Last updated: September 3, 2026
Article
Guardians of the Parkway: Award-Winning Team Renews a Historic Gateway to the Nation’s Capital
National Park Service and Federal Highway Administration employees unite modern engineering, historic preservation and public service along the Potomac River
DOI / NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
Every day, thousands of people travel beneath the parkway’s canopy of trees, alongside the Potomac River and through a landscape created to honor the nation’s first president.
The team faced a mission as daunting as it was essential: rebuild a deteriorating roadway carrying millions of travelers, improve safety, preserve historic views and protect the surrounding landscape, all while keeping the public moving through one of the Washington metropolitan area’s busiest transportation corridors. Failure was not an option. The parkway’s future, the safety of its travelers and the integrity of a nationally significant landscape all depended on getting it right.
Their achievement captures the enduring spirit of National Park Week. Preserving America’s story sometimes means protecting a quiet view or a canopy of trees. Sometimes it means confronting years of deterioration beneath the wheels of millions of vehicles. Through extraordinary partnership, skill and resolve, this team secured the parkway’s next chapter.
“This recognition reflects the work of many people who understood how much commuters and visitors alike depend on this parkway,” said National Capital Region Director Jennifer Nersesian. “Together, they made daily travel safer and more reliable while preserving the Potomac River views, wooded landscapes and historic character that make this road unlike any other.”
A Monumental Mission
Engineers, project managers, historic preservation specialists, natural resource specialists, safety experts and construction professionals worked together to solve difficult problems while protecting the parkway’s history, landscapes and wildlife. They improved pavement, bridges, drainage and historic overlooks while managing construction schedules, protecting sensitive resources and helping drivers navigate changing conditions.The National Park Service and Federal Highway Administration carefully planned the project to improve the road while protecting the parkway’s natural and historic features. As required by Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, the team studied how construction could affect historic places and consulted with partners to avoid or reduce harm.
Every choice demanded precision. Modern safety standards had to coexist with the parkway’s historic design. Construction had to advance on a corridor that rarely rests. The team met those challenges with an innovative guardwall solution and other modern, crash-tested safety features that protect travelers without sacrificing the roadway’s historic appearance.
The Partners in Excellence Award recognizes National Park Service recipients Karen Arey, Christopher Hershey, Maureen Joseph, Steven Kattula, Jennifer Madello, Mark Maloy, Matt Mohler, Chantae Moore and Raymond Nuesch.
Federal Highway Administration recipients are Mir Ali, Mohammad Azizi, Joe Fabis, Nelson Ferreira, Selam Hailegiorgis, Andrew Jessberger, Jeff Johnson, Ricardo Garcia Rosario and Sijan Shrestha.
Transportation Branch Chief Chris Close of the Denver Service Center separately received the 2026 NPS/FHWA Federal Lands Transportation Award for Transportation Outstanding Performer. The award recognizes his leadership across major NPS transportation efforts, including his support for the parkway rehabilitation and the emergency recovery of more than 400 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway after Hurricane Helene.
The National Park Service will recognize the recipients during the 2026 NPS Servicewide Awards ceremony on September 22, 2026.
About the National Park Service.
Established in 1916, the National Park Service preserves America’s most treasured natural and cultural places for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of current and future generations. Learn more at nps.gov.