Austroads bridge awards

Important Update:

Due to the potential impact of the upcoming cyclone on businesses, the Austroads Bridge Awards submission deadline has been extended to 14 March 2025 to allow for additional time. We appreciate your understanding and encourage you to submit your entries by the revised deadline.

The Austroads Bridge Awards recognise the individuals and organisations that have delivered outstanding bridge design, management and outcomes across Australia and New Zealand. Awards winners will receive a prestigious Austroads Bridge Awards trophy and certificate in recognition of their work, and the opportunity to deliver an online presentation on their award-winning project in an Austroads webinar.

Award submissions can be entered in the following categories:

Excellence in Sustainability
Excellence in Innovation
Excellence in Asset Management and Maintenance
Excellence in Community Impact
Excellence in Heritage and Conservation
Best Structure 35 Metres or Under (maximum span ≤ 35 metres)
Best Structure Over 35 Metres (maximum span > 35 metres).

Finalists of all award categories are to attend the Austroads Bridge Conference Gala Dinner on Thursday 26 June 2025 where the winner will be announced.

How to enter

Using the Award entry template (download below), outline how the project demonstrates or achieves the criteria for the Award category.

Submissions are to be no more than 800 words, excluding charts, tables, photos, and graphs.

Your submission will include the following:

Project summary (included in the word limit).
Description outlining how the project demonstrates or achieves the criteria for the Award category, outcomes, and positive impacts to the community.
Two photos as separate jpeg files.

All entries must be submitted online by the extended deadline of Friday 14 March 2025, 11.59pm AEST.

SUBMIT AN AWARD ENTRY

Eligibility

Projects must meet the following:

Must be a vehicle, pedestrian, or cycle bridge.
Must have been completed after 31 December 2020.
Must be a bridge structure in Australia or New Zealand.

Entry criteria and templates

Excellence in Sustainability

An exemplar and sets a new benchmark in design for sustainability, circular design practice and/or environmental stewardship.
Achieved measurable sustainable outcomes, and/or a long-lasting and positive impact for the environment, community, and the economy.
Embodies circular and/or regenerative design principles such as use of recycled materials, designing out waste, prolonging life-span, and/or minimising material usage.
Demonstrated structural efficiency and effectiveness, and economic use of resources.
Outstanding engineering skill, urban design, and aesthetics.

Download the Award entry template for Excellence in Sustainability

Excellence in Innovation

Incorporated any leading-edge innovations and/or novel design.
Produced new ideas in design that add value by reducing cost or enhancing asset performance or the project/initiative development process in some way.
Demonstrated innovative thinking and/or innovative technologies.
Level of sound research and/or technical basis.
Outstanding engineering skill, urban design, and aesthetics.
Incorporates emerging technologies (e.g. Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML), and smart materials in innovative bridge design).

Download the Award entry template for Excellence in Innovation

Excellence in Asset Management and Maintenance

Demonstrates whole of life asset management and maintenance practices that sustain service delivery and achieves least whole of life cost.
Achieves value for money in asset management and maintenance activities for bridges. Alternatively, achieves structural performance and value through structural assessment.
Risk management of a bridge(s) that ensures adequate performance at least cost.
Level of sound research and/or technical basis.
Outstanding engineering skill, and aesthetics.

Download the Award entry template for Asset Management and Maintenance

Excellence in Community Impact

Demonstrated significant positive impact on local communities.
Enhanced connectivity and accessibility for local residents.
Created new opportunities for community engagement and activities.
Supported resilience in the response and recovery to major events.
Improved safety and security for pedestrians and cyclists.
Outstanding engineering skill, urban design, and aesthetics.

Download the Award entry template for Excellence in Community Impact

Excellence in Heritage and Conservation

Successfully preserved and integrated heritage elements.
Demonstrated respect for cultural and historical significance.
Achieved sustainable conservation outcomes.
Enhanced public appreciation of heritage and history.
Outstanding engineering skill, urban design, and aesthetics.

Download the Award entry template for Excellence in Heritage and Conservation

Best Structure 35 Metres or Under (maximum span ≤ 35 metres)

Demonstrated excellence in quality of design, construction, maintenance, and operation of the bridge.
Achieved measurable sustainable outcomes, and/or a long-lasting and positive impact for the environment, community, and the economy.
Achieved significant economic value.
Level of sound research and/or technical basis.
Outstanding engineering skill, urban design, and aesthetics.

Download the Award entry template for Best Structure 35 Metres or Under (maximum span ≤ 35 metres)

Best Structure Over 35 Metres (maximum span > 35 metres)

Demonstrated excellence in quality of design, construction, maintenance, and operation of the bridge.
Achieved measurable sustainable outcomes, and/or a long-lasting and positive impact for the environment, community, and the economy.
Achieved significant economic value.
Level of sound research and/or technical basis.
Outstanding engineering skill, urban design, and aesthetics.

Download the Award entry template for Best Structure Over 35 Metres (maximum span > 35 metres)

To review the full conditions of entry CLICK HERE