Metro Lex News

Lexington’s award-winning Town Branch Commons has received the National Recognition Award in the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) 2024 Engineering Excellence Awards competition, Mayor Linda Gorton announced. This is the third national award the project has received.

“Town Branch Commons has been a transformational project for our downtown,” Gorton said. “The linear park and trail system provides safe, accessible transportation for pedestrians and bicyclists, creating a connector for neighborhoods, people, and public spaces.”

Town Branch Commons, a City project led by Gresham Smith engineers and based on SCAPE Landscape Architecture’s design concept, was completed in 2022. It runs along Midland Avenue and Vine Street to the front of Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. The project connects the Legacy Trail to Town Branch Trail, providing 22 miles of uninterrupted walking, jogging, and cycling trails.

“Being awarded a national ACEC award for the Town Branch Commons is a testament to the project's excellence and our commitment to innovation, collaboration, and the vision of a more accessible and beautiful city for all residents and visitors,” said Brandi Peacher, the City’s Director of Project Management. “This project will continue to have a profound impact for decades to come, serving as a highly functional piece of infrastructure and an exemplary complete streets initiative that promotes safety, accessibility, and economic vitality for our entire community.”

As the business voice of America’s engineering industry, ACEC organizes the industry’s leading awards program. The National Recognition Award ceremony was held in Washington, DC last month to celebrate exceptional engineering projects across the nation.