JAY – The Jay Highway crew, led by foreman John Johnson, will receive recognition from their peers Thursday at the 17th annual Highway Congress at Skowhegan Fairgrounds.

Members of public work departments from Fort Kent to Kittery attend the annual event, Johnson said Wednesday. The Highway Congress provides an opportunity to view demonstrations, new equipment and a chance to network with other public work crews, he added.

The Jay crew will receive first-place recognition for the 2007 Public Works Excellence Award, Category B, Johnson said. The category designates the size of the municipality, with Jay in the medium category based on its approximate population of 4,900, he added.

Jay was selected for the honor because of the crew’s Jewel Street project, which included a new road, sidewalks, sewer, water and storm drainage.

“For a project like this, most towns our size would hire a contractor, but this was done in-house,” Johnson said of the job.

The Highway Congress is sponsored by the Maine Chapter of the American Public Works Association.