BGE, Inc. wins 2026 National and State Engineering Excellence Awards

BGE, Inc. is proud to announce that the firm has earned two prestigious distinctions from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) in its 2026 Engineering Excellence Awards (EEA) program.

BGE received a 2026 ACEC Texas Gold Award and National Recognition for its innovative LiDAR-based bridge survey work on the FM 3286 (E. Lucas Road) Reconstruction Project at Lake Lavon in the Dallas metroplex. The firm also earned a 2026 ACEC Texas Silver Award and National Recognition for its Alliance Regional Water Authority (ARWA) Phase 1B Segment C Water Pipeline Project in Central Texas.

This recognition underscores BGE’s commitment to technical excellence, community impact, and forward-thinking solutions across disciplines.

“These awards reflect the extraordinary dedication of our project teams and the trust our clients place in us to solve complex challenges,” says Randy Randermann, President and CEO of BGE. “Whether it’s delivering critical water infrastructure in one of the fastest-growing regions in Central Texas or advancing a new standard for bridge surveying technology, BGE is pioneering solutions that make a meaningful impact in the communities we serve.”

ACEC Texas Gold Award & National Recognition: LiDAR innovation transforms Lake Lavon bridge survey

For its ACEC Texas Gold Award, BGE engineered a roadway solution for FM 3286, a critical east–west corridor across Lake Lavon that serves commuters, school buses, and emergency responders in a rapidly expanding region of Collin County, Texas.

When TxDOT Dallas District sought to reconstruct the route into a six-lane divided arterial, the effort hinged on two bridges spanning the lake — one nearly 7,000 feet long, the other over a mile — and the need for precise measurements of substructures.

Rather than rely on conventional survey methods requiring months of lane closures and crew exposure to live traffic, BGE deployed LiDAR technology from three sources: aerial LiDAR from a fixed-wing aircraft, vehicle-mounted mobile LiDAR on the bridge decks, and a novel use of boat-mounted LiDAR deployed from a pontoon vessel to capture substructure data above the water. BGE integrated the datasets into true 3D models of the bridges’ structural elements, completing in days what traditional methods typically take months to accomplish.

Leveraging BGE’s data-driven solution, TxDOT was able to widen the existing bridges rather than rebuild from scratch, avoiding an estimated $54 million to $60 million in reconstruction costs. The firm’s innovative approach has since established a model for surveying complex water crossings nationwide.

ACEC Texas Silver Award & National Recognition: 22-mile pipeline secures long-term water supply for growing Central Texas communities

In Central Texas, ARWA’s service area faces mounting pressure to deliver reliable, long-term water supply to its member communities. BGE was engaged to design and manage delivery of the Phase 1B Segment C Water Pipeline, a project that would leverage the firm’s capabilities in coordination, logistics, and technical execution.

The pipeline spans 22 miles and crosses more than 100 individual parcels, requiring extensive coordination with landowners, developers, and regulatory agencies. The complexity of rights-of-way acquisition and permitting demanded a meticulous, relationship-driven approach to keep the project on track without compromising community support. BGE’s team navigated these challenges by proactively engaging ARWA in delivering a project built on long-term infrastructure reliability.

“BGE delivered a design and execution strategy that met ARWA’s goals—providing reliable water infrastructure for our member communities while staying on schedule and within budget,” said Graham Moore, PE, Executive Director for ARWA. “Their collaborative approach and technical expertise ensured this critical project could move forward smoothly and with strong community support.”

Building standards of excellence

Together, these ACEC distinctions place BGE among the top recognized engineering firms in the country, with award-winning infrastructure solutions that communities across the southern Unites States and beyond will depend on for generations.