Sparks, MD - JMT received an award for its outstanding efforts in partnering, at the annual Maryland Quality Initiative (MdQI) conference awards ceremony held on January 19, 2006. Our design project, I-83 Northbound from Seminary Avenue to Timonium Road in Baltimore County, won the MdQI's "Award of Excellence, Partnering - Minor Project". This project involved preliminary through final design of roadway safety and operational improvements for approximately 3/4 mile of interstate highway to provide an additional lane of traffic for motorists exiting I-695 (Baltimore Beltway) to travel north on I-83. Noise barriers also were designed to improve the quality of life for area residents. JMT partnered with the Maryland State Highway Administration and worked closely with the contractor and the public to keep workers safe and to minimize impacts to nearby neighborhoods while maintaining traffic during construction. An innovative technique employed on this project was the use of a moveable barrier system to maximize the availability of usable shoulder through the construction zone. The MdQI is a cooperative effort by Maryland's highway industry dedicated to the continuous quality improvement in the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of Maryland's highway system. | 
