AASHTO announces national ‘Faces of Transportation’ contest winners

Make-A-Wish kid Samuel and Caltrans Equipment Shop staff explored DOT equipment before Samuel hit the road to have his wish realized of seeing a real spaceship at the Kennedy Space Center. This photo by Caltrans Senior Photographer Scott Lorenzo won grand prize in an AASHTO-sponsored contest.

Two captivating photographs and three compelling videos won prizes in the 13th annual Faces of Transportation competition sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the organization says.

The grand prize was for a photo of a California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) worker giving a Make-A-Wish child a tour of a maintenance facility. And another photo, which captures the last working ferry system in Arkansas, landed the People’s Choice Award winner by online voters.

The Grand Prize award went to Caltrans Senior Photographer Scott Lorenzo. The People’s Choice Award was presented to Arkansas Department of Transportation Photographer Rusty Hubbard.

The Peel Ferry glides through the early morning fog on Bull Shoals Lake. As the last operational ferry in Arkansas, it provides a connection in the north-central portion of the state to Missouri. ARDOT employees Rob Mersman (tug pilot) and Randall Williams (on barge deck) operate the ferry. Arkansas DOT photographer Rusty Hubbard took this prize-winning shot.

“We are thrilled that so many talented artists shared their perspectives on transportation in this year’s competition,” says Lloyd Brown, AASHTO director of communications and marketing. “The photos and videos nominated in this year’s competition highlight the often overlooked role that transportation plays in our communities and our overall quality of life.”

In all, 16 transportation department employees from 24 states and five private citizens submitted 88 photographs and 16 videos for judging.

An AASHTO team of judges selected the Grand Prize winner, and a majority of the more than 6,000 online votes selected the winner of the People’s Choice award, a press release says.

The videos competed for first, second, and third prizes and the Ohio Department of Transportation won first prize for its “Slow Down, Move Over” public education campaign video, seen here.

Taking second place was Caltrans for its News Flash video detailing the department’s emergency response to a major mudslide in Santa Barbara County.

Third place went to the Arizona Department of Transportation for its South Mountain Freeway Chuckwalla Relocation video, demonstrating the department’s commitment to wildlife mitigation.

You can view the all the photo entries at the Faces of Transportation blog: facesoftransportation.org.