AURORA | Two city transportation projects received statewide honors last month for excellence in planning and design.
The state chapter of the American Planning Association acknowledged the city’s recently adopted transportation master plan, Connecting Aurora, with a 2026 APA Colorado Honor Award in the category of planning excellence. Additionally, the American Public Works Association’s state chapter recognized the I-70 and Picadilly Road interchange project with a 2026 APWA Colorado Chapter Award.
City council adopted the Connecting Aurora master plan in June. The plan outlines existing transportation infrastructure across different modes of travel and identifies future needs and opportunities.
The Picadilly interchange project, which opened to traffic in February, is the largest design-build transportation project completed by the city. It implemented a diverging diamond interchange design that will improve regional mobility and safety. The project was partially funded by a $25 million federal grant.
A statement from the city says the completion of the project “demonstrates the city’s ability to successfully deliver large-scale, complex projects through innovative delivery methods and strong interagency collaboration.”