FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 8, 2025
City of Charlottesville Honored With Multiple Awards for Community Impact, Engineering Design, and Project Management Excellence
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - The City of Charlottesville has been recognized by several organizations for leadership in infrastructure delivery, highlighted by three recent awards for the Belmont Bridge Replacement Project:
- Community Impact Award from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)
- Engineering Award from the Virginia Transportation Construction Association (VTCA)
- Excellence Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Virginia
The Belmont Bridge Replacement Project was the centerpiece of these honors, reflecting the City’s commitment to inclusive and transparent engagement. The $33 million bridge replaced a 62-year-old structure and now serves as a safe, multimodal connection between the Belmont neighborhood and downtown. The project was shaped by 22 public meetings, more than 2,500 survey and written responses, and a Council-appointed steering committee to ensure community members’ voices were central throughout the process.
“The Belmont Bridge Replacement shows that when we bring community members, businesses, and advocacy groups into the process from day one, we achieve more than just a new bridge—we achieve a shared vision,” said City Manager Sam Sanders. “This project, like so many others underway, demonstrates how City Council and staff believe deeply in transparency, community engagement, and inclusive design.”
The awards also reflect how the City has strengthened its overall project management approach. By adopting a portfolio-based system aligned with VDOT’s statewide guidance, Charlottesville has reduced backlog, improved scheduling discipline, and positioned itself to deliver major projects on time and within budget. This transformation was featured at the VDOT Locally Administered Program (LAP) Conference on September 17, where Public Works Director Steven Hicks joined a statewide roundtable on project delivery with transportation leaders.
“Staff are doing an outstanding job managing and delivering projects,” said Sanders. “The noticeable difference in how Charlottesville approaches project management extends beyond transportation. Whether building a road, modernizing a school, or improving a park, our teams are showing that Charlottesville can deliver projects on time, with quality, and with credibility.”
While led by the Public Works project management team, no project can be delivered without collaboration across multiple departments. In fact, there is hardly a department in the City of Charlottesville that does not play a role in delivering successful projects. This collective effort ensures that every project is both technically strong and grounded in community values.
Media Contact
Afton Schneider
Director of Communications & Public Engagement
City of Charlottesville
434-996-0331
schneidera@charlottesville.gov