The City of Carrollton’s Public Works Department were honored to receive In-House Project of the Year in Disaster or Emergency Construction/Repair by the American Public Works Association (APWA) Texas Chapter.

Public Works staff were present at APWA’s annual conference in College Station to receive the award. In-House Project of the Year recognizes excellent projects by Texas public works personnel from design and planning to execution. Within the Disaster or Emergency/Construction Repair category, the judging process evaluates the use of good construction management techniques, safety performance, efforts to minimize public inconvenience, unusual accomplishment under adverse conditions, and use of time and/or money-saving techniques.

The Carrollton Public Works Department submitted a nomination for the straight-line wind event and debris removal from 2024. The May 28, 2024 storm was one of the most severe Carrollton has experienced in 40 years, with heavy rain and straight-line winds reaching speeds of 80 to 95 mph, the equivalent of an EF-1 tornado or Category 1 hurricane.

The National Weather Service issued a thunderstorm warning at 5:32 a.m. and by 6:30 a.m., Public Works teams were deployed to perform a damage assessment, ultimately determining the storm impacted all 37.1 square miles of Carrollton. The City received reports of widespread power outages, flooding, and damage to trees and vegetation. Crews were instrumental in mitigating all major roadway hazards within 48-72 hours of the storm, clearing 383 inlets and culverts and restoring power to 71 traffic signals across the City, including providing generator power to six signals awaiting power restoration by Oncor. City staff alone collected and removed 2,600 tons of debris in the aftermath of the storm.

“Public Works staff are a critical part of Carrollton’s emergency response efforts,” Jody Byerly, Director of Carrollton’s Public Works, said. “After the storm on May 28, crews restored traffic signals to prevent accidents and cleared roadways for public safety teams to respond. We’re extremely proud of the hard work and efficiency of the response and a continued standard of excellence the department maintains.”

The City of Carrollton Public Works Department maintains the surface and underground infrastructure of the City, responsible for the maintenance of streets, drainage, and traffic operations. Additionally, Public Works helps preserve clean and safe drinking water for residents. The department is responsible for 617 miles of water infrastructure, 437 miles of wastewater infrastructure, and 1,325 miles of roads, streets, and alleys across the City, in addition to emergency response efforts.

For a complete list of City accolades, visit cityofcarrollton.com/awards-accolades.