Work remained scarce last year as the economic recovery continued its slow pace, but that did not stop the contenders for this year's Best Projects competition from putting their best work forward. The New York region, which covers New York, New Jersey and New England this year, drew a total of 104 entries, up from 98 last year.
To be eligible, project submitters had to meet a list of criteria. This included relaying the obstacles they faced during design or construction of the project and how these challenges were managed. They had to address innovation and creativity and provide details as to how their projects helped to elevate industry standards. Also, for the first time, this year's competition included a safety category for projects that went above and beyond the baseline industry safety requirements.