics, applications in challenging environments, cost efficiency and originality. Qualification for the award will be determined upon the organization's application of a design (or designs) on a specified project.

Environmental Mitigation

This category recognizes public and private organizations that show outstanding progress in protecting and/or enhancing the natural environment in the operation, planning, design and/or construction of road development projects. Entries in this category will be evaluated on successful efforts to incorporate environmental mitigation on a specific project.

Program Management

The growing demand for new and refurbished infrastructure is leading to partnerships between Government and the private sector to manage this work through dedicated program management offices. This category is open to public and private sector organizations that are showing leadership in the provision of integrated services for the management of large transportation infrastructure programs. Of particular interest will be those entries that demonstrate program goals and objectives being met, that show a high degree of complexity and an ability to deal with a variety of issues, and that exemplify the ideals of program and project management.

Project Finance and Economics

This award is open to organizations and/or projects that enable road development to take place from funding sources that are different from traditional government or institutional procurement. Although traditional forms of funding can be part of the mix for entries in this category, priority is given to submissions that demonstrate innovative approaches in this field. An award will be evaluated on demonstrated success in planning, constructing, and/or operating a project or program in a cost effective / profitable manner.

Quality Management

This category will recognize organizations that have developed and implemented a quality management system to maximize stakeholder satisfaction at the lowest overall cost to the organization. Quality management is all activities of the overall management function that determine the quality policy, objectives, and responsibilities, and implement them by means such as quality oversight, quality planning, quality control, quality assurance, and quality improvement within the quality system. This award is targeted at organizations that innovatively apply the principles and practices of quality management, and demonstrate superior results for delivering products or services.

Research

This category will recognize specific research initiatives that significantly advance the road development industry. Possible topics include improved materials, innovative use of existing materials and products, advances in technology or new applications for existing technology, and groundbreaking theories in design, construction, or O&M processes. This award is targeted at researchers in public, educational and private institutions for their achievements in developing a specific product, system, measure, etc. that advances roadway development.

Safety

Entries in this category should demonstrate significant contributions to improving road safety by devising concepts, products, processes and/or systems in relation to road infrastructure, road/vehicle interaction or driver behavior. Entries will be evaluated on successful and possibly quantified efforts to reduce road casualty numbers and/or seriousness.

Technology, Equipment & Manufacturing

This category, which recognizes inventors and manufacturers that integrate, develop and market new products and/or equipment that advance the road construction industry, is open to manufacturers of all types of equipment and products. This category seeks products and equipment that enhance quality, improve efficiency, increase safety, enable new design and construction techniques, etc. An acceptable entry will include a specific product or products that demonstrate innovation in at least one of the aforementioned areas.

Traffic Management and Intelligent Transportation Systems

This category recognizes public and private organizations that demonstrate significant achievements in making the most of existing infrastructure to accommodate present and future traffic, by using advanced or original traffic management concepts, organizations and/or systems.

Urban Planning & Mobility

This category recognizes efforts to plan and develop tomorrow’s cities, responding to the twin challenges of enhanced mobility demand and reduced environmental footprint. Winning projects will demonstrate their systemic impact, notably by fostering seamless connections across travel modes and/or through special attention to the needs of non-motorized traffic.

Evaluation Criteria

Awards will be presented to organizations which have submitted applications demonstrating:

  • Complexity
  • Replication capability
  • Cost and efficiency considerations
  • Technical value to road development industry
  • Contributions to social, economic and sustainability concerns
  • Original or innovative use of existing technologies
  • Original or innovative application of new technologies
  • Development of new technologies, products or equipment
  • A successful program, concept, or product on a specific project
  • The surpassing of minimum regulatory requirements or industry standards
  • Degree to which the project, meets the needs of the public, industry, owner or client

More Information

Magid ElabyadSenior Vice President

+1 703 535 1001

melabyad@IRF.global

International Road Federation

Madison Place

500 Montgomery Street

Fifth Floor

Alexandria, VA 22314

USA