Garver and MDOT recognized with ACEC-Mississippi Grand Conceptor Award for I-10 Diamondhead Interchange

Garver and the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) received the Grand Conceptor Award, the highest honor presented by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Mississippi, for the I-10 Diamondhead Interchange project in Diamondhead, Mississippi. The award was presented Tuesday, May 19, at MDOT's District 6 headquarters in Hattiesburg, where Ross Baker, Assistant to Southern District Transportation Commissioner Charles Busby, ACEC-Mississippi Executive Director Craig Carter, and officials from Garver and MDOT gathered to mark the recognition. 

The Grand Conceptor is awarded annually for the project demonstrating the highest level of quality and ingenuity among all ACEC-Mississippi Engineering Excellence Award submissions.

Diamondhead's sole I-10 interchange had long been a safety and congestion challenge. Afternoon backups regularly extended onto the interstate, and MDOT's interim measure — closing the exit ramp's left-turn lane each day at 3 p.m. and rerouting drivers — underscored the need for a permanent solution. Working in close partnership with MDOT, Garver designed a triple-roundabout interchange that replaced the stop-controlled ramp intersections with continuous-flow roundabouts and added a third roundabout at the nearby Gex Drive intersection to keep the full corridor moving. Level of Service improved from F to C/D during peak hours, and the project also introduced a 10-foot multimodal path across the I-10 overpass, providing safe pedestrian and golf cart access between the north and south sides of the city for the first time.

The project also served as MDOT's pilot for 3D digital plan delivery. Garver produced a full 3D BIM model as the legal construction document allowing the contractor to build directly from the model and complete the project four months ahead of schedule.

"MDOT challenged us to find a better solution for Diamondhead, and we took that seriously at every stage of the project," said Garver Roadway Practice Leader Wayne Black, PE. "From the interchange design to the 3D digital delivery, this project broke new ground for Mississippi transportation. We're grateful to MDOT for the trust they placed in our team, and proud that the results speak for themselves."

The recognition reflects Garver’s commitment to solving complex transportation challenges through innovative design and trusted client partnerships, delivering results that improve safety and mobility for the communities that depend on them.