The reopening of the Forth Road Bridge has been voted by the public as the greatest civil engineering achievement of 2016.

The Bridge was one of 12 nominations for the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) People’s Choice Award from projects across the UK which have improved people’s lives – protecting homes and businesses from flooding, improving the environment and helping us get from A to B faster and more safely.

Other entries included station improvements in Birmingham and Manchester, a 21st Century sewer network for London and flood protection and wetland habitat using waste from London’s Crossrail tunnel.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon presented the winners, Transport Scotland and Amey, with the new trophy at a ceremony yesterday at ICE’s UK headquarters at One Great George Street, Westminster.

Sir John Armitt, deputy chair of the National Infrastructure Commission and ICE Past President, was in attendance at the ceremony.

Related: Forth Road Bridge repairs… one year on

“It is very fitting that the unsung heroes responsible for producing such an innovative solution under intense pressure have been recognised for their efforts. They worked tirelessly in extremely challenging weather conditions to repair and reopen the bridge. The collective response to this unforeseen event was remarkable and reinforced Scotland’s solid reputation for engineering excellence.”