The American Council of Engineering Companies of Wisconsin (ACEC WI) recently awarded a 2008 Engineering Excellence Award to Clark Dietz, Inc., for providing design engineering to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) for the USH 53 freeway project in Eau Claire and Chippewa counties.

In an effort to reduce congestion and crashes on USH 53, which carries more than 40,000 vehicles per day, WisDOT decided to construct a new $94-million, four-lane, divided-highway bypass from Eau Claire to the Chippewa County village of Lake Hallie.

The Lang Division of Clark Dietz, Inc. provided electrical, lighting and technology design for the vehicle tunnel at southbound exit ramp STH 93. The system includes controls that automatically adjust the tunnel's light level between dusk and dawn and a tunnel-communications system that includes emergency "push-to-talk" call stations and tunnel-surveillance cameras connected to the region's Wisconsin State Highway Patrol office.

Camera views displayed on video monitors allow officers to view the tunnel at any time. That feature, combined with the "push-to-talk" call stations, allows officers to respond quickly to accidents, fires and stranded motorists. Electronic signs mounted under the STH 93 exit signs on the highway can be activated instantly to flash "tunnel closed" when there's a problem.

The system also includes an automatic emergency generator to provide backup power to light a tunnel, an intersection, and freeway lighting in the interchange area.

Clark Dietz, Inc. provides mechanical, electrical, transportation, civil, environmental, and structural-engineering services through offices Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana.