WASHINGTON, D.C. — The work of three photographers has been honored with the announcement of the winners of the Faces of Transportation competition, sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Julie Duewel of the Nevada Department of Transportation took the overall grand prize. David Gonzalez of the Minnesota Department of Transportation and Mel Coulter of the Idaho Department of Transportation were also winners.

Nearly 100 photos from 24 state departments of transportation were entered into the AASHTO competition in three categories: On the Job; In the Community; and Improving Quality of Life. The competition was designed to "bring a face to the important role that transportation plays in our communities," according to AASHTO Executive Director John Horsley.

"These photos truly depict the positive effects of transportation on individuals and their communities," Horsley said. "Thousands of men and women are working every day to make America's transportation system work better, and we wanted this competition to honor them. Too often what they do is taken for granted; these photos show the real faces of transportation today."

This year's Best Overall Photo and the Grand Prize of $1,000 was awarded to Julie Duewel for her photo depicting NDOT Maintenance Crew #235, which she describes in the caption as "Standing strong and united; ready to expertly maintain and make safe the network of vital rural roads, which criss-cross the state's 110,000 square miles."

David Gonzalez won first place in two categories and will receive $250 for each: his winning On the Job photo showed night paving operations on Highway 51 in Arden Hills, Minn.; and his photo depicting the I-35W Bridge with LED lighting won the In the Community category.

In the category, Improving Quality of Life, Mel Coulter took home honors for his photo showing the importance of safety gear for scooter riders and passengers.

Award-winning art photographers Allen and Leah Appel judged this year's competition.

View the winning photos and all of the other submissions in a photo gallery on AASHTO's Facebook page: http://tinyurl.com/faces-of-transportation.