Palmer Engineering Earns Grand Conceptor Award at 2026 ACEC Kentucky Engineering Excellence Awards

Palmer Engineering earned top honors at the 2026 Engineering Excellence Awards, receiving the Grand Conceptor Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Kentucky (ACEC-KY) on March 26, 2026, for its work on “Moving Mountains, Connecting Appalachia.”

Photo: Palmer Engineering and KYTC District 12 team members at the 2026 ACEC-KY Awards Banquet.

This prestigious recognition highlights Palmer Engineering’s innovative leadership as lead designer for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) on the 16.7-mile, four-lane relocation of US 460 from US 23 south of Pikeville to the Virginia state line near Breaks Interstate Park. The award specifically recognizes the eastern nine-mile segment from KY 195 to the Virginia state line—one of the most complex and transformative portions of the project.

As part of the Appalachian Development Highway System, the US 460 relocation required comprehensive planning, environmental documentation, surveying, design, and accelerated right-of-way and mineral rights services. In partnership with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 12, Palmer Engineering’s decades-long involvement helped bring this ambitious vision to life.

Explore more about the US 460 Relocation Project in the links below:

Fork in the Road | Modern Steel Construction | March 2024

US 460 Set to Open October 31, 2025 - A Major Milestone for Eastern Kentucky

Palmer Engineering Earns National Recognition with ACEC Grand Award