CTF Transportation Awards Nomination Form 2027
Description
California Transportation Foundation’s 38th Transportation Awards
for Achievement in California Transportation in 2026
The CTF Transportation Awards recognize excellence in California transportation in 2026, all modes, public and private sector and from all regions of the state. CTF recognizes project teams including all major partners and contractors.
All the winners will be announced and celebrated during the CTF Transportation Awards, an in person event. We look forward to recognizing the winners for their significant achievement in 2026.
Selection Process
Awards may be given in any or all categories at the discretion of CTF. In order to be considered you must complete the entire form. Each application must be for one category only.
Additionally, CTF reserves the right to recognize achievement beyond the listed categories and to reassign projects to categories. If you do not know or are not sure what category your nomination fits into then please select the option - I'm not sure what category my nomination fits into - so the review board can make the best decision for you.
Awards Categories
Big Five Categories:
Project of the Year – Awarded to the overall most significant and worthy project, selected from the top project in every category that exemplifies transportation achievement in 2026.
Person of the Year – This award recognizes a person who made an extraordinary contribution to Transportation in California in 2026. Examples include citizen activists, program or project managers, agency executives, and private, public and nonprofit organization staff. Elected officials are recognized under the Elected official of the Year category.
Elected Official of the Year – This award recognizes a federal, state, regional, or local elected official for transportation achievement in 2026. Must have been in office in 2026.
Organization of the Year – This award recognizes a company, government agency, non-profit organization, community group, etc. for statewide transportation achievement in 2026.
Heinz Heckeroth Lifetime Service Award (CTF Past President’s Award) – Recipient selected by CTF Immediate Past President and approved by CTF Board of Directors. Individual who upholds the values of CTF’s founder Heinz Heckeroth, has a track record of furthering the mission of CTF, and demonstrates a commitment to service to the transportation industry.
Project Award Categories (all nominated projects must have been completed in 2026):
Active Transportation– Facilities which support bicycle, pedestrian, scooter, and equestrian modes of travel.
Advanced Technology – Project which embraces the use of advanced technology: Smart infrastructure including IoT and V2X, robotics, autonomous vehicles, AI, digital engineering and data, sustainable power technologies.
Aviation– Airport-related infrastructure, including terminals, runways, and landside access.
Bus Transit– Facilities increased ridership and reduce greenhouse gas emissions which support bus transit.
Complete Streets– A roadway with features such as traffic signals, street lights, and sidewalks designed with an emphasis on moving people over vehicles.
Emergency Response/Repair– Quick response to storm or other damage to any type of transportation project.
Freeway/Expressway– Multi-lane divided facilities with full or partial access control.
Goods Movement Landside – Infrastructure between a port or inland port that improves goods movement through innovation and efficiency
Goods Movement Portside – Movement at and within the port that implements innovation and efficiencies to improve port operations
Innovative Project Delivery – A project that uses non-traditional design-bid-build contracting methods to deliver transportation projects.
Interchange– Provides grade-separated access between a local street and a freeway/expressway.
Multimodal Transportation – A facility that expands multimodal options for all users
Partnering- Project that achieved shared objectives including budget, schedule, and safety improvements through the use of structured collaborative partnering techniques.
Rail Transit– Facilities which support street car, light rail, commuter rail, or passenger rail transit.
Structure– Carries highway or rail traffic above or below a transportation facility or waterway.
Small Community Transit- a transit facility of any mode that provides transit options to a community under population size 50,000 or ridership under 3 million annual passenger trips.
System Safety – Project which delivered measurable progress toward California’s vision zero targets.
Worker Safety – Project which demonstrated improved worker safety.
Program Award Categories (all program nominations must have been completed in 2026):
Advanced Technology – Program which embraces the use of advanced technology: Smart infrastructure including IoT and V2X, robotics, autonomous vehicles, AI, digital engineering and data, sustainable power technologies.
Community Engagement– public outreach and/or communications campaign in support of a transportation program or project.
Innovation – A Program that inspired or implemented an innovative idea, best practice, or solution to address a challenge facing the industry with significant positive results. NOTE: Technology-based innovations should apply for Advanced technology project/program categories.
Operational Efficiency– Project or program that improves transportation operations through management solutions
Organized Research– Research program or project focusing on California mobility, transportation systems, or transportation decisions
Safety – A program which enhances internal safety culture or a program which enhances the safety of the system for the users in any or all modes.
Sustainable Transportation/Environmental Enhancement– Program that implements policies or improvements which enhance social, economic, and/or environmental sustainability or improvements.
Award Criteria:
Round 1 Judging
One submittal per project or program will be accepted. Project partners are encouraged to work together to submit a unified nomination to avoid duplicative efforts.
Projects will be reviewed to ensure they have been submitted in the proper category. Incorrectly submitted projects will be re-assigned and nominators will be notified. A pass/fail review will be conducted confirming all submittal requirements have been met. All project/program descriptions, images, and supporting documentation must be received by the submittal deadline for consideration. Incomplete submittals will not be considered further.
Round 2 Judging
Judges will review all complete submittals received by the deadline against these 5 criteria, each worth 20 points for a total of 100 possible points:
1. Professional Excellence: Is the project/program a stellar example of the transportation disciplines used to deliver it, and the category in which it was submitted?
2. Transformational Impact: Will this project/program improve the community it was designed to serve for the better?
3. Schedule Adherence: Was the project delivered on time?
4. Budget Adherence: Was the project delivered within budget?
5. Notability/Innovation: Is the project significant, unique, and/or does it have a ground-breaking aspect that makes it worthy of industry recognition?
The top 3 scoring projects/program in each category will be announced in advance, and the winner will be selected from the finalists and announced at the Awards ceremony.
