Welcome to ASCE Civil Engineering Landmark Madness!

ASCE’s Historic Civil Engineering Landmark program recognizes historically significant local, national, and international civil engineering projects, structures, and sites – nearly 300 in all.

Landmark Madness is a celebration of that history – mixed with a landmark battle royale for the ages.

The inaugural bracket features a “Sweet 16” of the greatest railways and roadways as selected by ASCE History and Heritage Committee members. And it’s your vote – for which rail or road you believe to be the most important, the most beautiful, the most innovative, or just the most best – that will determine the winners.

Voting on the semifinal matchups opens Monday, March 23, and runs through Sunday, March 29.

So it’s time to get started!

Check out the matchups below. Read up and learn about each landmark. Consider all pertinent facts and factors. Debate with your friends. (Maybe flip a coin?) Then cast your vote!

And make sure you explore all the amazing ASCE Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks and learn more about ASCE2027: The Infrastructure and Engineering Experience. 

Bookmark the page and come back every Monday all month!

QUARTERFINAL RESULTS

• Route 66: 64.2% vs. Central Pacific Railroad: 35.8%
• First New York Subway: 60.0% vs. Columbia River Scenic Highway: 40.0%
• Joining of the Rails: 84.6% vs. King's Road: 15.4%
• Inka Imperial Road: 57.0% vs. Alaska Highway: 43.0%

FIRST-ROUND RESULTS

• Route 66: 73.1% vs. Allegheny Portage Railroad: 26.9%
• Central Pacific Railroad: 70.1% vs. National Road: 29.9%
• Columbia River Scenic Highway: 57.7% vs. First Concrete Pavement: 42.3%
• First New York Subway: 68.2% vs. White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad: 31.8%
• King's Road: 51.4% vs. Liverpool and Manchester Railway: 48.6%
• Joining of the Rails: 70.1% vs. Mount Washington Cog Railway: 29.9%
• Inka Imperial Road: 67.0% vs. Union Pacific Railroad: 33.0%
• Alaska Highway: 75.7% vs. Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railway: 24.3%

Route 66 vs. First New York Subway

SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS - FINAL FOUR

Route 66

Why you should vote for Route 66, as argued by Jonathan Upchurch, Ph.D., P.E., Dist.M.ASCE:

2026 is the centennial year for U.S. Route 66. One hundred years ago the number 66 was assigned to a new route from Chicago to Santa Monica, California. So it would be especially timely for Route 66 to win Civil Engineering Landmark Madness this year.

But more importantly, the Route 66 Historic Civil Engineering Landmark designation includes 15 civil engineering features – or elements – of historical significance. These include the Chain of Rocks Bridge over the Mississippi River, the Bridgeport Bridge over the Canadian River in Oklahoma, the Old Trails Bridge over the Colorado River, and the Arroyo Seco Parkway in Los Angeles.

Each of these elements is a worthy contribution to the Route 66 Landmark as a whole and each is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Route 66 passes through eight states and 10 ASCE sections and is highly deserving of a Landmark Madness win!

Learn more about Route 66.

First New York Subway

Why you should vote for the First New York Subway, as argued by Erik Metzger, M.ASCE:

The First New York Subway is my selection to win the inaugural ASCE Civil Engineering Landmark Madness bracket. It was the first major rapid-transit subway system in the United States when it opened in 1904 and is still in operation!

Today you can ride along the subway’s original route in Manhattan – from Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall to 145th Street – by taking the #6, shuttle, and #1 trains. The zigzag across 42nd Street might seem awkward, but the route was influenced by legal battles with property owners on lower Broadway.

Led by Chief Engineer William Barclay Parsons, the project was a trailblazer for construction in a dense urban area, especially with much of the route being built near the surface using cut-and-cover construction.

What could be a better choice than a landmark that begins only steps away from the former location of The Rotunda, where ASCE was founded in 1852?

Learn more about the First New York Subway.

Joining of the Rails vs. Inka Imperial Road

SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS - FINAL FOUR

Joining of the Rails

Why you should vote for the Joining of the Rails, as argued by Chuck Spinks, P.E., M.ASCE:

The Joining of the Rails at Promontory, Utah, on May 10, 1869 – thus completing the first transcontinental railroad – was the most significant civil engineering accomplishment in the United States in the 19th century.

At that time, no railroad in the world had crossed mountains as high or as rugged. It was the first use of high explosives, in the form of nitroglycerine, in construction in the U.S.

When construction started in Sacramento in 1863, the country was in the midst of the Civil War. Until the election of Leland Stanford as governor in 1862, the California political machine was run mostly by pro-slavery elected officials who supported the Confederacy. The construction of the new railroad helped solidify California’s support for the Union and kept gold and silver from California and Nevada mines flowing to the Northern cause.

No projects in the 19th century U.S. eclipsed the Joining of the Rails!

Learn more about the Joining of the Rails.

Inka Imperial Road

Why you should vote for the Qhapaq Ñan, as argued by Olga Marin, MEng, C.Eng, F.ASCE:

The Qhapaq Ñan is more than an ancient road system; it is a powerful expression of the greatness of the Inka civilization, an empire that achieved extraordinary levels of organization, knowledge, and territorial integration across some of the most challenging landscapes on Earth.

Its alignment reveals a profound understanding of terrain, where routes were not imposed on nature but carefully negotiated with it. Stone pavements, terraces, and drainage solutions still perform centuries later, reflecting durability through precision and local knowledge.

For the Inka civilization, this network was the backbone of a highly sophisticated society, enabling governance, trade, communication, and cultural cohesion across vast distances. It also reflects a remarkable capacity to build upon and adapt infrastructure from earlier cultures, recognizing value and reusing knowledge and materials. Its design embodies sustainability long before the term existed: local materials, climatic adaptation, and minimal environmental disruption.

Recognizing the Inka Imperial Road with an ASCE Landmark Madness victory would honor a civilization whose engineering genius achieved lasting harmony between people, infrastructure, and the natural world.

Learn more about the Qhapaq Ñan.

Out of the Bracket, But Forever in Our Hearts

Allegheny Portage Railroad

A 36-mile railroad project from Hollidaysburg to Johnstown in Pennsylvania, the Allegheny Portage Railroad included the first railroad tunnel in the United States, 10 double-track inclined planes and four viaducts.

Find out why you should have voted for the Allegheny Portage Railroad.

National Road

Completed between 1811 and 1839, the National Road was the precursor of today’s federal interstate system and represented the highest standards of road design and construction of the time.

Find out why you should have voted for the National Road.

First Concrete Pavement

The first engineering use of Portland cement concrete street pavement in public road construction represented a milestone for civil engineering, and it happened in small-town Bellefontaine, Ohio.

Find out why you should have voted for the First Concrete Pavement.

White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad

Completed in 1900, the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway, represented the first cold-region engineered construction in Alaska.

Find out why you should have voted for the White Pass and Yukon Route Railway.

Liverpool and Manchester Railway

The world’s first mainline railway, it set the standard for subsequent railways developed in the United Kingdom and throughout the world.

Find out why you should have voted for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway.

Mount Washington Cog Railway

When completed in 1869, New Hampshire’s Mount Washington Cog Railway was the first mountain-climbing railway in the world. 

Find out why you should have voted for the Mount Washington Cog Railway.

Union Pacific Railroad

The Union Pacific Railroad was the eastern section of America’s first transcontinental railroad, running westward from Omaha.

Find out why you should have voted for the Union Pacific Railroad.

Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railway

The 64-mile Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railway remains one of the last narrow-gauge railroads in existence.

Find out why you should have voted for the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Highway.

Central Pacific Railroad

The Central Pacific Railroad served as the western terminus of America's first transcontinental railroad, passing through the formidable Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Find out why you should have voted for the Central Pacific Railroad.

Columbia River Scenic Highway

The Columbia River Scenic Highway blended 74 miles of roadways, tunnels, viaducts, and overlooks seamlessly into the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

Find out why you should have voted for the Columbia River Scenic Highway.

King's Road

Completed before America’s independence, King’s Road was a remarkable engineering feat, providing a vital transportation line through the swampy flatlands of coastal Florida.

Find out why you should have voted for the King’s Road.

Alaska Highway

Built in just eight months, the 1,570-mile Alaska Highway was a significant feat of time-critical engineering and construction.

Find out why you should have voted for the Alaska Highway.