ACEC California Announces 2026 Engineering Excellence Awards

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Jan. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the American Council of Engineering Companies, California (ACEC California) announced the 2026 recipients of its annual Engineering Excellence Awards. Projects were recognized for demonstrating an exceptional degree of innovation, complexity, achievement, and value. Twenty projects earned the prestigious Honor Award distinction, twenty-seven were recognized with Merit Awards, and fifteen Commendation Awards were granted.

"We are proud to recognize these ACEC California firms for delivering an exceptional degree of value and technical excellence to our communities," said Tyler Munzing, Executive Director of ACEC California. "Quality infrastructure—from dependable drinking water to safe, efficient roadways and structurally sound public spaces—is essential to our state's success. These award-winning projects showcase how our engineering and land surveying firms are passionately building a more resilient and connected California."

The winner of the Golden State Award, an honor bestowed for the best overall project, will be announced at the Engineering Excellence Awards Banquet on February 19, 2026. The awards celebration is also a fundraiser for the ACEC California Scholarship Foundation 501(c)3, which provides scholarship awards to graduate and undergraduate students who are recognized for their notable and outstanding academic achievements.

About ACEC California's Engineering Excellence Awards: 

ACEC California's annual Engineering Excellence Awards competition recognizes outstanding achievements in engineering and land surveying projects completed by California firms. Entries are accepted into one of twelve project categories: studies, research and consulting engineering services; building/technology systems; structural systems; surveying and mapping technology; environmental; waste and storm water; water resources; transportation; special projects; small projects; energy; and industrial and manufacturing processes and facilities. 

Honor Award winners are eligible to enter the national level Engineering Excellence Awards competition in Washington, DC. 

Photographs of award-winning projects can be found at 2026 Engineering Excellence Award Winners - American Council of Engineering Companies of California.

Honor Award recipients include:

Adobe Associates Inc. in Santa Rosa, CA for their work on the Lytton Rancheria: A Homeland Restored.

Anchor QEA in Irvine, CA for their work on the Davenport Park Expansion and Landfill Gas Control System Project.

Arup in San Francisco, CA for their work on the California College of the Arts Campus Expansion.

Arup, Mott MacDonald, JCE Engineering Group in Los Angeles, CA for their work on the LAX / Metro Transit Center.

Atlas Technical Consultants in Rancho Cordova, CA for their work on the Foresthill Bridge T-1 Steel Inspection and Repair Project.

Biggs Cardosa Associates, Inc in Orange, CA for their work on the McKinley Street Grade Separation.

Biggs Cardosa Associates, Inc. in Orange, CA for their work on the Artesia Boulevard Bridge Emergency Repairs.

Carollo Engineers in Walnut Creek, CA for their work on the Zone 7 Stoneridge PFAS Treatment Facility.

Carollo Engineers, Inc. in Walnut Creek, CA for their work on the PV Water College Lake Integrated Resources Management Project.

Cornerstone Structural Engineering Group, Inc. in Fresno, CA for their work on the Floradale Avenue Bridge Replacement.

COWI North America, Inc. in Oakland, CA for their work on the Iron Horse Trail Overcrossing at Bollinger Canyon Road.

COWI North America, Inc. and Accenture Infrastructure and Capital Projects, LLC in Portland, OR for their work on the Mt. Vernon Avenue Viaduct Replacement Design-Build Project.

Earth Systems in Pasadena, CA for their work on the Watts Skatepark.

Kennedy Jenks in Rancho Cordova, CA for their work on the West Lake Tahoe Regional Water Treatment Plant.

Kjeldsen, Sinnock & Neudeck, Inc. in Stockton, CA for their work on the Victoria Island October 2024 Emergency Incident.

Labib Funk + Associates in El Segundo, CA for their work on The Mullin Transportation Design Center.

Michael Baker International in San Diego, CA for their work on the New River Improvement Project.

Parsons in Oakland CA for their work on the Interstate 80/Gilman Street Interchange Improvement Project Phase 2: Roundabout Interchange and Local Street Improvements.

SmithGroup in San Francisco, CA for their work on the CSU East Bay Braddock Center for Science and Innovation.

STV in Denver, CO for their work on the SMART Windsor Station.

Merit Award recipients include:

4Creeks, Inc. in Visalia, CA for their work on the Riggin Avenue Widening - Mooney to Conyer.

4Creeks, Inc. in Visalia, CA for their work on the Viscaya Park project.

Accenture Infrastructure and Capital Projects, LLC in Irvine, CA for their work on the CV Link Multi-Modal Transportation Corridor.

Accenture Infrastructure and Capital Projects, LLC in Irvine, CA for their work on the I-15 SMART Freeway.

Atlas Technical Consultants in Rancho Cordova, CA for their work on the Caltrans Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) Reporting Improvements Project.

Carollo Engineers in Walnut Creek, CA for their work on the City of Antioch Brackish Water Desalination Plant.

GTS in Encinitas, CA for their work on the Intersection Safety Analysis.

HDR in Irvine, CA for their work on the Carlsbad Desalination Plant Intake and Discharge Facility.

HDR in Irvine, CA for their work on the I-5 South County Improvements Project: Segment 1.

Kier + Wright in Livermore, CA for their work on the 200 Park project.

Kimley-Horn in San Diego, CA for their work on the Caltrans District 11, I-5 North Coast Corridor HOV Expansion Project – Segment 4AB and Segment 4C.

Kimley-Horn in San Diego, CA for their work on the Grand Avenue Vision Project.

Kimley-Horn in Orange, CA for their work on the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Consolidated Rent-a-Car Facility.

Mark Thomas in Irvine, CA for their work on the San Fernando Road Beautification and Multimodal Improvements Project.

Michael Baker International in San Diego, CA for their work on the UCSD Pepper Canyon West Living and Learning Neighborhood.

Michael Baker International in Santa Ana, CA for their work on the County of San Diego Waterfront Park.

MNS Engineers, Inc. in Santa Barbara, CA for their work on the Quiet Zone Safety Engineering Measures on 65th, 66th and 67th Streets.

Nasland Engineering in San Diego, CA for their work on the Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center.

Ninyo & Moore, A SOCOTEC Company in San Diego, CA for their work on the Oakvale Road Realignment.

P2S LP in Long Beach, CA for their work on the Saddleback College Advanced Technology and Education Park (ATEP) Building 1.

Parametrix in Emeryville, CA for their work on the I-280 Northbound Ramp/Geneva Avenue Safety Study.

Parsons Transportation Group Inc. in Oakland, CA for their work on the SR-71/SR-91 Interchange Improvement Project.

Psomas in San Diego, CA for their work on the Otay Mesa Land Port of Entry Expansion and Modernization.

Quad Knopf, Inc (dba QK), Ashwood Construction, Inc., TETER Architects + Engineers, Soils Engineering, Inc. in Clovis, CA for their work on the Farmersville Transit Center Project.

Ramos Consulting Services, Inc. in Pasadena, CA for their work on the Rail to Rail, Active Transportation Projects, Construction Management Support Services.

Salas O'Brien, Inc. in Vista, CA for their work on the Murrieta Hot Springs Resort.

TRC Companies in Ontario, CA for their work on the I-215/Placentia Avenue Interchange.

Commendation Award recipients include:

4Creeks, Inc. in Visalia, CA for their work on the Kamm Avenue and Alta Avenue Roundabout.

Ardurra Group, Inc. in El Segundo, CA for their work on the John Anson Ford Park Regional Aquatics Center.

Ardurra Group, Inc. in El Segundo, CA for their work on the Carson Street Beautification Phase II, Project 108.

Atlas Technical Consultants and GritForce Inc. in Rancho Cordova, CA for their work on the Caltrans Skid Testing Modernization Project.

Earth Systems in San Luis Obispo, CA for their work on the Tropical Storm Hilary Disaster Recovery.

HDR in Riverside, CA for their work on the I-10 Eastbound Truck Climbing Lane.

KOA | A Lochner Company in Orange, CA for their work on the Town of Apple Valley Highway 18 Access Plan.

LCC Engineering & Surveying, Inc. in Martinez, CA for their work on the Alhambra Ave Downtown Improvements.

Lochner in Orange, CA for their work on the Long Beach Homekey Project.

Michael Baker International in San Diego, CA for their work on the Balboa Park Botanical Building Improvements.

Peterson Structural Engineers, Inc. (PSE) in San Diego, CA for their work on the Reservoir 2B Replacement Project.

Quad Knopf, Inc. (dba QK), BSK Associates, Stantec in Clovis, CA for their work on the Woodlake Storm Drain Pipeline Project.

Rick Engineering Company (RICK) in San Diego, CA for their work on the La Media Road Improvements.

TRC Engineers, Inc. in Rancho Cordova, CA for their work on the Sacramento International Airport, Terminal A Restroom Renovation Project.

Verde Design, Inc. in Santa Clara CA for their work on the Esperanza Park project.

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SOURCE American Council of Engineering Companies, California