The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) jointly issued the Final Environment Impact Statement (Final EIS) and Record of Decision (ROD) for the Hudson Tunnel Project. Completion of the Final EIS and ROD represents U.S. DOT’s commitment to working with New Jersey Transit and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (Port Authority), in coordination with other project partners including Amtrak and the Gateway Development Commission (GDC), to advance the Hudson Tunnel Project towards final design and construction.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said, “This is a big step for the Northeast, and for the entire country, as these tunnels connect so many people, jobs, and businesses. This decision is also an important reminder that we are still capable of working together to advance ambitious projects that can make life better for people, connect communities, and deliver a stronger future. Now we need to make sure to provide the funding America needs to deliver world-leading infrastructure in this region and in every part of the country.”

The Hudson Tunnel Project is one component of the Gateway Program.  Amtrak, NJ Transit, Port Authority, and the GDC are working with the other project proponents and partners, including the states of New York and New Jersey, to advance other components of the more encompassing Gateway Program.

The ROD represents completion of the Federal environmental review process required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA).  While no Federal funding has been dedicated for the project to date, completion of these two steps is a prerequisite for FRA or FTA to direct future Federal funding to advance this project through pre-construction activities such as engineering, final design development, and property acquisition, as well as construction. 

The Final EIS incorporated changes made in response to public comments received on the Draft EIS from a broad range of stakeholders. It sets forth a rigorous evaluation of the “Preferred Alternative,” which consists of: construction of a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River, including railroad infrastructure in New Jersey and New York connecting the new rail tunnel to the existing Northeast Corridor and rehabilitating the existing NEC tunnel beneath the Hudson River, known as the North River Tunnel, once the new tunnel is complete. When the rehabilitation is complete, both the existing and new tunnels would be in service, providing redundant capacity and increased operational flexibility for both Amtrak and NJ Transit.

FRA officially started the NEPA review for the project in May 2016. FRA was the lead federal agency for the NEPA Review, and FTA was a NEPA Cooperating Agency, that adopted the FEIS and is now issuing a joint ROD with FRA.  The United States Army Corps of Engineers was also a NEPA Cooperating Agency, and if appropriate, will rely on the FEIS to fulfill its NEPA obligations if it issues a Department of Army permit for the project, anticipated to occur this fall. 

The FEIS and ROD can be accessed on the FRA webpage for the project and via the Project website, as well as select libraries and other publicly accessible locations listed on that website.  FRA will request that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publish a Notice of Availability for the FEIS in the Federal Register in June.

Soils & Site Evaluation for Septic Disposal Systems and Stormwater BMPs
September 23-25, 2019
New Brunswick, NJ
NJ Professional Engineers – 20.75 Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) credits
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/es0301ca.html

OCTOBER

ArcGIS: Introduction
October 3, 10, 17, and 24, 2019
New Brunswick, NJ
NJ Professional Engineers – 12 Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) Credits
NY Professional Engineers – 12 PDHs
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/eg0914ca.html

PAH Forensics Geochemistry
October 18, 2019
Somerset, NJ
NJ Professional Engineers – 7 Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) credits
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/el0403ca.html

Health Impact Assessment: Incorporating Health Into Planning and Decision-Making
October 18, 2019
New Brunswick, NJ
NJ Professional Engineers – 5 Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) credits
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/ep0704ca.html

Introduction to Wetland Identification
October 23, 2019
Basking Ridge, NJ
NJ Professional Engineers – 6 Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) credits
NY Professional Engineers – 6 PDHs
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/eh0102ca.html

Forensic Geochemical Age Dating and Environmental Litigation
October 28, 2019
Somerset, NJ
NJ Professional Engineers – 6 Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) credits
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/el0404ca.html

Forensic Geochemical and Geophysical Statistical Data Visualization
October 29, 2019
Somerset, NJ
NJ Professional Engineers – 6 Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) credits
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/el0405ca.html

Understanding Advanced Stormwater Management Techniques: Green Infrastructure Applications
October 29, 2019
New Brunswick, NJ
NJ Professional Engineers – 6 Continuing Professional Competency Credits
NY Professional Engineers – 6 PDHs (NOTE: This class may not be used to fulfill the land surveyors continuing education requirement in NYS.)
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/ew0303ca.html

NOVEMBER

Lake Management
November 7-8, 2019
Somerset, NJ
NJ Professional Engineers – 12 Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) Credits
NY Professional Engineers – 11 PDHs (Day 1 = 6 PDHs, Day 2 = 5 PDHs).
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/ew0301ca.html

ArcGIS: Editing and Data Development
November 7, 14, 21, and December 5, 2019
New Brunswick, NJ
NJ Professional Engineers – 12 Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) Credits
NY Professional Engineers – 12 PDHs
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/eg0915ca.html

Emerging Issues in Brownfields
Rutgers, in cooperation with the Brownfield Coalition of the Northeast
November 13, 2019
Somerset, NJ
NJ Licensed Professional Engineers – 6 Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) credits
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/en0506ca.html

DECEMBER

Ecological Evaluation
December 4, 2019
Somerset, NJ
NJ Professional Engineers – 6 Continuing Professional Competency Credits
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/ez0404ca.html

The Ethical Organization
December 5, 2019
New Brunswick, NJ
NJ Licensed Professional Engineers – 3 Ethics Continuing Professional Competency Credits
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/eo0121ca.html

The Science and Practical Aspects of In situ Technologies
December 12, 2019
New Brunswick, NJ
NJ Professional Engineers – 6 Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) credits
NY Professional Engineers – 6 PDHs (NOTE: This class may not be used to fulfill the land surveyors continuing education requirement in NYS.)
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/en0510ca.html

Identification of Wetland Plants in Winter
December 16-17, 2019
Basking Ridge, NJ
NJ Professional Engineers – 12 CPC credits
NY Professional Engineers – 12 PDHs
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/eh0205ca.html

Fairfax, VA — Dewberry, a privately held professional services firm, announced that Eugene Irving has joined the New York City office as a CAD manager.

Irving brings with him more than 20 years of experience in CAD design systems and building information modeling (BIM) software. He has extensive experience working with BIM and Revit® models; and coordinating construction documentation to assist with BIM management standards, clash detection, parametric design, and custom object creation. Irving has managed a multidisciplined engineering CAD production environment for a $4 billion capital program. He also oversaw the development and implementation of CAD standards to provide operators with an organized and consistent method to create, retrieve, and share CAD drawings.

Irving’s skills and experience will enhance the firm’s 70-person CAD and BIM resources. His new role will include setting up CAD and Revit models, BIM using Bentley and Revit software, CAD drafting, drawing production, and discipline coordination using AutoCAD or Microstation and Revit software.

Irving states, “I’m excited that we will be able to offer our clients extensive knowledge of BIM best practices and CAD standards, as well as attention to detail that will deliver a superior product.”

Irving earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Delaware State University (1983).

SmithGroup’s Milwaukee office will be led by Bill Patek, who also serves as director of the firm’s Madison location. Patek and others across the company have extensive experience working with clients throughout Southeastern Wisconsin including Milwaukee County, City of Racine, Milwaukee Public Schools, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District and Marquette University. “As an integrated design firm, we assemble diverse teams of specialists to help our clients advance their goals and position them for the future,” says Patek. “This office will enable us to extend that talent and expertise to other Southeastern Wisconsin organizations looking for unique design solutions.”

Cassie Goodwin, a principal specializing in multi-disciplinary urban design and waterfront projects, has relocated from Madison and will serve as a key member of the Milwaukee leadership team. “SmithGroup has a legacy of well-known projects in the region including Lakeshore State Park, Pier Wisconsin at Discovery World, Lake Vista in Oak Creek and 69^th Street Center in Wauwatosa, as well as active projects like Kinnickinnic River at Jackson Park,” states Goodwin. “We’re excited to build on the impact we’ve had in the area and look forward to supporting the growing design needs of this region.”

The opening of the Milwaukee office is the latest milestone in a pattern of steady growth for SmithGroup. “In the past two years we have made great strides to diversify our geographic presence by adding offices in San Diego, Boston, Pittsburgh and Denver,” notes SmithGroup Managing Partner Russ Sykes. “We are glad to add Milwaukee to that list and look forward to the opportunity to better serve our current clients in Southeastern Wisconsin.”

SmithGroup’s Milwaukee office is located downtown at 233 N. Water Street in the historic Saddlery Building.

Vegetation Identification for Wetland Delineation: South
September 17-18, 2019
Toms River, NJ
NJ Professional Engineers – 12 Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) credits
NY Professional Engineers – 12 PDHs
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/eh0502ca.html

Stormwater Management for Engineers
September 18-20, 2019
Somerset, NJ
NJ Professional Engineers: 18 Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) credits
NY Professional Engineers: 14 PDHs
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/ew0302ca.html

Groundwater in Fractured Bedrock
September 24, 2019
Somerset, NJ
NJ Professional Engineers: 6 Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) Credits
NY Professional Engineers: 6 PDHs (NOTE: This class may not be used to fulfill the land surveyors continuing education requirement in NYS.)
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/ew0108ca.html

Wetland Construction: Principles, Planning and Design
October 2-4, 2019
Hillsborough, NJ
NJ Professional Engineers: 12 Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) credits
NY Professional Engineers: 22 PDHs (NOTE: This class may not be used to fulfill the land surveyors continuing education requirement in NYS.)
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/eh0604ca.html

Advanced Petroleum Forensics Geochemistry
October 17, 2019
Somerset, NJ
NJ Professional Engineers: 7.0 Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) Credits
NY Professional Engineers: 7.5 PDHs (NOTE: This class may not be used to fulfill the land surveyors continuing education requirement in NYS.)
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/el0402ca.html

Geology, Hydrogeology, and Chemistry
November 6, 2019
New Brunswick, NJ
NJ Professional Engineers: 6 Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) Credits
NY Professional Engineers: 6 PDHs
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/ew0106ca.html

HEC-RAS: An Intensive Three Day Workshop
December 11-13, 2019
Somerset, NJ
NJ Professional Engineers: 18 Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) credits
NY Professional Engineers: 16.5 PDHs (NOTE: This class may not be used to fulfill the land surveyors continuing education requirement in NYS.)
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/ew0401ca.html

Identification of Wetland Plants in Winter
December 16-17. 2019
Basking Ridge, NJ
NJ Professional Engineers – 12 CPC credits
NY Professional Engineers – 12 PDHs
https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/eh0205ca.html

Pennoni is committed to the development and growth of its staff and thus conducted a robust internal search led by the Human Resources Committee of the Board of Directors for the fourth President and CEO in the firm’s 53-year history. The Board concluded that DeLizza’s leadership and considerable experience with Pennoni over the last 40 years, most recently as the COO, makes him an excellent choice as the firm’s future President and CEO.

“Dave has a proven track record of demonstrating our goals of excellent reputation, profit, and growth through strong leadership, as well as expressing Pennoni’s core values of honesty, integrity, and service in all business dealings with both external and internal clients,” said C.R. “Chuck” Pennoni, Founder and Chairman. “Dave’s vision for Pennoni’s future is developed with a deep understanding and passion for the consulting engineering profession.”

DeLizza first joined Pennoni through Drexel University’s Co-Op program and was hired full time in 1979. He has more than three decades of experience in civil municipal engineering, coupled with broad experience in relationship development among stakeholders at the federal, state and local government levels. DeLizza has integrated the engineering and financial aspects of major projects into the legal, regulatory and community objectives, to the benefit of Pennoni’s diverse client base.

 “I’m honored and humbled to be named the fourth President and CEO. As I look at the three before me, all have been friends, mentors, teachers, and colleagues to me, and I have learned a lot from every one of them. I’ve been so lucky in my career to have worked for such a great firm and a great team,” said DeLizza. “The future is what we determine it to be, and I look forward to partnering with my colleagues and clients to continue the successful growth of our firm.”

Pennoni is also recognizing Anthony Bartolomeo’s dedication to the firm as the President and CEO for the last 20 years as he sets to retire at the end of the year. Tony first joined Pennoni in 1986 and has more than 30 years of experience in environmental engineering. Tony is a respected and recognized leader in both the local business community and the A/E/C industry. He has spearheaded the development of the “ASCE Grand Challenge”, a call-to-action for the civil engineering profession and is a Distinguished Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Sechler, a senior civil engineer at DBF has been with the firm for 14 years, advancing to Associate in 2014. In addition to new firm management duties, he will continue to design and manage site design and civil engineering projects throughout Delaware. “This is a new chapter in Jamie’s life, as well as a new chapter for the firm. He’s demonstrated the ability to not only lead successfully, but to lead with great passion for what he does. We are fortunate to have someone as accomplished as Jamie on our team and look forward to seeing him continue to grow with the firm,” said Ring W. Lardner, principal at DBF.

After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Sechler obtained his professional engineering licenses in both Delaware and Pennsylvania. He has demonstrated experience in the civil design and engineering of multiple major subdivision developments, site grading plans, new roadway design, stormwater management design and the design and coordination of on-site utilities. Some of Sechler’s on-going and completed projects include civil design and engineering for various residential developments as well as the Dagsboro Water Treatment Plant and the Hyatt Hotel. “I’ve had the pleasure of working at DBF for over a decade, so I’m excited for the opportunity to transition into this new role,” said Jamie L. Sechler, P.E.

Fredrickson has been tapped to serve as STV’s national aviation leader and will be responsible for growing the firm’s renowned aviation practice. He will be based out of the firm’s Baltimore office.

Over the course of his career, Fredrickson has led the design, project management and construction management components of new and expanded passenger terminals, airline maintenance hangars, landside roadways and support facilities, and infrastructure improvements such as runways, taxiways and associated fuel lines and de-icing facilities.

“The addition of Greg to our aviation group couldn’t come at a better time for STV,” said STV president and CEO Milo Riverso, P.E., Ph.D., CCM. “Among other projects, we are currently working as part of two joint ventures that will transform New York’s LaGuardia Airport and Newark’s Liberty International Airport. As we build upon our success in serving our commercial aviation clients, Greg is ideally suited for the challenges that lie ahead.”

In his most recent role with a major engineering firm, Fredrickson led a multidisciplinary team of 130 aviation professionals performing more than 500 projects at 120 airports annually. He has led a wide scope of assignments at major airports, including Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, Dulles International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport. His work at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport was recognized for excellence by a state transportation group for outstanding design and construction quality.

Fredrickson earned Bachelor of Science degrees in both architectural engineering and civil engineering from Drexel University, and is a licensed professional engineer in Maryland.

Bronze Winner:

• “Silver Line Gateway” located in Chelsea, MA, submitted by AECOM
• “Washington Street (Route 85) Over the Assabet River Bridge Replacement” located in Hudson, MA submitted by Jacobs
• “Massachusetts Avenue Bridge Over Commonwealth Avenue | Bridge B-16-237” located in Boston, Massachusetts submitted by Stantec

Silver Award winner

• “Whittier Bridge/I-95 Improvement” project spanning over the Merrimack River connecting Newburyport and Amesbury, MA which was submitted by HNTB.
• “Longfellow Bridge Rehabilitation Design Build” spanning over the Charles River connecting Boston and Cambridge, MA submitted by STV.
• “Cape Cod Rail Trail Extension and Bass River Bridge” project located in Yarmouth and Dennis MA, submitted by VHB
• “Interstate 91 Viaduct Rehabilitation Project” located in Springfield MA, submitted by VHB
• “Mount Vernon Street Bridge Improvements” project located in Winchester MA, submitted by VHB
• “Fore River Bridge” spanning over the Weymouth Fore River between Quincy and Weymouth submitted by Parsons

Grand Conceptor

• “Fore River Bridge” spanning over the Weymouth Fore River between Quincy and Weymouth submitted by Parsons

The submission period applies to PennDOT-owned projects and infrastructure. During this period, the private sector can submit proposals offering innovative ways to deliver transportation projects across a variety of modes including roads, bridges, rail, aviation, and ports. Proposals can also include more efficient models to manage existing transportation-related services and programs.

The private sector may also submit applications for non-PennDOT-owned assets directly to the P3 board during this time. Transportation entities outside of the governor’s jurisdiction, such as transit authorities, may establish their own timelines or accept proposals year-round. Unsolicited proposals are being accepted through 11:59 p.m. on April 30. Instructions on how to submit a project and information on the unsolicited proposal review process can be found on the state’s P3 website, www.P3.pa.gov.

The state’s P3 law allows PennDOT and other transportation authorities and commissions to partner with private companies to participate in delivering, maintaining, and financing transportation-related projects.

As part of the P3 law, the seven-member Public Private Transportation Partnership Board was appointed to examine and approve potential public-private transportation projects. If the board determines a state operation would be more cost-effectively administered by a private company, the company will be authorized to submit a proposal and enter into a contract to either completely or partially take over that operation for a defined period of time.

The next unsolicited proposal acceptance period will occur in October. To learn more about P3 in Pennsylvania, including active projects, visit www.P3.pa.gov.

Federal and state regulations require that impacts of infrastructure improvements to the environment be mitigated through replacement. The conventional approach is to develop project specific mitigation sites that satisfy the improvement impacts. This P3 project aims to preserve and transform the 140 acres in Chalfont into a mitigation site. By creating this mitigation site, PennDOT will be able to deliver infrastructure projects in a faster and more economical way.

The Chalfont site offers an opportunity to mitigate environmental impacts in a heavily urbanized area. By creating a mitigation banking site, PennDOT will also preserve open space by curbing future development on the 140-acre location.

“This project demonstrates our commitment to meeting environmental requirements and being good stewards, while also collaborating with the private sector,” Richards said. “When completed, we will meet environmental needs while also initiating projects sooner.”

The teams were scored and selected based on criteria including experience and technical approach; relevant experience and qualifications of key personnel; and their plan to deliver all requisite elements of the Required Project Services.

The teams invited to submit proposals are:

• First Pennsylvania Resource, LLC; RK&K; Circa – Cultural Resource Management, LLC; Hunt Engineering;
• Magnolia Land Partners, LLC; and
• Restoration Systems, LLC; GAI Consultants, Inc.

A draft Request for Proposals (RFP) will soon be issued to the teams with a final RFP issued in the summer. Proposals will be due by the fall, with an award made in winter 2019-2020.

The selected team will be responsible for the maintenance of the land associated with the credits for a period of no less than 30 years, with the ability to sell excess credits with an opportunity for revenue sharing.

The project was approved by the state’s P3 Board on July 13, 2017. PennDOT hosted an industry forum on December 18, 2018, to educate potential private-sector stakeholders on the scope and requirements, and to provide a walkthrough of the project site.

In July 2012, the Public and Private Partnerships for Transportation Act, which authorized P3 projects in Pennsylvania was signed into law. This law allows PennDOT and other state agencies, transportation authorities and commissions to partner with private companies to participate in delivering, maintaining and financing transportation-related projects.

To learn more about P3 in Pennsylvania, visit www.P3.pa.gov.

New York — Thornton Tomasetti acquired Becker Structural Engineers, Inc., a Portland, Maine-based firm with specializations in mass timber, parking structures and highway bridge projects. The deal will expand Thornton Tomasetti’s ability to serve clients in New England. Terms of the transaction, which closed at the end of March, were not disclosed.

Becker will work closely with the firm’s Portland, Maine and Boston offices. Company Founder and President Paul Becker, P.E., SECB, and Vice President Todd Neal, P.E., SECB, will become senior principal and principal at Thornton Tomasetti, respectively. Becker’s 27 employees will remain in its existing office at 75 York St.

For nearly 25 years, Becker Structural Engineers has offered a range of new design and rehabilitation services for commercial, cultural and residential buildings, parking structures and highway bridges. Its capabilities include historic restoration, seismic upgrades, structural strengthening and construction support services, such as structural evaluations, condition assessments and special inspections. The firm works across most sectors, with a strong presence in education and healthcare.

The acquisition will complement Thornton Tomasetti’s current offerings, including increased expertise in mass timber projects. Becker has completed a number of mass timber projects, while Thornton Tomasetti is currently providing structural engineering services to what could be the tallest mass-timber tower in the Western Hemisphere, the 16-story Ascent in Milwaukee, Wis., and was on the team behind the concept of an 80-story timber skyscraper in Chicago., Ill.

Paul Becker is an advocate for the expansion of the heavy timber industry in Maine. His expertise in the field, along with that of Thornton Tomasetti’s Sustainability team, will give the firm a strong foothold in Portland, which will join the firm’s other mass timber centers of excellence in Toronto, Seattle and Chicago.

The Becker team and Thornton Tomasetti’s Portland office already have a long history of working together. They have paired up on such projects as the 30,000-square-foot, LEED Platinum Roux Center for the Environment at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, a 23,000-square-foot addition to the Waynflete School Campus in Portland that is seeking Passive House certification, and the 100,000-square-foot University of Maine Engineering Education and Design Center in Orono, which is targeting LEED Silver certification.

Becker’s parking practice is responsible for such projects as the $27-million, 1,000-space addition to the Portland International Jetport Parking Garage and the 2,400-car, eight-story garage for the Maine Medical Center, which is currently under construction in Portland. The firm’s bridge group often works with the Maine Department of Transportation. Projects include the deck replacement for the Memorial Bridge in Guilford and the replacement of the Webster Avenue Bridge in Bangor. Becker also offers niche design services for architecturally complex, high-end residences.

USACE estimates the 10-year indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) single-award task order contract (SATOC) to include a five-year base period and a five-year option period with a capacity value of $350 million.

“Winning this project involving challenging radiological waste remediation increases our global nuclear market presence and leverages our depth of environmental experience,” said Jacobs Aerospace, Technology and Nuclear Senior Vice President Steve Arnette. “We are pleased to partner with USACE at the SLDA site to achieve cleanup with the highest regards to safety, quality and schedule as we provide remediation solutions for a more connected and sustainable world.”

The SLDA site covers approximately 44 acres and is surrounded by residential communities, rural residences, farmlands, forest areas and light industrial properties. Radioactive materials, produced in the 1950’s under Atomic Energy Commission at a nearby facility, were subsequently disposed of at the site in the 1960s.

Jacobs provides and integrates technologically advanced, full lifecycle capability including design and construction; sustaining capital maintenance; cybersecurity; nuclear; and secure and intelligent asset management, development, modification, and testing processes for government, military, defense and consumer transportation assets.

The timing and duration of the shutdown was planned in close coordination with the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Because the tunnel contributes water to the Esopus Creek, the shutdown was planned to coincide with the period of spring rains and melting snow that have historically provided the greatest quantity of natural flow within the creek. During each shutdown, DEP and DEC hold weekly meetings to review the current and forecasted flow of water within the creek to decide whether the shutdown can continue for its full duration.

DEP reactivated the tunnel March 25 after that weekly discussion with DEC. A period of dry weather, combined with relatively little snowpack in the watershed, caused the natural flow in the upper Esopus Creek to drop below a desired threshold. Reactivation of the Shandaken Tunnel will provide an additional 200-250 million gallons of water per day to the creek at the portal outlet in Allaben.

The shutdown was meant to allow divers to install a massive plug within the intake structure at Schoharie Reservoir, setting the condition for them to safely remove and replace eight gates that control the flow of water into the tunnel. During the first three weeks of the shutdown, divers installed the plug but did not complete the construction of the bypass pipe through the plug to allow work to begin on the gates. The work is part of a $47 million rehabilitation of the Shandaken Tunnel Intake Chamber.

Engineers and scientists from both agencies will continue to review the hydrologic forecast to determine whether the shutdown can resume later this spring. DEP will keep its neighbors in the watershed apprised of plans for the project as they evolve.

New York — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District announced completion of the emergency restoration of the Atlantic Ocean’s Gilgo Feeder Beach in the Town of Babylon, Long Island, to restore coastal storm risk reduction measures that reduce the risk of barrier island breaches and protect critical infrastructure. The work restored the beach that protects the undermining of Ocean Parkway — a critical transportation corridor that serves as an evacuation route during coastal emergencies for the residents of the surrounding communities.

“The completion of this emergency shoreline restoration contract is absolutely critical for the residents and surrounding communities of the Town of Babylon.” said Col. Thomas Asbery, commander, New York District.

Col. Asbery noted the interagency teamwork necessary to develop an efficient and innovative approach to execute the work so that multiple benefits accrued.

“This project exemplifies synergy, we were not only able to provide coastal storm risk reduction benefits but we were able to beneficially reuse 1.8 million cubic yards of dredged sand from the inlet and navigation channel, that restores safe navigation for the U.S. Coast Guard, recreational vessels, and residents of these communities, and create additional habitats that can be used by endangered bird species for feeding and nesting. I’d like to thank our partners at the local, state, and federal level for their support and share their enthusiasm for the success of this project,” said Col. Asbery.

“I commend the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for their hard work in quickly restoring the Gilgo Feeder Beach,” said Rep. Peter King (NY-2). “Long Islanders know all too well the damage that storms like Sandy have done to our south shore. I will continue to support projects like this that allocate funds and resources towards proactive measures that protect and limit the impact of any future storms.”

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos said, “The completion of this critical project will protect residents in the town of Babylon from future risks posed by coastal storms and provide an added layer of protection to the Ocean Parkway from potential breaches in the Jones Beach Barrier Island. DEC is pleased to have worked with our federal and local partners to increase the resiliency and sustainability of Long Island’s coastal infrastructure.”

The contracted work involved dredging approximately 1,800,000 cubic yards of accumulated sand from Fire Island Inlet, including its navigation channel. The dredged sand was pumped 2.5 miles to the west of the inlet in order to restore the 3.5-mile-long Gilgo Feeder Beach which had incurred serious erosion due to last winter’s four nor’easters. Sand naturally moves within the coastal systems along the Atlantic Ocean shoreline on Long Island from east to west, from Montauk Point west to Coney Island and Norton Point.

The Gilgo Feeder Beach shoreline on the Atlantic Ocean is a naturally eroding area. The sand lost from Gilgo Feeder Beach moves westward to nourish the westerly beaches to Jones Inlet.  As a feeder beach, its shoreline requires periodic sand replenishment using sand trapped in Fire Island Inlet. Pursuant to Public Law 84-99, the emergency restoration work was requested by the State of New York Department of Environmental Conservation, and completed by the Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company of Chicago.

New hires include:

Saeid Rashidi, Ph.D., PE — Rashidi joins Stantec as Senior Principal, Tunneling and Trenchless Engineering Practice Manager. In his role, he specializes in the structural design of above and below-ground structures, including soft ground tunneling, hard rock tunneling, water and wastewater tunnels, transportation tunnels, and tunnel rehabilitation. Rashidi has over 25 years of experience leading diverse design teams in a variety of project settings, successfully delivering complex infrastructure projects while supporting the growth and development of the practice. Rashidi holds bachelor of science and master of science degrees in civil engineering from Sharif University of Technology and a Ph.D. in civil engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Mark Bartlett, Ph.D., PE — Bartlett brings extensive professional and research experience in hydrology and hydraulic modeling to his role as a Senior Networks Engineer at Stantec. With over 10 years of experience, he is an established thought leader in resilience adaption with a strong background in statistical analysis, modeling, and project management. Bartlett also is dedicated to the advancement of the industry, having authored numerous publications that advance model physics. He holds a bachelor of science in civil engineering from Brown University, a master of science in environmental engineering from the University of Southern California, and a Ph.D. in civil & environmental engineering from Duke University.

Fletcher McKenzie, PE — As a Senior Networks Engineer at Stantec, McKenzie brings proven expertise in hydraulic modeling and water and wastewater engineering. He has 10 years of extensive project experience generating hydraulic models for the analysis of distribution systems, storm flows, floodplains, and in the operation and maintenance of environmental remediation systems. His project experience spans across the US, ranging from water system planning and analysis to pump station surge analysis. McKenzie holds a bachelor of science in civil engineering from Colorado State University and a master of science in civil engineering from Michigan Technological University.

Identified as the New Jersey Turnpike’s most problematic northern interchange, the 14A connection between the Hudson County Extension and New Jersey Route 440, Port Jersey Boulevard, and the streets in Bayonne, needed critical improvements. The New Jersey Turnpike Authority retained Gannett Fleming to study and design interchange improvements to relieve traffic congestion, enhance safety, and accommodate planned development in the area.

The team developed a plan that would improve interchange geometrics and operating conditions. The final design required the demolition and replacement of two large connector bridges and the construction of three new bridges. The $300 million improvement program features 11,000 feet of new and reconstructed ramps, two additional toll plaza lanes, four new bridge structures, and three bridge widenings.

Gannett Fleming’s design reduces congestion, improves drive time for 50,000 daily motorists, and accommodates future traffic volume demand. Bayonne and southern Jersey City residents, along with employees and visitors to the Global Container Terminal Bayonne and port-related businesses, now reap the benefits of forward-thinking roadway advances. Delivered one month ahead of schedule and $14 million under budget, the Interchange 14A enhancements bolster economic activity for area businesses and strengthen traveler connectivity throughout the region.

“It’s important for architects and developers to consider not only the impacts of sea level rise, but also the experience of people who live and work in waterfront and coastal areas,” says Liu. “Innovative communities like Clippership Wharf, with its hybrid living shoreline and public harborwalk, show that by taking a thoughtful, creative approach to climate adaptation, it’s possible to design for resiliency and improve livability at the same time.”

Similarly, notes Liu, project designers and public officials alike can achieve better results by recognizing that codes, regulations, and building approaches must address changeable site conditions and an evolving relationship to surrounding streets and neighborhoods.

“In Boston Harbor, for example, climate change studies predict water levels could rise more than 2 feet over the next three decades,” Liu said. “For architects and planners working in waterfront areas that will transform so markedly, it’s not enough to address current conditions on a project-by-project basis. We also need to take a long-term view of the urban context — including on a neighborhood, citywide, and regional level — and consider what it means to plan and design for how our waterfronts will look 30 years down the road.”

Recognized for thoughtful and context-responsive solutions, TAT has designed successful waterfront projects including the award-winning Lovejoy Wharf. Home to the corporate headquarters for international clothing brand Converse, Lovejoy Wharf is wrapped in elevated public use areas, creating an active edge along Boston harbor.

Other lauded waterside projects include the 480,000-square-foot mixed-use Battery Wharf complex in Boston and the mixed-use Harbor Place in riverfront Haverhill, Mass., the latter comprising two structures on a raised podium along with a plaza and pedestrian connections to the riverfront. Harbor Place was recently honored by the Urban Land Institute. The first phase of TAT’s Clippership Wharf is anticipated to open in 2019.

University Park, Pa. — Lisa Iulo, associate professor of architecture and director of the Hamer Center for Community Design in the Stuckeman School at Penn State, is the lead researcher on an interdisciplinary team that has received funding from Penn State to develop community-based solutions to river flooding in Pennsylvania under the University’s strategic plan seed grant program.

The proposal, titled “Penn State Initiative for Resilient Communities (PSIRC): A Pilot to Develop Community-Based Solutions to Riverine Flooding,” is one of nine that received University funding as part of the third round of seed grants for strategic initiative pilot programs this semester. Since last year, Penn State has invested more than $4 million in over 20 pilot programs, while simultaneously advancing the vital and transformative work of its faculty, staff and students.

The thematic priority of Penn State’s strategic plan that the PSIRC project most closely relates is “Stewarding our Planet’s Resources.”

Lara Fowler, senior lecturer in Penn State Law; Klaus Keller, professor in the Department of Geosciences; Robert Nicholas, associate research professor with the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute; Nancy Tuana, DuPont/Class of 1949 Professor of Philosophy in the College of the Liberal Arts; and Homer “Skip” Wieder, chair of the Susquehanna River Heartland Coalition for Environmental Studies, are co-principal investigators on the project.

According to a 2018 Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency report, flooding is “the most frequent and damaging natural disaster that occurs throughout the Commonwealth.” The impact of flooding is exacerbated by wildly dramatic changes in precipitation and increased development of land.

The proposed PSIRC project will “bring together experts and pilot engagement in flood-impacted communities along the Susquehanna River to address flood risk and community development,” explained Iulo.

Iulo and her team have established a network of collaborators — scholars, practitioners and community members — to assist on the project, including experts in flood modeling and policy, as well as representatives from Penn State’s Sustainability Institute, the Lewisburg (Pennsylvania) Neighborhoods Corporation, the Lycoming County Government Planning and Community Development Department, Pennsylvania Floodplain Managers Association, and the SEDA Council of Governments. A strong partnership has been forged in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, as a pilot for this initiative.

The project includes two components. The first is working with the Borough of Selinsgrove to develop a “vision plan” for community resilience to climate impacts and economic revitalization. Selinsgrove is an urban community with a population of about 5,900 (according to a 2017 U.S. Census Bureau report) that is located on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. The borough worked with a Penn State landscape architecture studio class and the Hamer Center in 2006 to develop a master plan for its central business district, which resulted in the development of a “community commons” area in the downtown area. In February 2018, the borough reconnected with the Hamer Center, requesting help in: (1) understanding the borough’s socioeconomic challenges and opportunities, and (2) developing a plan to address both the flood risk and economic development of the area.

During initial discussions, it became evident that Selinsgrove is indicative of challenges faced by many of Pennsylvania’s riverine communities, thus it was designated as a pilot, where lessons learned can inform other communities throughout the Susquehanna River Basin. A significant component of PSIRC is to broadly engage with stakeholders and decision-makers about flood resilience in the state’s riverine communities. There are more than 70 historically and culturally significant urban centers and rural communities along the Susquehanna River that are facing increased risk of floods, which result in economic, environmental and social stresses — threats that disproportionately affect low-income households.

PSIRC is synergistic with another Stuckeman School effort supported by a Penn State strategic plan seed grant, the Ecology + Design (E+D) initiative, which is led by Andy Cole, associate professor of landscape architecture and ecology. This spring, a landscape architecture course taught by Stephen Mainzer, assistant teaching professor, has taken on the project in Selinsgrove with the support of the Hamer Center and E+D. The students in Mainzer’s class are looking at a socio-ecological systems approach to balancing flood attenuation techniques with the town’s economic resources through a series of linked urban development projects.

Selinsgrove residents experience the same issues as other communities along the Susquehanna: poor economic development, stormwater and flooding issues, traffic and pedestrian patterns, and housing and land utilization. An important part of the Selinsgrove community also is the interaction between nearby Susquehanna University, the downtown area and access to the Susquehanna River. The class presented initial analysis and design visions to members of the Selinsgrove community on Feb. 28 to get feedback before they adjust and finalize their designs. Students will exhibit their final projects for the Selinsgrove public on May 1.

“Selinsgrove has presented a complex socio-environmental challenge for the students. The areas with the highest risk of flooding are also some of the most highly valued historic areas of the town — such as homes with waterfront views and the downtown area; yet our novel approach is demonstrating that a locally-sensitive solution can be both inspiring and accessible,” explained Mainzer. “The students are generating bold ideas grounded in environmental evidence, mostly through good old-fashioned pen and paper techniques.”

The student engagement though Mainzer’s class is building excitement for the PSIRC pilot study and is contributing to the development of an update to the 2006 community master plan. With the support of Penn State’s strategic plan funding, PSIRC will be working over the next year to build research and educational opportunities and relationships across Penn State and with partner communities and organizations to develop tools, design strategies, data sources, risk assessments and values-informed decision support approaches to provide an application-oriented proof-of-concept pilot study in Selinsgrove.

“This pilot will allow us to deepen collaborations with the stakeholders and decision-makers in Selinsgrove and along the Susquehanna while establishing key tools and processes useful for other communities struggling to address community resilience and revitalization issues,” said Iulo.

In the long term, the goal of the PSIRC project is to establish collaborations with colleges and universities across Pennsylvania to help build and strengthen relationships with their local communities through the state’s shared common research interests of water, energy and land resources.

The Lower Manhattan Climate Resilience Study findings are available at https://www.nycedc.com/project/lower-manhattan-coastal-resiliency.

“Hurricane Sandy showed us how vulnerable areas like Lower Manhattan are to climate change,” said Mayor de Blasio. “That’s why we not only have to reduce emissions to prevent the most cataclysmic potential effects of global warming, we have to prepare for the ones that are already inevitable. Our actions will protect Lower Manhattan into the next century. We need the federal government to stand behind cities like New York to meet this crisis head on.”

Since Hurricane Sandy, the city has worked to assess the impacts and risks of climate change and analyze coastal protection options along the 3.3 miles of shoreline comprising Lower Manhattan. The Resilience Study projects that by the 2050s, 37 percent of properties in Lower Manhattan will be at risk from storm surge. By 2100, with over 6 feet of projected sea level rise, almost 50 percent of properties will be at risk from surge, and 20 percent of Lower Manhattan streets will be exposed to daily tidal inundation. Groundwater table rise is projected to put 7 percent of buildings at risk of destabilization and expose 39 percent of streets with underground utilities to corrosion and water infiltration.

Seaport & Financial District

The Study examined a range of options for protecting all of Lower Manhattan, including the Seaport and the Financial District. These areas present unique challenges, including low-lying topography, a lack of available space, dense infrastructure above and below ground, and an active waterfront. The proximity of the FDR, Battery Tunnel and A/C subway tunnels further constrain the sites. Taken together, these elements mean that more traditional on-land flood protection measures are not feasible. Ultimately, the Study found that extending the shoreline into the East River is the only feasible way to protect these vulnerable and vital parts of the city.

The shoreline may be extended by a maximum of 500 feet, or two full city blocks. This will create a new piece of land with high points at or above 20 feet from current sea-level. The new shoreline will act as a flood barrier during storms and protect the neighborhoods against projected sea-level rise. The exact extent of the new shoreline, along with the design and construction of this innovative flood protection system, will be determined through an extensive public engagement process.

Over the next two years, ORR and NYCEDC will complete a Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan, which will include a comprehensive design for the shoreline extension and establish a new public-benefit corporation to finance, construct, and manage it. To begin this process, the City will immediately procure a team of engineers and designers through a Request for Qualification RFQ later this month. The Master Planning Process will be complete in 2021 and will identify a first phase project.

Protecting Against Future Risks

In response to these risks, the city is advancing approximately $500 million worth of investments in climate resilience as part of an overall strategy that includes both capital projects and additional planning for increasing the resilience of Lower Manhattan.

The city is making targeted, ambitious investments that will deliver significant climate adaptation measures for key neighborhoods of Lower Manhattan:

In the South Street Seaport area, parts of the Financial District and Two Bridges neighborhoods, Emergency Management (EM) will spend $3.5 million to deploy a combination of just-in-time Tiger Dams and pre-deployed HESCO barriers by the 2019 hurricane season as temporary measures in advance of a permanent solution.

In Battery Park City, the Battery Park City Authority (BPCA), with $134 million in bonds, will reconstruct its esplanade and open space to adapt to new climate conditions. BPCA kicked off design in 2018 and will start construction in 2020.

In The Battery, NYCEDC, in partnership with NYC Parks, BPCA and the Battery Conservancy, will invest $165 million to elevate the wharf and esplanade and integrate a protective barrier such as a berm at the back of the park. This design will preserve the look and feel of the existing park while strengthening the shoreline. Construction will begin in 2021.

In the Two Bridges neighborhood, NYCEDC is designing an integrated flood protection system comprised of permanent barriers and deployable or ‘flip up’ protections that will protect view corridors and public access. DDC will manage construction of the $200 million investment, which will begin in 2021.

Community engagement

Beginning in the Spring, the city will establish a robust community engagement process to discuss the study, its strategies, dedicated investments, and further planning. Dedicated community outreach programs will take place for each of the advancing capital projects as well as for the Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan. Community engagement for the Master Planning Process will inform the extent of the shoreline extension and topside programming and identify a first phase project.

Updated Climate Resiliency Design Guidelines

As part of ongoing citywide efforts to increase the resiliency of city buildings and infrastructure to the impacts of climate change, the city also released the third version of its Climate Resiliency Design Guidelines. Since New York City facilities built today will remain in use for many decades to come, it’s critically important that they be designed to withstand the long-term impacts of climate change based on the best available science.

These publicly available guidelines, which are recommended for use in municipal capital projects, equip engineers, architects, and planners with the tools and information they need to integrate future climate data into their designs. These guidelines were developed using local climate change projections that have been collected and refined over 10 years by the New York City Panel on Climate Change (NPCC).  Using the Guidelines helps protect the built environment and the services New Yorkers rely upon, while avoiding future damages and higher operational costs.

Vessel was fabricated by Cimolai S.p.A. in their Monfalcone, Italy facility and arrived on Manhattan’s West Side in six separate shipments after travelling for 15 days at sea, a brief stay at Port Newark and a five-hour barge trip across the Hudson River. Vessel was constructed from a structural steel frame that was covered by a polished copper-colored steel cladding.

It sits at the center of the Public Square and Gardens, which was designed by Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects in collaboration with Heatherwick Studio. Featuring more than five acres of gardens and groves, the new plaza seamlessly connects to the High Line and Hudson Park & Boulevard. This summer, the Hudson Yards Public Square and Gardens will house more than 28,000 plants, 200 mature trees, woodland plants and perennial gardens.

From December 2012 to March 2019, EarthCam’s cinema-quality gigapixel cameras documented each stage of Hudson Yards, the largest private real estate development in the history of the United States. More than 3 million megapixel photographs and 500,000 hours of imagery were archived, including ultra-widescreen panoramic views of Manhattan cityscape.

“It’s been a rewarding experience working with The Related Companies to document this iconic development”, said Brian Cury, CEO and Founder of EarthCam. “The massive scale of this project presented unique challenges, requiring continual reprogramming of more than 72 unique robotic camera angles positioned around Manhattan’s West Side and across the Hudson River in New Jersey. We hope this time-lapse does justice to the story of this epic achievement.”

To download a PDF of the plan, visit www.FiDiNewYork.org.

The old, Colonial streets and sidewalks of Manhattan’s Financial District have become far too crowded with different obstacles, largely due to the ongoing conversion of skyscrapers to residential use and new construction of large residential buildings, coupled with the dramatic growth of downtown tourism. Piles of garbage cover many sidewalks, creating health hazards and pushing pedestrians into already crowded streets. Construction scaffolding and street vendors block sidewalks everywhere. Loading zones sit adjacent to primary schools’ streets, and congestion slows down emergency vehicles. Pedestrians and cyclists jostle with cars for space on streets and sidewalks – to which a recent spate of fatalities and accidents attests.

“Now is the time for implementing Make Way for Lower Manhattan,” said Patrick Kennell, President of the FDNA. “We urge that funds already allocated to NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) be used for this pilot project to test some of the ideas that have worked in other cities, identified in both a 2010 DOT study and again today in the Make Way for Lower Manhattan vision – including improved walking corridors, targeted sanitation interventions, slow street zones, and pedestrian-safe plazas. And we urge that this pilot starts immediately this spring, to alleviate problems this summer and beyond.”

Lower Manhattan’s growth as a financial capital and commercial center in the late 19th and early 20th centuries gave rise to towering skyscrapers on narrow and winding colonial streets – streets one-third as wide, with sidewalks half as wide, as east-west cross streets in the gridded portion of Manhattan above Houston Street. As far back as 1966, the City Planning Commission recognized that a new approach to managing these streets would be needed to accommodate the returning residential population – but it was never implemented. Responding to this need, in 2010 NYC DOT undertook a “Shared-Street Study” which recommended a pilot project in which street real estate would be shared more equitably between cars and people. Since then, the Lower Manhattan community has urged its elected and government leaders for action and, in 2016, Council Member Chin secured $500,000 in the NYC DOT budget to identify solutions to the area’s mobility challenges.

“Lower Manhattan has evolved over the years to become a growing residential neighborhood that has retained its vital role as a commercial and tourist center. With its unique colonial-era street grid, including narrow streets and sidewalks, this increasingly congested area deserves more than just a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to essential city services like sanitation and street management. I look forward to working collaboratively with the community, city agencies and others to apply fresh ideas to create the pedestrian-friendly neighborhood that we all deserve,” said Councilwoman Margaret Chin.

“The Financial District is the birthplace of our nation and must be cherished. But it continues to evolve now with a wider range of businesses and increased tourism, and it is also home to families. To serve all these needs, CB1 works hard on addressing the impact of change and development and seeks to partner with FDNA to affect real solutions. We celebrate their leadership and drive,” said Community Board Chairman Anthony Notaro.

Shared-street districts now successfully exist in many of Europe’s historic capitals – including Dublin, Amsterdam, London, Istanbul, Paris and Barcelona. Typically, low speeds permit cars and people to access streets simultaneously, street parking is limited, and access for deliveries and cargo-loading is scheduled for specified times of day.

Make Way for Lower Manhattan was developed by BuroHappold in conjunction with

WXY, Massengale & Co., Sam Schwartz Engineering and Publica, and supported by the Kaplan Fund and Carmel Partners. It began as a “problem statement” to spark a conversation to improve the streets and sidewalks of the Financial District. Today, FDNA takes that “problem statement” and demands action from the City of New York.

Stamford, Conn. — Over two weekends this summer, the Connecticut Department of Transportation will use accelerated bridge construction to replace a two-span bridge that carries Route 1 (East Main Street) over I-95 near Stamford. The project involves removal of the current spans, which have outlasted their life cycles, followed by sliding in new spans in a period of only two weekends. The method will significantly speed up the installation of the replacement bridge, thus cutting by considerable amounts the resulting period of traffic congestion that traditional construction methods would have caused.

The project will be held on the weekends of June 1 and 8. Although motorists traveling through the area will be detoured, state officials want to get the word out well in advance so that motorists can experience the least amount of inconvenience.

“We have an aging infrastructure in our state that is in dire need of replacement – this project is a perfect example of what we need to do just to maintain our existing roads and bridges,” Governor Lamont said. “Every day, thousands of commuters use this highway to get to work so they can support their families and maintain a decent quality of life – deciding whether to keep this critical highway in a state of good repair is simply not up for debate. For the sake of our businesses and the sake of our jobs, we must provide Connecticut with a modernized transportation system that works, which requires a sustainable, recurring funding source.”

“We are using an innovative construction method that will limit detours to two weekends,” Deputy Commissioner Barry said. “If traditional construction methods were used on this project, motorists would face delays for two years. It’s exciting that our department and state are using modern and cost-effective construction methods to rebuild infrastructure while minimizing overall impacts to motorists and business.”

The project is being led by O&G Industries, based in Torrington.

For additional information and updates on the project, visit www.i95exit9.com.

By JoAnne Castagna, Ed.D.

A team of engineers are gathered on a long empty country road in the Town of Harpersfield, N.Y. All that’s heard is the steady drum of rain on their umbrellas. They’re looking over a new culvert they constructed that runs under Odell Lake Road and transports Lake Brook from one side of the road to the other. The rain — that’s been going on for days — is a nuisance, but welcomed by the team from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers because it’s proving that the culvert is successfully performing its job.

If it were weeks earlier, the road would have been flooded because the previous culvert was damaged. But the success of this project has much bigger implications.  By controlling flooding, the culvert is also improving the water quality of the brook for aquatic life and New York City’s water supply.

After Lake Brook travels through the culvert, it eventually flows into the West Branch Delaware River, which eventually streams into the Cannonsville Reservoir in Delaware County. This reservoir supplies almost 97 billion gallons of water to the New York City water system. (see “New York City Watershed System” below).

A damaged culvert can jeopardize the quality of this water. The previous culvert was damaged because of years of stormwater impacts due to it being undersized. During storm events, high water from Lake Brook streamed and plugged the undersized culvert, which triggered the water to over top and flood the Odell Lake Road. When this happens it can cause stormwater runoff. This is when water from the road sweeps up contaminates and transports them to bodies of water, such as brooks, adversely affecting the water.

Stormwater runoff can also damage roads and accelerate streambank erosion. When streambanks are eroded, it makes is easier for soil and pollutants to travel from roads into bodies of water. This pollution can have a damaging effect on the stream’s health and the quality of the water that eventually makes its way to the water supply.

A new culvert was constructed and the culvert’s streambank was restored as part of the Army Corps’ New York City Watershed Environmental Assistance Program.

“This program funds projects that are protecting the water quality of New York State’s watersheds that provide drinking water to millions of New York City residents and businesses,” said Rifat Salim, project manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District.

To perform this work, several agencies collaborated with the Army Corps, including the Delaware County Soil and Watershed Conservation District, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York City Department of Environmental Protection, and the Town of Harpersfield.

The new culvert is larger, allowing a greater amount of water to flow through and reduce the chances of flooding during storm events.

Graydon Dutcher, stream program coordinator with the Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District said, “The previous culvert was two circular pipes with a total diameter of 36 inches.  The new culvert is almost seven times larger. The new culvert is designed to withstand a 100-year storm event, plus 20-percent additional water flow.”

Less flooding means a safer community. Dutcher said, “During storm events, the old undersized culvert would plug up with woody debris causing water to overtop the culvert and flood Odell Lake Road, making the road an unreliable access route in an emergency.

Odell Lake Road can now provide access for people and emergency responders to Stamford and areas North in the county when the West Branch of the Delaware River and its tributaries flood the lower valleys. Less flooding also means less stormwater runoff, resulting in a healthier brook and cleaner water supply.

To further control stormwater runoff, the streambanks along the culvert were restored and stabilized. Rock was placed along the banks to hold down the fine sediment from running into the brook.

With the previous culvert, the stormwater movement over time carved or scoured out a pool in the bed of the brook, further increasing the flow of sediment into the brook. The rock placement is stabilizing the banks, preventing this from occurring in the future.

To provide additional stabilization, native vegetation was planted along the banks, including Willows, Dogwoods, and Apple Trees.

Dutcher said, “Flood waters will drain from the road and filter through this vegetation before entering the brook.”

The plant’s roots stabilize the soil and the vegetation traps and absorbs sediment and pollutants, like harmful phosphorus and nitrogen particles, from entering the brook. This improves the quality of the water, maintains the brook’s temperature and fosters the creation of fish and aquatic habitats.

A healthy environment for aquatic life also includes the ability to migrate and breed. Dutcher said, “The old culvert did not allow for fish passage up stream of the culvert.  The new culvert has a natural stream bottom through it and allows for all organisms to freely pass under the road.”

This project also addresses the future threat of climate change. “With the possibility of increasing storms events, climate resiliency knowledge like this is needed. This project serves as a great reference on how to replace undersized structures, ” said Dutcher.

With the new Odell Road culvert in place, the sound of heavy rain is no longer a threat of flooding for the Harpersfield community. Instead, it’s a reminder that their new culvert is helping to keep their community safe, as well as improve the water quality of their brooks and streams for aquatic life and New York City’s water supply.

New York City Watershed System

The New York City watershed region encompasses approximately 2,000 square miles of land north of New York City. The land includes three watershed systems — The Catskill, Delaware, and Croton Systems — that are located in the counties of Greene, Schoharie, Ulster, Sullivan, Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess and Delaware.

The New York City Watershed System provides more than 90 percent of New York City’s water supply, serving approximately 9.5 million people. New York City makes sure that this water is safe by treating it at the source rather than building a costly filtration plant. The source is the land that surrounds the streams, rivers, lakes and reservoirs.

“In 1996, all of the municipalities in the New York City watershed region came to an agreement. They wanted to avoid the creation of a huge filtration plant. Instead of a plant they agreed to have small projects throughout the region to provide the public with clean water with minimal filtration,” said Rifat Salim, project manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “This is how our New York City Watershed Environmental Assistance Program came about.”

JoAnne Castagna, Ed.D., is a Public Affairs Specialist and Writer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District.  She can be reached at joanne.castagna@usace.army.mil.

Situated along the East River, the 700-unit residential development required special infrastructure planning considerations given its location along a major waterway and within the floodplain. Among them was balancing stormwater discharges following heavy rain events without overwhelming an aging sewer system already operating at capacity. Otherwise, excess flows could spill contaminants into the river. However, a constrained site left little room for a conventional detention facility.

ARKF’s solution called for burying the detention system between an at-grade public plaza and an underground garage. Within the three-foot high space, 2,500 feet of 15-inch diameter plastic pipe are looped in a complex web that complements the plaza’s landscaping plan. To improve proper drainage, the structural slab of the garage roof was topped with a thin, pitched concrete slab that allows excess water to fall away from the structure. The innovative strategy provides a valuable benchmark for integrating critical environmental infrastructure in dense urban environments.

The project is among 196 engineering achievements from throughout the nation and the world being recognized by ACEC as the year’s finest examples of engineering excellence, and eligible for additional top national honors. Judging for the awards program—known industry-wide as the “Academy Awards of the engineering industry”– took place in February, conducted by a national 30-member panel of built environment leaders, along with experts from government, the media and academia. Award criteria focuses on uniqueness and originality, technical innovation, social and economic value, and generating excitement for the engineering profession.

Recognition of all award winners including top commendations — 20 Honor Awards, 16 Grand Awards and the prestigious “Grand Conceptor Award” for the year’s most outstanding overall engineering achievement — will take place at the annual EEA Dinner and Gala, a black-tie event to be held Tuesday, May 7, 2019, at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Current spending on the networks that supply clean drinking water, treat wastewater, and drain stormwater is estimated to average about $1 billion per year, according to the Utility and Transportation Contractors Association of New Jersey (UTCA), while there is about $2 billion in needed investment annually. “New Jersey is looking at a $1 billion shortfall every year,” said Bob Briant, Jr., CEO of UTCA. “This report shows unequivocally that increasing investment in our water systems is a tremendous boon for our fiscal health as well as our public health. With an ROI that benefits our communities as well as our coffers, it is clear that the time for talk is over. Now we must get to work.”

“A major commitment to improving New Jersey’s water infrastructure systems is a ‘win-win’ proposition,” says Dr. Alison Premo Black, the study’s author.  “The increased investment will not only help prevent future service disruptions and potential public health hazards, but also have enormous positive impacts on the state’s economic productivity and job creation.”

Among the other key findings in the report:

• Sales and output by businesses in all sectors will increase by $2.1 billion for every $1 billion invested;
• 13,787 jobs would be supported or created throughout the state economy every year;
• Those workers will earn a cumulative $739.5 million per annum and will generate $143 million in additional state and local tax revenues, including $62.8 million in state and federal payroll taxes, $61.1 million in state income tax and corporate business tax revenues, and $19.3 million in state and local sales and use tax revenues;
• These investments will contribute $1.2 billion to the state’s GDP annually.

Capital investments to repair, replace and upgrade aging drinking water, wastewater and stormwater systems generate and sustain jobs directly through needed repair projects, but also stimulate economic activity in other related sectors, as water projects depend on materials such as pipes, fittings, cement, and aggregates. Such investments will also help ensure safe water and reliable wastewater treatment; necessary criteria to attract and retain industry, businesses, and qualified workers.

To view the full report, visit the “Economics” section of www.artba.org.

Washington, D.C. — Nitsch Engineering of Boston earned a National Recognition Award for exemplary engineering achievement in the American Council of Engineering Companies’ (ACEC) 52nd annual Engineering Excellence Awards (EEA) for the North Corridor project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Mass.

Construction of the new MIT.nano building provided an opportune moment to reimagine the North Corridor, 1.48 acres of roadway demolished to support utility connections for the new facility. The new vision called for a landscaped student space to enhance pedestrian connections and create a sense of place, making it an ideal location for the implementation of an innovative stormwater management strategy called a landscape filter.

Resembling a small planted area, a landscape filter collects surface runoff via trench drains that tie into below-grade distribution piping. Similar in concept to bioretention basins, the landscape filters use plants and specialized soils to treat the runoff from adjacent impervious areas yet can be more easily configured to fit within constrained urban areas. The landscape filter system also offers flexibility for easy changes during construction should conflicts with other utility infrastructure arise.

The project is among 196 engineering achievements from throughout the nation and the world being recognized by ACEC as the year’s finest examples of engineering excellence, and eligible for additional top national honors. Judging for the awards program — known industry-wide as the “Academy Awards of the engineering industry” — took place in February, conducted by a national 30-member panel of built environment leaders, along with experts from government, the media and academia. Award criteria focuses on uniqueness and originality, technical innovation, social and economic value, and generating excitement for the engineering profession.

Recognition of all award winners including top commendations — 20 Honor Awards, 16 Grand Awards and the prestigious “Grand Conceptor Award” for the year’s most outstanding overall engineering achievement — will take place at the annual EEA Dinner and Gala, a black-tie event to be held Tuesday, May 7, 2019, at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C.

“Rob is a proven talent in the industry who has shown a keen ability to thrive in dynamic work environments,” said Kenneth R. Fulmer, PE, Urban’s president and CEO. “He has been an excellent construction manager and a strong advocate for his clients, making him an exceptional selection to run our western Pennsylvania office.”

Tuttle provides project and construction management for a variety of rail and transit projects, including new, expanded, and renovated rail maintenance shops; track replacement; track installation; and employee welfare and storage facilities. His skills include change order evaluation, payment application evaluation, schedule analysis, and construction inspection, as well as coordination among the various contractors, designers, and owner personnel. He has managed and inspected welded rail installation, insulation joint installation, tie replacement, electrical work, steel erection, auger cast concrete piles, crane erection, and MEP and fire protection work.

A graduate of Drexel University, where he earned his degree in civil engineering and architectural engineering, Tuttle is a registered Professional Engineer in Pennsylvania. As an experienced project manager, he has concurrently completed work managing the construction of a 44,000-square-foot locomotive maintenance building while also managing construction of a 12,000-square-foot welfare and material storage facility. His ability to communicate and resolve project issues before they arise has positioned him as a trusted leader among the various contractors, designers, and clients.

The Harman Group provided structural engineering and parking planning and design services for the tower, which was developed by Radnor Property Group in partnership with CCP and designed by MY Architecture.

The Hamilton was built on top of the site’s original foundation as well as a portion of its existing garage structure with cold formed load bearing construction and hollow core plank. The project also utilized existing assets to create an underground parking garage. Geared towards graduate students attending nearby Philadelphia schools and young professionals, units range from about 300-950 square feet. The development features ample resident amenities, ground floor retail, and a community courtyard.

“The Harman Group’s extensive experience with overbuilds allowed for a more practical use of this site,” said Al Meyer, senior project engineer for The Harman Group. “By threading a new lateral system through the existing garage, we were able to minimize Radnor Property Group’s costs, which translated to lower rents for the property.”

“The Hamilton is a modern, mixed-use property that meets the needs of the college and the surrounding neighborhood. Radnor Property Group is proud to serve the community at large by sustainably transforming this formerly vacant building into a vibrant, amenity-driven hub,” said Dave Yeager, President of Radnor Property Group.

Construction on Phase II, a 16-story, 210-unit mixed-use residential tower, is expected to start later this year.

The report, A Preventable Crisis: The Economic and Human Costs of a Hudson River Rail Tunnel Shutdown (https://library.rpa.org/pdf/RPA-HRT_Impact_Study_20190225.pdf), details the human and economic toll of a partial Hudson River Tunnel shutdown without the alternative that a new, fully-funded Gateway project would provide.

The report’s findings are bleak, and among the most robust research on the implications of not fully funding Gateway to date:

A partial shutdown of the tunnels would mean dramatically expanded commute and travel times and increased congestion on public transportation and already stressed roadways and airports, leading to increased business and consumer costs, job loss, home devaluation, and health risks.

Effects of a four year shutdown would cost the national economy $16 billion, $1.5 billion in federal tax revenue, and $1 billion in state tax revenue outside of New York and Jersey.

“This report outlines what a grim new reality will look like. Every day that we aren’t building the Gateway project, we’re one day closer to real economic and social calamity that would be felt across the Tri-State area and beyond,” said Tom Wright, President of Regional Plan Association. “From job availability to housing prices, the price of household goods, and even the cost of air travel, every sector of our economy would feel the effects of a partial shutdown of the trans-Hudson tunnel. Residents would feel its impact across many facets of their lives. It is a slow-moving, predictable crisis which we have the capacity to prevent. It is time to fully fund the Gateway project now.”

More than 200,000 trips are taken through the existing Hudson River tunnel on a daily basis in as many as 450 trains. Rail travel below the Hudson between New Jersey and New York is already unreliable due to the tunnel’s advanced age and the extensive damage sustained during Superstorm Sandy; the tunnel will soon reach the end of its useful life.

In order to repair the existing tunnel, the two tubes would need to be closed one by one, reducing the number of trains going in and out of Penn Station by as much as 75%.

The Gateway project would build a new tunnel underneath the Hudson River before undergoing any work on the original tunnel to mitigate service reduction. While funds for the Gateway project were promised by the previous federal administration, the outlook for Gateway now looks increasingly uncertain with changing federal priorities. Meanwhile, the tunnel tubes continue to deteriorate.

Without the added resource of the Gateway tunnel, emergency work on the Trans-Hudson tunnel would mean that nearly half a million people would have longer, less reliable and more crowded commutes, losing hours of productive, personal and family time and putting jobs at risk.

The report also details the impact that repair of the Trans-Hudson tunnel, if needed before new rail capacity is built, would have on a variety of people and businesses.

Key report findings include:

• 38,000 NJTransit riders would be unable to ride the train, forcing them into a variety of less-desirable options to get to and from work. Thousands of workers would eventually be forced to move or accept lower paying jobs closer to home.
• Almost a quarter million drivers will have longer trips to work; more than half of these drivers would experience delays of a half-hour or more. An additional 170,000 riders would have longer rides on the PATH train or bus. Many commuters would need to add additional buffer time to their commutes, meaning less time for family and other priorities.
• The shutdown would cost the national economy $16 billion over four years. More than half of this cost would be the result of increased work inefficiencies due to longer commutes. These wage costs alone equate to the loss of 33,000 jobs per year.
• Forcing more than 10,000 drivers onto the roads would result in 38,000 additional car crashes that would result in thousands of injuries and 90-100 preventable deaths.
• Transportation is nodal; other forms of transit malfunctions or shutdowns would have a compounding effect on people’s ability to get around regionally. Every time PATH, the Port Authority Bus Terminal, the New York City subway, northeast airports or interstate highways experience shutdowns or delays, it would become even harder to get around regionally.
• Homeowners would see their property values dip by a collective $22 billion. Owners of commercial property—offices, stores, health and education facilities, factories and warehouses—would also see a decline in property values.
• $7 billion would be lost in Federal, state, and local tax revenue; including $1.5 billion in federal taxes and over $1 billion in states outside of New York and New Jersey.
• Many displaced long-range Amtrak riders would fly instead, increasing DC to NYC air fares by as much as 65% and pricing out many leisure, small business and non-profit travelers.
• Truck delays would cost the Northeast economy close to a billion dollars.

“A Preventable Crisis” builds upon RPA’s Fourth Regional Plan, released in 2017, recommending new rail tunnels under the Hudson and East Rivers.

Senator Reed, the ranking member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing and Urban Development (THUD), successfully included a $475 million grant program in the fiscal year 2019 spending law that will provide funding to assist states with the highest percentage of bridge deck area in poor condition. As a result, Senator Reed estimates that Rhode Island will receive about $54.5 million to help finance its urgently needed bridge repairs.

Senator Reed joined Governor Gina Raimondo, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, U.S. Representative Jim Langevin, U.S. Representative David Cicilline, Providence Mayor Jorge O. Elorza, East Providence Mayor Roberto DaSilva, RIDOT Director Peter Alviti and Building Trades Council President Michael Sabitoni at an event overlooking the structurally deficient Henderson Bridge, which is set to undergo a $70 million renovation, to discuss efforts to make bridge improvements and transportation investments that will help create jobs and improve the safety and efficiency of the state’s transportation network.

Built in 1969, the Henderson Bridge is a 26-span, 2,000-foot bridge which carries vehicles over the Seekonk River from East Providence to Providence. By replacing this bridge, RIDOT will reduce its statewide structurally deficient bridge area by 12 percent.

Senator Reed stated, “Bridges are about connecting communities, creating opportunities, and bringing people together. As the top Democrat on the Transportation-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee, I have focused my efforts on addressing the single biggest transportation challenge we face in Rhode Island – our high percentage of structurally bridges.”

He added, “I am pleased to have provided an additional infusion of federal dollars this year to address structurally deficient bridges and open new doors of economic opportunity and development. As a result, Rhode Island will receive a $54.5 million boost to help advance work on bridge upgrades likes this one. The federal government must be a reliable partner when it comes to infrastructure. America’s economic success depends on the strength of our transportation network, public schools and energy and water systems. I will continue working to ensure the federal government does its part and wisely invests in these priorities.”

“Senator Reed has been a great champion for the infrastructure projects in Rhode Island,” said Senator Whitehouse, a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “Upgrading our roads and bridges is one of the federal delegation’s top priorities. On the Environment and Public Works Committee, I’m fighting for a major infrastructure investment to bring roads and bridges here and across the country in line with modern safety standards and to create jobs on a large scale.”

The Henderson Bridge and Henderson Expressway were overbuilt as they were originally constructed as part of an unfinished highway. Approximately 20,000 vehicles cross it daily and there are six lanes. It has been rated as structurally deficient since 1996 when RIDOT first started keeping such records. As a result, RIDOT has spent $4 million over the last ten years on repairs to keep it safe. It has been load rated four times since 2010 due to the continual and increasing amounts of deterioration.

The first phase of construction will take the bridge down to one lane in each direction. It will also include 2,500 feet of separated bike/pedestrian path infrastructure. The smaller footprint will require less maintenance and will free up almost 33 acres for potential development and recreational use.

The two cities associated with this bridge, Providence and East Providence, held charrettes to look at multimodal uses for this bridge and the expressway area. RIDOT will work with both cities to ensure the best use of space as the project moves forward.

Additional funds of approximately $15.1 million for highway improvements are also in the bill. RIDOT will take some time to determine how these funds should be allocated.

The first phase of the Henderson Bridge replacement is expected to create about 800 job years. The state will be asked to match 20 percent of the project cost.

The debut of the autonomous vehicles is the latest step in a multi-agency effort called the Rhode Island Transportation Innovation Partnership (TRIP), which RIDOT launched in 2017. TRIP also includes a research component, with the goal of studying autonomous mobility solutions, ridership, workforce impacts, environmental impacts, and technology adoption, among others.

The research being conducted in this pilot project will help the Department better understand the opportunities and challenges that come with integrating this new technology onto Rhode Island roads. The research will help improve transit and provide information for communities, the workforce, and policymakers.

“This is a very exciting day as we kick-off testing of autonomous vehicles, putting Rhode Island on the map as a leader in this new high-tech field in transportation,” Governor Gina Raimondo said. “And we’ll do it in a careful and safe manner partnering with institutions of higher education to carefully study and evaluate the service and its integration on Rhode Island roads.”

“This project gives us the opportunity to gain first-hand experience with this new technology and that information will be invaluable when we look ahead to the impact that autonomous vehicles will have on public transportation in the future,” said Scott Avedisian, CEO of the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA). “Having some of our bus operators ride the shuttle routes is also going to allow them to share important feedback on the role of on-board personnel and passenger needs.”

“Every time we expand to a new city, it allows us to learn something new. Partnering with RIDOT, we are more closely integrated with existing rail and other services than ever before,” said May Mobility CEO Edwin Olson. “We’re fanatical about solving real-world transportation problems, and with this new route, we’ll show how our self-driving technology can have a positive impact for the citizens of Rhode Island. Not someday, but today.”

Called the Little Roady Shuttle, each vehicle is fully electric and capable of carrying five passengers as well as an attendant who is trained how to operate the vehicle manually if needed. Up to six vehicles will be on the road at the same time, operating on low-speed roads along a 5-mile route along the Woonasquatucket River corridor with 12 stops, from Olneyville to Providence Station.

The Little Roady shuttles are provided by May Mobility, Inc., which entered into a public-private partnership with RIDOT last fall, following a competitive request-for-proposals (RFP) process.

Under the terms of the public-private partnership, RIDOT will contribute $800,000 for the first year of operation. This includes $300,000 of 100 percent federal research funds through the Federal Highway Administration and a $500,000 grant awarded by the R.I. Attorney General’s Office as part of a settlement with Volkswagen. RIDOT’s contract with May Mobility includes options to extend the service for an additional two years.

The testing period in Quonset will be followed by similar testing in Providence, prior to the start of service. This includes testing of the vehicles and all their sensors, and a rigorous acceptance testing protocol in which the vehicles must pass several safety tests including adhering to lanes, avoiding obstacles, and safe operations in both daytime and nighttime conditions as well as in different types of adverse weather. Between the two locations, the fleet will undergo 500 miles of testing.

RIDOT and May will develop a public education campaign featuring signs along the route and a website as the launch of the service draws nearer.

TRIP includes many partner agencies and governmental entities, including the City of Providence, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA), the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles and the Quonset Development Corporation. Various higher education institutions are expected to participate in the research program.

May Mobility, a Michigan-based startup, is developing self-driving shuttles for college campuses, corporate clients, and central business districts. It launched a private corporate service in Detroit in June 2018 and has entered into agreements for public service routes in Columbus, Ohio and Grand Rapids, Michigan. The company plans to hire fleet attendants and managers from Rhode Island and will set up a local operations office in Providence.

More information about the TRIP program can be found at www.ridot.net/TRIP.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking the support of organizations that can develop, finance and implement a WIP.  In a Request for Applications (RFA) issued in early February, EPA announced that it plans to award one to three cooperative agreements for work that will support the collective efforts of seven Chesapeake Bay watershed jurisdictions, along with other non-federal partners, to help restore the Chesapeake Bay.  EPA supports a flexible approach to restoring the Bay through the implementation of a collaborative WIP, which was agreed to by all of the Bay jurisdictions: Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The major work activities proposed by the RFA include:

• Facilitate development and implementation of the Conowingo watershed implementation plan (WIP);
• Develop and propose a comprehensive Conowingo WIP financing strategy and associated implementation plan;
• Develop a system for tracking, verifying, and reporting implementation of the Conowingo WIP and 2-year milestones.

Applications are due by March 20 and EPA plans to award the cooperative agreement(s) by this summer. See Conowingo WIP Request for Applications (https://www.epa.gov/grants/grants-your-region-information-specific-epa-region-3).

“Our infrastructure network – both the visible and invisible systems – is the backbone to our way of life here in Vermont.,” said Jessica Louisos, Chair, Vermont Infrastructure Report Card Committee. “For Vermont’s infrastructure network to successfully support residents and visitors, it is important for us to prepare for what the future will bring whether that is population growth, next year’s winter storm or the effects of climate change.”

Energy earned one of the highest grades of a “B-.” As a result of a statewide energy modernization plan deployed in 2012, Vermont’s energy grid is in fairly good condition. This effort included installing smart meters throughout the state, upgrading and installing new automation controls and expanding the fiber optic backbone connecting the state’s substations. Although the state’s energy grid is stable, Vermont still depends on energy imports from neighboring states, particularly for fossil fuels and natural gas. Vermont is committed to a goal of 90 percent renewable energy by 2050 across all energy uses, with no coal or nuclear power plants and insignificant amounts of petroleum energy production.

The stormwater and wastewater categories both earned the lowest grades in the Report Card, each taking home a “D+.” This is the state’s first year grading stormwater, and wastewater is up from a “D” in 2014. Vermont’s many rural communities lack sufficient stormwater utilities, full-time town managers and public works directors with capacity to plan for and manage stormwater infrastructure needs. Additionally, Vermont’s stormwater system is facing an investment gap of $1.24 billion over the next 20 years. However, Vermont is improving in this area by placing emphasis on installing Green Stormwater Infrastructure and utilizing Low Impact Development techniques where possible. Wastewater systems in the state require upgrades, particularly in areas where a wastewater overflow is possible and could threaten public safety. Thankfully, the funding gap for wastewater infrastructure needs is decreasing due to the effects of Vermont’s Clean Water Act; however, a 2017 Act 73 report found a five-year total wastewater funding gap of $18 million.

“Our water infrastructure network may be largely invisible, but it is integral to our daily lives — the water we drink, the showers we take, the toilets we flush — all rely on pipes, pumps and treatment plants,” said Secretary Julie Moore, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. “As an engineer, I am deeply appreciative of ASCE’s efforts to focus public attention on Vermont’s infrastructure and the essential role it plays in ensuring public health and protecting our environment, and the need for continued investment. Looking ahead, it is important that all levels of government and government agencies, such as mine, come together and use a variety of tools to solve our infrastructure challenges.”

Notably, Vermont’s bridges, up to a “C+” from “C” in 2014, and roads, up to a “C+” from a “C-,” saw improvements since the 2014 Report Card. In recent years, Vermont has significantly reduced the number of structurally deficient bridges. Today, despite a shortfall in funding, approximately five percent of bridges are structurally deficient, compared with 9.6 percent in 2012. The state’s bridges, however, continue to age, with the average age of 57 years old, which is much higher than the national average of 43 years. Contrarily, roads improved due to prioritization of maintenance from the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans). The percentage of miles in good and fair condition has grown in recent years, and the state sees little congestion. However, funding is required to keep this trend in check. Future needs are significant, as the state currently only has two thirds of the funding it needs to keep roads in a state of good repair.

“Vermont’s transportation system is crucial to our way of life. This network connects cities and towns with each other and the rest of the nation. In recent years, we’ve done an excellent job of improving our transportation infrastructure network with the resources available to us and we’ve seen the positive results,” said Secretary Joe Flynn, VTrans. “However, we still have a long way to go.”

In addition to data and analysis, the Report Card offers six solutions to address the state’s infrastructure needs. Recommendations include increasing resiliency in infrastructure to prepare for increasingly severe storms and to support emergency response, as well as balancing the needs of urban and rural communities in the mostly rural state. The Report Card also suggests finding sustainable, local funding sources because the state currently relies heavily on federal funding.

The Report Card for Vermont’s Infrastructure was created as a public service to citizens and policymakers to inform them of the infrastructure needs in the state. Civil engineers used their expertise and school report card letter grades to condense complicated data into an easy-to-understand analysis of Vermont’s infrastructure network.

ASCE State Infrastructure Report Cards are modeled after the national Infrastructure Report Card (www.infrastructurereportcard.org), which gave America’s infrastructure a grade of “D+” in 2017.

A full copy of the 2019 Report Card for Vermont’s Infrastructure is available at www.InfrastructureReportCard.org/Vermont.

Stone Harbor, N.J. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and its contractor Barnegat Bay Dredging Company recently completed a dredging and marsh restoration project near Stone Harbor, N.J. Work involved dredging sediment from the channel of the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway and beneficially using the material to create habitat on marshland owned by the New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife.

Barnegat Bay Dredging Company began dredging in late November near channel markers 419 and 421 in the vicinity of Stone Harbor and Middle Township, N.J and completed work in late December. The dredged sand was placed on nesting bird habitat near Dung Thoroughfare. The Wetlands Institute of Stone Harbor, N.J. assisted with site assessment and will continue to monitor site conditions and habitat usage.

In 2014, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife, the Nature Conservancy, and the Wetlands Institute joined efforts and conducted several dredging and marsh restoration projects in coastal New Jersey. The projects involved beneficially using dredged material to restore marsh and create habitat on land owned and managed by the New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife.

“We’re working to find ways to improve coastal navigation and use the dredged material in a beneficial and cost-effective way,” said USACE Project Manager Monica Chasten. “We balance the need to dredge for navigation purposes with the fact that sediment can be a resource for ecological and shore protection purposes.”

Dredging is necessary along the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway to enable safe maritime navigation. When the dredged material is clean and suitable, USACE looks for opportunities to reuse the material. In the past, dredged material was pumped into confined disposal sites cut off from coastal processes.

McLaren’s Lehigh Valley office provides services to the steel industry and specializes in aluminum paneling design work for office towers, mixed-use complexes and university buildings across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.

“Since we opened three years ago, we’ve continued to expand due to the Lehigh Valley’s exceptional business climate and access to talent,” says Pennsylvania Regional Director Matthew B. Kawczenski, P.E., S.E., F.SEI, who leads the Lehigh Valley office. “One of our largest clients, BAMCO Inc., trusted us in designing significant projects that include American Water’s new headquarters in Camden, N.J., The View II tower in Philadelphia, and One Willoughby Square, a 34-story project in Brooklyn.”

Additionally, McLaren’s Lehigh Valley office engineered the steel egress stairs, railings and interior glass guardrail systems for Lafayette College’s Rockwell Integrated Science Center, opening this year in Easton. The office has also provided a range of engineering services for projects in Philadelphia and the surrounding region.

The Lehigh Valley office has strategic relationships with Lehigh University, Lafayette College, and Bucknell University’s engineering schools, which provide a steady pipeline of engineering talent. Kawczenski and his team are also regular speakers within Lehigh and Bucknell’s engineering programs.

“It’s important for engineering students to take engineering principles learned in school and apply them to real-world projects,” continues Kawczenski. “We provide a pathway for graduates in our region to become experts in our increasingly complex field – which continues to evolve based on changing architectural requirements.”

Kawczenski notes that comprehensive knowledge of design standards and codes is crucial within the space, as there have been measurable shifts in design work over the past decade. The regional director notes that straight, flat aluminum panels have given way to more complex designs – and these architectural requirements are accommodated by the Lehigh Valley staff.

“Due to the region’s business growth, proximity to talent and affordable costs, our Lehigh Valley office is well-positioned to continue its growth trajectory,” says Malcolm McLaren, CEO of McLaren Engineering Group.

Titled “Integrating Life and Work in the AEC World,” the panel will focus on innovative approaches to employee engagement and how work environments that foster life-work balance generate greater job satisfaction and productivity. Panel participants include Karrie Kratz, Vice President, Gilbane Building Company; Anna Greenwald, CEO, On the Goga; and Jessica Nicklin, Assoc. Vice President for Student Success, Assoc. Professor of Psychology, University of Hartford

“Executives and managers do well to recognize each employee as an individual, with unique experiences and personal challenges they may face,” says McFadden. “I’m looking forward to this discussion, and hearing from the panel the range of approaches to supporting employees — men and women — in achieving a synergistic integration of work and life.”

More information is available at https://construction.org/event/4thAnnualWomenWhoBuild.

Successful project examples and more details on the initiative appear in a newly released PennDOT Connects Implementation report (https://www.penndot.gov/ProjectAndPrograms/Planning/Documents/PennDOTConnects/PennDOT_Connects_AR_2018.pdf), which updates the public and partners on the deployment of the department’s initiative that was implemented in 2016.

“I am gratified to see PennDOT Connects being embraced by our team, communities, and planning partners,” Richards said. “Our report shows that we are hearing and considering community needs earlier in the process, resulting in outcomes that benefit our citizens and wisely use resources.”

The new approach to project planning and development expands the department’s requirements for engaging local and planning partners by requiring collaboration with stakeholders before project scopes are developed. PennDOT Connects aims to transform capital and maintenance project development by ensuring that community collaboration happens early, and that each project is considered in a holistic way for opportunities to improve safety, mobility, access, and environmental outcomes for all modes and local contexts. Earlier collaboration will ensure that projects meet current and projected needs as much as possible and can reduce costly changes later in the project development process.

Specific areas for discussion during collaboration include but are not limited to: safety issues; bicycle/pedestrian accommodations; transit access; stormwater management; utility issues; local and regional plans and studies; freight-generating land uses and more.

The report outlines successful projects emerging from the PennDOT Connects approach across the state, such as:

• Route 1001 in Clinton County: Collaborated with local partners to include a retaining wall and a bicycle/pedestrian path providing connectivity to a park as part of a roadway realignment project.
• 11 bridges in Lackawanna County: Coordinating with the City of Scranton to improve traffic flow, coordinate construction schedules, and enhance bicycle/pedestrian accommodation as part of a series of bridge rehabilitation/replacement projects.
• Route 378 Bridge in Lehigh County: Coordinated with the City of Bethlehem and various stakeholders to understand concerns and future plans for the historic bridge that connects the north and south sides of Bethlehem.
• American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Improvements in Philadelphia: Coordinating with the City of Philadelphia to use data from its Philly 311 maintenance request system to help prioritize ADA curb ramp reconstruction.
• Route 58 in Clarion County: Coordinated with Licking Township and the Amish community to accommodate all modes of local traffic during construction of a bridge replacement.
• Route 4084 in Allegheny County: Collaborated with the City of Pittsburgh to introduce bicycle lanes and intersection improvements as part of a roadway reconstruction and bridge preservation project.

Recognizing transportation’s role in connecting communities and supporting economic development, Richards announced the PennDOT Connects policy in late 2016 to enhance local engagement and improve transportation-project planning, design, and delivery.

For more information on PennDOT Connects, visit www.penndot.gov/connects.

“SEPTA has to look at ways to increase capacity and expand the system to meet current demand and support future growth,” said SEPTA Board Chairman Pasquale T. Deon Sr. “The King of Prussia Rail project represents the type of investment that can transform mobility — figuratively and literally forming the backbone of an already thriving community.”

This contract will progress the engineering and architectural design from the conceptual Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA), completing 15 percent of the total design (Phase I). An option is also incorporated to continue advancing engineering to 30 percent complete (Phase II). HNTB, Inc. will be involved in taking into consideration the public’s needs as the design is developed and finalized.

The total Phase I contract amount is $7,282,209, funded from an existing federal grant. The contract amount for the Phase II option is $27,328,176 (subject to availability of funding).

“It is great to see the project moving forward,” said Jerry Sweeney, President and CEO of Brandywine Realty Trust, and Chairman of the KOP Rail Coalition. “KOP Rail promotes and strengthens regional growth and is needed to connect the three largest employment centers in the region – King of Prussia, University City and Center City. I am excited to see where this project takes us.”

“Public transportation is an investment in our future,” said Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. “The KOP Rail project will play a major role in transforming mobility throughout our region, reducing traffic congestion in the King of Prussia area, and improving the quality of life for generations to come.”

The NHSL currently provides service between SEPTA’s 69th Street and Norristown Transportation Centers, serving the Main Line area in Delaware and Montgomery counties, and connecting to Center City Philadelphia.

Information and updates on KOP Rail is available online at www.kingofprussiarail.com.

Using a high-precision, professional grade drone to collect photogrammetric data, the UAV services will offer ample and unique possibilities for clients, including construction videos monitoring site progress, post disaster evaluations, enhanced due diligence reports and more. “The tools, techniques and methods we use to collect data are continually advancing and DBF is embracing that movement. This new service will be an incredible benefit for our clients and our team. We are looking forward to some exciting results.” said Associate Eric Tolley, P.L.S.

The new equipment and technology will provide additional reliability, quality and accuracy of survey results, specifically, less obstruction and intrusion to areas of land, better access to hard to reach structures or complex topography sites that are not safe for humans to perform investigations, and instant data processing with enhanced aerial shots for precise assessments.

Jessica H. Barnes, a recently hired DBF surveyor, is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified Remote Pilot. With four years of active duty in the Air Force, Jessica will be leading DBF’s integration of UAV services along with various spotters for an array of potential project flight missions.

Davis, Bowen & Friedel, Inc., is a full-service architectural, engineering, planning and surveying firm with offices in Salisbury and Easton, Md., and in Milford, Del. For additional information about DBF, visit www.dbfinc.com.

The firm’s story began in a one-room brick office in the heart of downtown Salisbury. Davis & Associates, as it was first known, was spearheaded by engineers John A. Davis, P.E. and Gerald G. Friedel, P.E., two young visionaries with a passion for problem solving and a vision for innovation. Architect, G. Donald Bowen, AIA, joined the firm shortly after, establishing versatile capabilities for the firm early on, and Davis, Bowen & Friedel, Inc. officially began.

With a growing need for professional services in Delaware and a drive for a stronger presence on the Eastern Shore, DBF opened a second office in Dover in the 1990s. Later relocating to Milford to better serve the firm’s largest municipal client, the move offered broader geographic coverage and a multitude of opportunities in a new region, setting the tone for future endeavors.

DBF acquired Andrew’s, Miller & Associates in 2007, expanding architecture, surveying, civil engineering and structural engineering services to include marine engineering, hydrology, and enhanced surveying to better serve the firm’s clients. From there, DBF consolidated and opened an Easton, Md., office and more recently celebrated two grand openings of relocated offices: DBF’s corporate headquarters in Salisbury and the rapidly expanding office in Milford, Del., all designed to accommodate the burgeoning firm.

Today, the firm is led by president Michael Wigley, AIA, LEED AP, and principals, W. Zachary Crouch, P.E., Jason Loar, P.E., Ring Lardner, P.E., and Mike Wheedleton, AIA, LEED GA.

“DBF has been able to become what it is today because of our clients and the relationships we maintain,” reflected Wigley, who has been with DBF since nearly the very beginning, joining the firm a little more than a year after its inception. “I look back and am just amazed at the impact our incredible staff of professionals has had within our communities: whether it be by improving water and sewer systems or designing town halls and police stations, we are grateful to be a part of our clients’ desires to make places better.”

From humble beginnings, DBF has evolved into an award-winning multidiscipline firm now with over 3,000 clients, a growing staff of 90, and more than six decades of specialized experience in Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia.  Over the last 35 years, DBF has been recognized frequently, receiving awards for excellence in design and having work featured in regional and national publications. This past year, DBF was ranked as the 37th engineering/architecture firm in the country by Building Design + Construction Magazine’s annual Giants 300 survey.

The firm has also had the opportunity to be an integral part of many of the area’s prominent structures, most recently The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art Legacy Center, Rehoboth Beach City Hall, Salisbury University Athletic Complex fields, Amazon Distribution Center site in Middletown, Del., and NASA Wallops Island Launch Pad shoreline stabilization.

As part of the firm’s ongoing efforts to stay in front of the technological curve, DBF plans to introduce certified UAV (drone) services through the surveying department, offering cost-effective aerial mapping and rapid data acquisition within the next year. In addition to upgraded surveying services, DBF will also roll out a new, user-friendly website to meet the demands of today’s ever-changing technological landscape, all with the goal of strengthening client and staff relationships.

In the years to come, DBF looks forward to continuing to provide the highest level of professional services to their valued clients as they expand services and the people they serve. DBF has achieved this 35-year milestone of success and longevity by taking a client-first approach to every project. With all that has changed over the years, what has remained constant is DBF’s commitment toward satisfying client goals and a passion to improve the quality of life in the communities they serve.

“DBF has seen our communities grow in character and charm and is proud to have evolved with each. We would like to thank our clients, business associates, and employees, all of whom have contributed to the success of this company. We are truly grateful to serve our Eastern Shore communities,” said Crouch, looking back on the past 35 years.

Davis, Bowen & Friedel, Inc., is a full-service architectural, engineering, planning and surveying firm with offices in Salisbury and Easton, Md., and in Milford, Del. For additional information about DBF, visit www.dbfinc.com.

The new tower, the second in a three-tower complex at 615 Pavonia Avenue, will feature 704 residential units. Upon completion, it will be one of the tallest buildings in Jersey City. The first building topped out in 2015 at 53 stories. The third tower, to be constructed following the project’s second phase, will stand at 63 stories.

Jersey City-based Dresdner Robin is providing environmental investigation, planning, civil engineering and survey services for Journal Squared, including public utilities at the Magnolia Ave. plaza and roadway, near the Journal Square Transportation Center. Dresdner Robin is also providing construction administration services as construction progresses.

The developer, Kushner Real Estate (KRE) Group, tapped the New York-based firm Hollwich Kushner (HWKN) for the architectural design, with Handel Architects as the architect of record. Melillo + Bauer Associates is providing landscape architecture services for the ground level and rooftop areas.

“Journal Square is in the midst of a major revitalization,” said Dresdner Robin Senior Project Manager Tim Lavin. “Dresdner Robin is assisting the KRE Group in manifesting its vision of transforming the transportation hub into a new destination for living, shopping and enjoying the Manhattan skyline. I believe this district is well on its way to reaching that mark.”

Commenting on the development, KRE Group President Jonathan Kushner said, “Journal Squared helps reinvigorate this section of Jersey City. It stands as an immense project that will help transform the New Jersey skyline, and bring residents and retail to a completely reimagined destination. Dresdner Robin’s work on the project has been immensely helpful as it has moved through various stages.”

The Magnolia Ave. plaza portion involved coordination and input from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, as the project interacts with the parking garage as well as the loading entrance for the adjacent PATH station. The design team worked with the Port Authority for vehicle circulation, utilities, site improvement, stairways and an entrance to the station.

Journal Squared was first approved by the city council in December 2012 and was granted a 30-year tax abatement and $10 million in bonds. It is the first major development of its kind in decades. The area was once home to Jersey City’s central business district, as the waterfront consisted of railyards. Its time as an entertainment, office and retail hub declined during the 1970s. However, recent investment has attracted prospective residents interested in leveraging the district’s proximity to transportation.

“There is more investment in this area of Jersey City and we’re seeing it firsthand,” Lavin added. “Developers are now taking a serious look at this area, and moving forward with plans for development, thanks in part to this multi-phase Journal Squared project.”

Also commenting on Journal Squared, HWKN Principal Matthias Hollwich said, “We’re thrilled to be continuing to participate in the regeneration of this area of Jersey City through the second phase of this project. This tower is much more than just an apartment building – it’s a social hub that will energize street-life and strengthen community in this vibrant neighborhood.”

Melillo + Bauer Associates worked with the Port Authority on the design of the streetscape and Magnolia Plaza, addressing vehicular circulation and safety concerns. The result is a multi-functional space that serves as a main pedestrian entrance to the PATH station while also providing space for community events. The firm also created a multitude of amenity spaces for residents throughout the complex, including a rooftop pool and amenity deck, and a dog run.

For more information on the Journal Squared project, visit https://journalsquared.com.

“Having such a wetlands bank will help expedite environmental clearances for important transportation and other development projects,” PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards said. “Tackling such an issue shows how our innovative Public Private Partnerships law can have wide, beneficial impacts for Pennsylvania.”

PennDOT’s vision is that the P3 partner will develop 140 acres for a wetland banking site in Chalfont, Bucks County. PennDOT already owns the land and the proposed facility will provide on-demand wetland mitigation credits for both PennDOT projects and other private development projects that have wetland impacts within the same watershed.

PennDOT has been working with appropriate federal and state regulatory agencies to lay the groundwork for the project.

Interested parties have 60 days to respond with a statement of qualifications.

The P3 Board and PennDOT’s P3 Office were established after the Public-Private Transportation Partnerships Act was signed into law in September 2012 and authorized P3 projects in Pennsylvania. This law allows PennDOT and other transportation authorities and commissions to partner with private companies to participate in delivering, maintaining and financing transportation-related projects.

Dallas — The Water Environment Federation recently awarded a 2018 Project Excellence Award to the Central Pasco County Beneficial Water Reuse Project, the 4G Wetlands, designed by Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.

Since 2010, Jacobs, alongside Pasco County Utilities and the Southwest Florida Water Management District, has provided a full range of design, permitting and services during construction for the 4G Wetlands, a multifunctional project addressing decades-long concerns regarding groundwater drawdowns in areas affected by public water supply wellfields.

“This innovative, reclaimed water project facilitates a more holistic watershed management approach,” said Pasco County Project Manager Jeffrey Harris. “The ability to improve an area that has seen severe ecological degradation, coupled with recharging the Upper Floridan aquifer that will provide for a more sustainable water supply for the 2.5 million people of the Tampa Bay region, serves as an example of how to better manage all freshwater resources.”

The 4G Wetlands consist of a 176-acre groundwater recharge wetland system, the largest human-made system of its kind in the world, constructed on uplands pastures. The system is sized to receive five million gallons of reclaimed water per day to passively recharge the surficial and Upper Floridan aquifers, while protecting water quality.

“The wetlands are an important component of the District’s mission to provide recharge in an area of hydrologic stress,” said Michael Hancock, a project manager for Southwest Florida Water Management District. “In addition, they will provide valuable habitat, and an excellent example of responsible water management.”

In addition to the benefits to the aquifer and the regional water resources, the project will restore the ecological functions of the historically degraded onsite lakes and wetlands and create 176 acres of new wildlife habitat within the 15 constructed wetland cells.

The 4G Wetlands project additionally received five other accolades, including a 2018 National Environmental Achievement Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies National Environmental Achievement Award and the David W. York Water Reuse 2017 Project of the Year Award from the Florida Water Environment Association.

“The now six-time award-winning and multifunctional 4G Wetlands are a great example of how organizations can utilize public-private partnerships to maximize the benefits of water reuse and use this valuable resource for its highest purpose – ecology and water supply,” said Rafael Vazquez-Burney, Jacobs principal technologist and 4G Wetlands project manager. “It’s both an honor and a privilege to be recognized by the Water Environment Federation, and to partner with the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Pasco County on their first project of this caliber.”

The 4G Wetlands project accepted its award at the 91st Annual Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference held in New Orleans, Louisiana, Sept. 29 – Oct. 3, 2018. Four Jacobs operations and maintenance teams in Florida – in Key West, Pembroke Pines, West Melbourne and The Villages, also received WEF’s 2018 Water Heroes Award at the event for their response work during the 2017 hurricane season.

The RFI, which is open to any member of the public, is accessible at www.P3.pa.gov and input is being accepted through 1:00 p.m. on December 12. The information gathered through the RFI could help develop a potential future statewide or regional P3 project addressing innovative and efficient solutions related to commercial truck parking.

“Pennsylvania’s status as a critical freight connection and distribution point is growing every day and we expect exponential freight growth in the future,” PennDOT Secretary and P3 Board Chair Leslie S. Richards said. “Truck volumes need to be considered from a traffic perspective, and this process to hear from the public and explore innovative delivery options works toward our goal to ensure safe operations and options for the people moving all of these goods on our roadways.”

Examples of questions and themes included in the RFI are:

• What is the private sector’s role in solving the truck parking problem, including issues related to public awareness?
• How can the commonwealth best encourage partnerships within the freight industry to supply truck parking solutions?
• What are truck parking technology solutions doing well or how are they underperforming?
• What are the primary elements needed in a successful truck parking area and how can truck drivers be attracted to privately owned/operated parking facilities?

The RFI also aims to collect input on how the commonwealth can assist local governments with considering truck parking in their plans and zoning regulations, any strategies or technologies being used elsewhere that could be successful in Pennsylvania, and how the private sector can be encouraged to participate in any potential truck parking P3 project.

In 2011, trucks moved more than 867 million tons of goods on Pennsylvania highways. According to Pennsylvania’s Comprehensive Freight Movement Plan (https://www.penndot.gov/ProjectAndPrograms/Planning/Documents/PennDOT-CFMP – FINAL August 2016.pdf), by 2040, that number is projected to increase to nearly 1.5 billion tons of freight being hauled by trucks.

The RFI is the latest in a series of steps PennDOT has taken to plan for and invest in freight:

• In late 2016, implemented PennDOT Connects (www.penndot.gov/ProjectAndPrograms/Planning/Pages/PennDOT-Connects.aspx), a project-planning initiative that prompts earlier consideration of freight issues in project planning;
• Released the new Comprehensive Freight Movement Plan in 2016;
• Organized a Freight Work Group including department staff, the Federal Highway Administration and regional planning partners that meets quarterly to advance freight planning in the state;
• With Governor Tom Wolf, increased investments in roadway paving and reconstruction through the Road Maintenance and Preservation, and Resurface PA initiatives; and
• Putting roughly $2.5 billion annually into construction statewide in addition to work by department forces.

The P3 Office was established after the Public-Private Transportation Partnerships Act was signed into law in September 2012 and authorized P3 projects in Pennsylvania. This law allows PennDOT and other transportation authorities and commissions to partner with private companies to participate in delivering, maintaining and financing transportation-related projects.

The Harman Group provided structural engineering, adaptive reuse, and parking consulting services for the project, which was developed by National Real Estate Development, LLC and designed by BLT Architects. Tutor Perini Corporation served as the construction manager.

Throughout the design process for the steel framed development, The Harman Group was tasked with accommodating both the existing buildings on the site’s south side and the SEPTA subway tunnel on the north side. The need for parking, retail, and residential units within one structure required careful coordination with the architect to optimize a single structural column grid that would accommodate all three uses while minimizing costly column transfers, allowing for optimization of the programming.

“East Market is a very complex project, with a number of structural solutions needed to maximize each space,” said Chris Gottschall, Associate and Senior Project Engineer at The Harman Group. “The Harman Group’s extensive experience in designing structures suited for urban life allowed us to find creative solutions to stack residential, retail and parking layouts across both the podium system and tower system while still being cost effective.”

The first phase of the development also included the adaptive reuse of the mixed-use office building at 34 S 11th Street, which opened earlier this year and includes MOM’s Organic Market, Design Center, and architecture firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson.

“As we officially open East Market, we’re happy to have partnered with The Harman Group on this transformative project for Center City Philadelphia,” said Daniel Killinger, Managing Director, National Development. “We have relied on them to be a key member of this project since its inception and from groundbreaking to ribbon-cutting, they have been. It’s been a terrific partnership.”

Construction on Phase II, which includes 1199 Ludlow Street, a 23-story, 240-unit steel and precast plank residential tower over the western retail podium, is well underway with occupancy anticipated in spring 2019.

“Consolidation of the geospatial marketplace is necessary for firms to remain competitive and provide the most robust and seamless solutions to clients,” said Brendan Wesdock, MCP, GISP, president of GeoDecisions. “We’ve collaborated with WorldView on many projects, and our corporate cultures, client-centered approach, and long-term business goals are in lockstep. The acquisition makes great sense because, by combining forces, we are better equipped to invest in creating products that push the boundaries of geospatial technology and bring greater value to our clients while advancing an aggressive growth plan to expand our geographic footprint.”

WorldView has offered geospatial technology solutions for nearly 20 years, providing resource and asset management, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and consulting capabilities to the private and public sectors and nongovernmental organizations. The firm’s 45 employees have been retained and there are not any immediate changes in project management or technical staff for existing WorldView projects.

“Through this acquisition, WorldView’s employees have access to the enhanced capabilities and expanded resources that GeoDecisions and its parent company, Gannett Fleming, bring to the table as a 2,300-person company,” said Jamie Christensen, former president and CEO of WorldView. “Together, we are strengthened in our ability to work with our clients to define their needs and identify the most effective geospatial solutions to solve their complex challenges.”

GeoDecisions will continue to offer ready-to-install products created by WorldView, including PracticeKeeper, a comprehensive web-based solution that enables soil and water conservation districts, departments of environmental protection, and private entities to track all data related to conservation planning, nutrient management, watershed management, erosion and sediment control, and compliance and complaint management. OrbWeaver, a cloud-based geospatial data-mining tool that provides location-based insights to clients across industries, will also remain available. The software uses specified geospatial parameters and datasets along with machine learning algorithms to discover, integrate, and map other relevant target data sources such as environmental conditions, demographic characteristics, transportation infrastructure, and existing businesses. For instance, a real estate agent may use the tool to discover, mine, and rank relevant data sets for a full-scope analysis of properties they are considering for purchase.

WorldView has successfully undertaken many assignments for municipalities, districts, and counties as well as state and federal projects. Recent projects in their portfolio include:

• development of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s Land Application Tracking Module to better track the permits and biosolids land application activity throughout the Commonwealth;
• implementation of Spotsylvania Utilities Department’s new asset management system, Cityworks;
• implementation and maintenance of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s SMART Portal, a web-based solution that collects funding applications and supports statewide prioritization for transportation project selection;
• implementation of PracticeKeeper to help Durham County Soil & Water Conservation District develop and manage conservation plans, document best management practices, and improve reporting; and,
• processing more than 20 terabytes of raster data for the University of Vermont to categorize the Chesapeake Bay watershed into 12 land-cover types to support the Chesapeake Conservancy’s watershed and storm water management and conservation efforts.

“We’re not just planning for the next storm we’ll face, we’re planning for the storms the next generation will face,” said Mayor Walsh. “A resilient, climate-ready Boston Harbor presents an opportunity to protect Boston, connect Boston, and enhance Boston, now and for the future. As we enter a new era in our Harbor’s history, Boston can show the world that resilience is not only the ability to survive adversity, but to emerge even stronger than before. That’s the promise of a Resilient Boston.”

Resilient Boston Harbor builds off of Imagine Boston 2030 and uses the city’s Climate Ready Boston 2070 flood maps and coastal resilience neighborhood studies to focus on Boston’s most vulnerable flood pathways. The strategies laid out in the plan include elevated landscapes, enhanced waterfront parks, flood resilient buildings, and revitalized and increased connections and access to the waterfront. The strategies will require collaboration and funding between federal, state, private, philanthropic and nonprofit partners.

East Boston, Charlestown

Based on early recommendations from the city’s Climate Ready Charlestown and Climate Ready East Boston plans, a deployable floodwall system has been installed across the East Boston Greenway, and a section of Main Street in Charlestown is being elevated. Additional measures identified include:

• Redesign Constitution Beach to combine flood protection with expanded access and recreation.
• Enhance Wood Island and Belle Isle to prevent the loss of the last remaining tidal salt marsh in Boston, while buffering the shoreline from increased waves and surges.
• Work with new development projects, including Suffolk Downs, to integrate resiliency measures, increased open space, and community connections.
• Elevate transportation corridors like Bennington Street and the East Boston Greenway to create both flood protection and pedestrian connections throughout the neighborhood.
• Elevate Main Street as part of the re-design of Rutherford Avenue and Sullivan Square, to block the primary flood pathway through Charlestown. $4.8 million in capital funding has already been committed to the overall project.
• Elevate and renovate Ryan Playground.
• Redevelop the Schrafft Center waterfront with elevated parks and mixed-use buildings to grow economic opportunity while restoring natural resources.

North End, Downtown

Flood risks threaten Boston’s financial center, historic waterfront, tourist destinations and residential neighborhoods. The city will launch Climate Ready Downtown to further study the impacts and necessary measures to protect these neighborhoods. Strategies already identified include:

• Redesign Christopher Columbus Park and Langone Park and Puopolo Playground to include elevation to protect against flooding while improving waterfront open space and connections to the Rose Kennedy Greenway.
• Transform the parking lot at Sargent’s Wharf into a combination of open space and resilient small-scale development.
• Elevate sections of the Harborwalk.
• Enhance Long Wharf as the gateway for water transportation.

South Boston, Fort Point

Climate Ready South Boston identifies the major flood pathways to many of the city’s residential neighborhoods through Fort Point Channel and Moakley Park. In response, the following strategies have been identified:

• Create a resilient Moakley Park and a re-envisioned Fort Point Channel to protect homes and businesses in South Boston, the South End, Chinatown, and parts of Dorchester and Roxbury.
• Build a coalition of support from the private property owners surrounding Fort Point Channel to assist in creating a signature resilient park system.
• Complete the Emerald Necklace from Franklin Park to Moakley Park along Columbia Road to increase access to the waterfront. $11 million will be allocated from sale of the Winthrop Square Garage for this project.
• Secure federal support. The City is applying for a $10 million FEMA mitigation grant to begin resilience work along the Fort Point Channel.
• The Boston Water & Sewer Commission has begun installing essential infrastructure for reducing flood risk.
• An elevated New Ellery Street along the Dorchester Avenue corridor in South Boston, as identified in the BPDA’s PLAN: Dorchester Avenue South Boston to provide additional flood protection for South Boston’s residential neighborhoods.
• Complete Martin’s Park, an inclusive waterfront playground that will be climate-ready.

Dorchester Waterfront

In order to create a resilient, more accessible Dorchester shoreline with increased connectivity, the city will launch Climate Ready Dorchester. Strategies already identified, include:

• Re-design Morrissey Boulevard to stop current and future flooding, and open up the waterfront.
• Complete the connection of the Neponset River Trail in Mattapan to the Harborwalk from Tenean Beach to Victory Park.
• Work with UMass Boston to further open up the waterfront along Columbia Point for the residents of Dorchester.
• Work with residents on new and improved amenities for the neighborhood, including better public transit and improved roadway, pedestrian, and bike connections.

Resilient Boston Harbor builds on the investments the City of Boston has made under Mayor Walsh to increase the city’s climate resiliency, including:

• Released Climate Ready Boston, an internationally recognized plan that builds on Imagine Boston 2030.
• Became one of the first cities to set a target of carbon neutrality by 2050. This week, the City released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the next update to Boston’s Climate Action Plan that will create a roadmap for that goal.
• Expanded open space. Boston ranks first in the nation for resident access to parks.
• Making historic investments in green transportation, including protected bicycle lanes in Roxbury, the South End, and North End, and expanded bike share access in Mattapan, Roslindale, and Dorchester.
• Completing new resilient design standards for public infrastructure, providing ways for all construction on public rights-of-way to adopt flood protection measures.
• The BPDA updated the climate resiliency checklist, requiring new projects to show they are resilient to climate impacts, and is designing a flood resiliency zoning district that will strengthen requirements for new and retrofitted buildings.
• Hosting the International Climate Summit in June, where the Mayor led the creation of a new coalition of cities dedicated to buying renewable energy collectively.

Today, Boston is the top-ranked city for energy policy by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, and rating agencies cite Boston’s climate work in support of the City’s triple-A bond ratings.

The projects outlined in Resilient Boston Harbor will require a number of different funding sources. Mayor Walsh announced that the City of Boston will commit 10 percent of all new capital funding to resilience projects. He called on Boston’s state and federal government partners, as well as the private sector and non-profit and philanthropic stakeholders to join the City in committing to make these necessary investments a reality.

The strategy builds on the City of Boston’s Resilience Strategy. Boston’s resilience strategy is focused on ensuring every resident can reach their full potential regardless of their background, and removing the barriers of systemic racism that hinder Bostonians from having access to opportunities.

“We are excited about the growth opportunities for our firm in New Jersey and the expansion of our regional footprint,” said Malcolm McLaren, the company’s president and CEO. “Our new corporate office positions us for future growth while providing the platform to support our numerous New Jersey projects, including most recently the Wittpenn Bridge in Kearny and Caven Point Marine Terminal in Jersey City.”

Located at 530 Chestnut Ridge Road, McLaren’s new office is strategically positioned off the Garden State Parkway at exit 171, with easy access to NJ Transit rail and bus stations. In the coming months, McLaren is hiring several dozen professionals at Woodcliff Lake including engineers for entry level, project management and senior leadership roles, as well as administrative professionals in accounting, information technology, human resources and marketing.

“McLaren Engineering Group’s expansion in North Jersey shows that we have the talent to attract the jobs and businesses here,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (N.J.-5), who spoke at the event. “I will continue to do everything I can in Congress to boost innovative companies like McLaren to North Jersey by cutting taxes and red tape to help our economy thrive.”

McLaren’s additional work in the Garden State includes mixed-use developments at 197 and 207 Van Vorst in Jersey City, the Pulaski Skyway bridge in Kearny, a recreational pier in Weehawken, automated signage at Newark Airport, wharf reconstruction at Port Newark and the Babbio Center at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken. The firm has also worked to improve over 300 miles of coastline in the Port of New York and New Jersey.

“Bergen County welcomes McLaren; the firm’s high-quality work is evident in its many infrastructure projects throughout the region,” said Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco. “McLaren will thrive in a county that offers an abundance of resources and fosters overall business growth.”

McLaren’s regional growth also continues through its New York City and Albany, N.Y., offices, as well as the firm’s marine services operations in Liberty Landing Marina in New Jersey.

“Our borough is a prime destination for business, and it’s wonderful to have a leading engineering firm join us. McLaren’s expansion has been exciting for the community, which also houses North American headquarters for BMW and Perillo Tours,” said Woodcliff Lake Mayor Carlos Rendo.

Peoples consists of Peoples Natural Gas Company LLC, Peoples Gas Company LLC and Delta Natural Gas Company Inc. The multi-platform entity brings together the second-largest U.S. water utility and fifth-largest U.S. stand-alone natural gas local distribution company (based on customers), and will serve 1.74 million customer connections, which represent approximately 5 million people. In 2019, the new company will have approximately $10.8 billion in assets and a projected U.S. regulated rate base of over $7.2 billion. The transaction is not expected to have any impact on rates.

The combined enterprise will be among the largest publicly traded water utilities and natural gas local distribution companies in the U.S., uniquely positioned to meaningfully contribute to the nation’s natural gas and water infrastructure reliability. The transaction will bring together two companies that each have more than 130 years of service and proven track records of operational efficiency, complementary service territories and strong regulatory compliance.

Aqua will acquire Peoples from infrastructure funds managed by Sausalito, California-based SteelRiver Infrastructure Partners. The resulting company will be well positioned to grow and generate shareholder value through increased scale, a balanced portfolio and stable capital structure.

“The acquisition of Peoples is a great strategic fit and aligns directly with our growth strategy and core competencies of building and rehabilitating infrastructure, timely regulatory recovery, and operational excellence,” said Aqua Chairman and CEO Christopher Franklin. “Both Aqua and Peoples place customers at the center of all we do. We care deeply for employees and their safety, have expertise in pipe replacement, and prioritize stewardship of the environment. Both companies have worked hard to earn credibility with regulators and respect of other stakeholders, and to employ advanced operational efficiencies, all of which create long-term value for customers, communities, employees and shareholders.”

The combined company will operate regulated utilities over a 10-state footprint and will have its largest concentration in Pennsylvania, which will account for more than 77 percent of the company’s total rate base. Aqua’s rate base is growing annually at approximately 7 percent (2019-2021) and Peoples’ rate base is growing annually at 8 to 10 percent (2019-2021), creating a strong combined growth trajectory.

“By bringing together water and natural gas distribution utility companies that share a core mission of providing essential services to customers, the resulting company will be positioned to grow and drive value, as well as make a long-term, positive contribution to our nation’s infrastructure challenges and ensure service reliability for generations to come,” Franklin said. “The new leadership team will take an integrated management approach to cooperatively running the utilities. We plan to leverage the combined breadth of experience from both companies to lead our new combined company.”

Morgan O’Brien, who will continue to lead the natural gas company, said, “The planned combination with Aqua creates a larger strategic utility committed to growing our region’s economic future using the most responsible and innovative tools in our long-term infrastructure replacement programs in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Kentucky. Our resulting company is deeply rooted in the long-established regulatory environments where partnership opportunities will support growth and safety. We are focused on strongly encouraging infrastructure replacement and expansion to better serve customers and fuel growth opportunities. In addition, this larger entity will provide employees with enhanced opportunities for career development.

“For example, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission has demonstrated its support for our infrastructure investment program, through which we will replace more than 3,100 miles of bare steel and cast-iron pipe in the coming years at a current rate of about 150 miles per year,” said O’Brien.

Post-transaction close, the combined businesses will be led by Franklin. The company’s corporate headquarters will be in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and Aqua’s water and wastewater operations will remain headquartered in Bryn Mawr. Peoples, the natural gas operating subsidiary, and its employees will remain headquartered in Pittsburgh and other operating locations will remain unchanged.

In collaboration with Concrete Architectural Associates and Stephen B. Jacobs Group, the hotel includes a rooftop bar and lounge, a bistro-style restaurant and coworking space on the ground level, and a 4,000-square-foot plaza.

This project is citizenM’s second hotel in New York, following the opening of their Times Square property in 2014.

DeSimone’s design team was challenged not only to deliver the tallest modular hotel in the United States, but also to fit the structure inside a building envelope originally developed for a cast-in place concrete structure, while ensuring that it met local code requirements.

The switch to a modular system resulted in a divided building comprised of three main structural sections. The lowest section up to the fourth floor remained cast-in-place concrete to maintain a previously designed amenity spaces in the lower levels. The fourth-floor concrete slab is 36-inches-thick with spans measuring up to 38 feet that functions as a transfer slab to support the modular levels. The 15 stories of hotel modules rise from this floor. The nineteenth floor up to the roof is framed with structural steel to provide open spaces at the upper amenity levels. Throughout the building a standalone concrete core and a blade shear wall between the two northern modules act as the building’s lateral system.

Executing design and construction created additional challenges. The modular field connections had to withstand large forces produced by a tall building, provide sufficient field tolerances, avoid interference with adjacent modules, and provide room to assemble the modules in the field.

“We are honored to have had the opportunity to work on this unique project,” said Benjamin Downing, Managing Principal for Desimone in New Haven, Conn. “The project team faced numerous design challenges, but we resolved these quickly and efficiently to help realize the tallest modular hotel in the nation.”

The Harman Group provided structural engineering and parking planning and design services for the building, developed by a public-private partnership between Dranoff Properties and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. BLT Architects designed the building.

“The Harman Group’s extensive experience designing innovative urban projects enabled us to maximize the residential and retail spaces by using a cast-in-place structural system,” said Janis Vacca, Vice President and Principal at The Harman Group. “One Theater Square serves as a model for future development in Newark and will bring new life to the downtown.”

The curved glass residential tower includes 242 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, a fitness center and lap pool, community rooms, and an outdoor deck. Of the total 242 units, 24 are set aside for affordable housing. One Theater Square also features 15,000 square feet of ground floor retail and an adjacent 111,500-square-foot parking structure to accommodate 281 cars.

One Theater Square offers sweeping views of the New York and Jersey City skylines. In February 2017, the project was honored by New Jersey’s Alliance for Action as a project that will have a transformational impact on New Jersey’s economy, job creation, and quality of life.

“While leaders in Washington talk about investing in infrastructure, we’re actually doing it at historic levels and the transformation of JFK Airport into a 21st century transportation hub will ensure New York remains the nation’s front door to the world,” Governor Cuomo said. “This historic investment to modernize JFK Airport and the surrounding transportation network will not only ease travel through this major hub, but it will ensure JFK joins the ranks as one of the finest airports in the world.”

The JFK Vision Plan, initially unveiled in January 2017 and based on the recommendations from the governor’s Airport Advisory Panel, calls for an overhaul of the airport’s hodgepodge of eight disparate terminal sites into one unified JFK Airport by demolishing old terminals, utilizing vacant space, and modernizing on-airport infrastructure, while incorporating the latest in passenger amenities and technological innovations.

The Vision Plan also calls for increasing the number and size of gates, improving parking availability, an array of airside taxiway improvements to allow for bigger planes and reduced gate congestion, upgrading the AirTrain JFK system to handle increased passenger capacity, and enhanced roadways on and off the airport. This includes better access to JFK from regional roadways, particularly the Van Wyck Expressway and the Grand Central Parkway, including the Kew Gardens Interchange.

Today’s announcement follows the selection in September 2017 of a master planning team for the redevelopment of the airport, led by Mott MacDonald and Grimshaw Architects, and whose portfolio of prior master planning and redevelopment projects includes airports in London, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada and Australia. Starting late last year, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees JFK Airport, embarked on an extensive and rigorous process with the airport’s existing six terminal operators — each of which operates under a long-term lease agreement — seeking proposals from each of them to modernize, expand and/or replace their facilities. These proposals were in turn evaluated by a formal comparative analysis team, comprised of seasoned experts, against a set of established criteria to determine the best combination of developments that would achieve the core master plan objectives, as well as fully leverage the Port Authority’s previously approved $1 billion capital plan commitment. The plans for the two terminals announced today will now be submitted to the Port Authority’s Board of Commissioners. Once lease terms are finalized, the leases will be subject to final Board approval. Additional discussions with multiple other airlines and terminal operators remain ongoing to further advance the goals of the Vision Plan.

The new passenger facilities will feature significantly larger waiting areas with high ceilings, natural light and modern architecture coupled with interior green space, exhibits and art featuring iconic New York landmarks and local artists. World-class retail, restaurants and bars will include locally-based restaurateurs, craft beverage options and Taste NY stores. Free, high-speed Wi-Fi and an abundance of charging stations throughout the terminals will enable passengers to stay connected at each step of their journey.

State-of-the-art technological improvements will be part of the terminal upgrades, with security enhancements — such as radiation detection and next-generation identification of unattended packages.

At the center of the airport, the Port Authority will seek proposals to develop the new Kennedy Central hub, issuing a Request for Information in the coming months to determine the most effective and functional way to leverage this blank canvas in a fashion that will complement and add value to airport experience. Options might include, but aren’t limited to, public open and recreational space, conference centers, cultural uses and other amenities for the traveling public and the airport’s workforce.

Two new centrally-located JFK Welcome Centers will serve as convenient access points for taxis, buses, for-hire vehicles and parking.

The proposed new $7 billion, 2.9 million square foot terminal on the airport’s south side will be developed by the Terminal One Group, a consortium of four international airlines — Lufthansa, Air France, Japan Airlines and Korean Air Lines. The plans call for replacing JFK’s Terminal 1 (20 years old and undersized), which the group currently operates, and Terminal 2 (56 years old and functionally obsolete), as well as the area left vacant when Terminal 3 was demolished in 2014.

When completed, it will yield a net increase of over 2 million in square feet from the existing terminals and provide 23 international gates, 22 of which will be designed to accommodate larger, wide-body aircraft (FAA Airplane Design Group V or VI) such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner or Airbus A380, which provides seating for over 500 passengers.

The new terminal will contain at least 24 security screening lanes, over 230,000 square feet of retail, dining and other concessions, 116,000 square feet of airline lounges, and 55,000 square feet of interior green space, children’s play areas and cultural exhibits. The complex will be operated by Munich Airport International and also be connected to the existing Terminal 4, which initially opened in 2001 and has been expanded twice since then, most recently in 2013.

On the airport’s north side, the proposed new $3 billion, 1.2 million square foot terminal will be developed by JetBlue. JetBlue plans to demolish Terminal 7 (48 years old, undersized and functionally obsolete) and combine it with the vacant space where Terminal 6 was demolished in 2011 to create a world-class international terminal complex that would be connected to the airline’s existing Terminal 5 and be occupied by the airline and its various partners currently spread throughout the airport. Terminal 5 opened in 2008 and is the newest of JFK’s current six terminals.

This new terminal will have 12 international gates, all of which be able to accommodate larger, wide-body aircraft. It will feature 74,000 square feet of retail, 30,000 square feet of airline lounges, and 15,000 square feet of recreational space.

Construction is expected to begin in 2020 with the first new gates opening in 2023 and substantial completion expected in 2025.

An additional $2 billion in private non-Port Authority funding will be allocated to an array of critical infrastructure upgrades laying the foundation for these world-class new terminals.

JFK Airport is one of the region’s most powerful economic engines, supporting roughly 300,000 jobs that pay $16.2 billion in wages annually while generating $45.7 billion in yearly sales. The airport set a record with nearly 60 million passengers in 2017 and is projected to eclipse 75 million passengers by 2030. Together, the new terminals are estimated to create over 9,600 direct jobs, including construction jobs and over 15,000 total jobs over the life of the project.

Roadway improvements

Outside of the terminal buildings at JFK there is also a need to simplify the spaghetti-like roadway system and enable quicker access to all terminals for private cars, taxis, ride-share and other for-hire vehicles, as well as reconfigure parking lots to ensure short-term and long-term options are more easily accessible.

Plans call for the terminal areas to be linked by two main “ring roads,” a north loop and a south loop, which will make it easier to enter and exit the airport while providing significantly easier access to the terminal complex areas on the airport’s north and south sides.

Off airport, the New York State Department of Transportation has targeted $1.5 billion in highway improvements designed to ease bottlenecks, particularly at the Kew Gardens Interchange with the Van Wyck Expressway and on the notoriously congested Van Wyck as well. The goal is to help reduce travel times for vehicles between midtown Manhattan and the airport.

Construction is slated to begin later this year on improvements to eliminate bottleneck conditions at the Kew Gardens Interchange — originally built in the 1930s — with the Grand Central and the Van Wyck Expressway. It still contains a series of ramps that do not meet today’s standards, and the improvements are expected to be complete by the end of 2022.

On the Van Wyck itself, the 4.3-mile trip between the Kew Gardens Interchange and JFK airport can take more than a half hour during peak times. To improve the situation, the DOT is planning to build a fourth lane in both directions, which would be restricted to passenger vehicles with three or more people and for-hire-vehicles with at least one passenger. The environmental approval process is underway and expected to conclude in early 2019, with construction slated to begin in late 2019 and finished by end of 2024.

With respect to mass transit, the Port Authority will be adding 50 percent capacity to the AirTrain JFK system as well as increasing frequency of service to keep up with rising demand. More than 7.6 million paid passengers used the system in 2017, with another 12.6 million more riding it to connect between terminals and access ground transportation. Additionally, at Jamaica Station the Long Island Rail Road is constructing a new, 12-car platform that will increase capacity for those traveling to and from JFK.

Read more and visit the new informational guide website to John F. Kennedy International Airport: https://www.jfk-international-airport.com/

During this period, the private sector can submit proposals offering innovative ways to deliver transportation projects across a variety of modes including roads, bridges, rail, aviation and ports. Proposals can also include more efficient models to manage existing transportation-related services and programs.

“We pride ourselves on our innovative approaches to transportation solutions,” said PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards. “By accepting unsolicited P3 proposals, we are encouraging others to propose innovative or partnership projects that they think will benefit the commonwealth and Pennsylvanians.”

The private sector may also submit applications for non-PennDOT owned assets directly to the P3 board during this time. Transportation entities outside of the governor’s jurisdiction, such as transit authorities, may establish their own timelines or accept proposals year-round. Unsolicited proposals are being accepted through 11:59 p.m. on December 31. Instructions on how to submit a project and information on the unsolicited proposal review process can be found on the state’s P3 website (www.P3.pa.gov).

Also accepted was the Northampton County bridge renewal proposal to construct, finance, and maintain the replacement and rehabilitation of 32 bridges at various locations throughout the county. Twenty-seven bridges were to be replaced and five rehabilitated within a four-year timeframe.

Another example is a wetland mitigation bank proposed on PennDOT-owned land in Chalfont Borough/New Britain Township, Bucks County. The proposal calls for a private partner to design, establish and maintain 140 acres of wetlands. The credits from this site would be used for transportation-related mitigation requirements for projects in the Philadelphia and Allentown areas. Any remaining credits would be available for sale to the private sector.

The state’s P3 law allows PennDOT and other transportation authorities and commissions to partner with private companies to participate in delivering, maintaining, and financing transportation-related projects.

As part of the P3 law, the seven-member Public Private Transportation Partnership Board was appointed to examine and approve potential public-private transportation projects. If the board determines a state operation would be more cost-effectively administered by a private company, the company will be authorized to submit a proposal and enter into a contract to either completely or partially take over that operation for a defined period of time.

The next unsolicited proposal period will occur in April. To learn more about P3 in Pennsylvania, including active projects, visit www.P3.pa.gov.

The vote occurred just days after Governor Phil Murphy called on the Board to open two additional 1,200 MW solicitations of offshore wind capacity — one in 2020 and another in 2022. These actions mark a significant leap forward in achieving the Governor’s vision to transform New Jersey into a 100-percent clean energy state by 2050.

“In the span of just nine months, New Jersey has vaulted to the front of the pack in establishing this cutting-edge industry,” said Governor Murphy. “We campaigned on rebuilding New Jersey’s reputation as a clean energy leader and that involves setting an aggressive timetable on offshore wind. Thanks to the Board, today we took another enormous step toward realizing that goal with the largest single-state solicitation of offshore wind in the country.”

“Today’s action marks an historic step in the implementation of Governor Murphy’s clean energy agenda. Offshore wind energy will help drive down our dependence on fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gases that cause climate change while creating jobs and providing a boost to the economy,” said NJBPU President Joseph L. Fiordaliso.

“The opening of the 1,100 MW window, coupled with the Governor’s announcement for the deployment schedule for the full 3,500 MW solicitation, provides unparalleled certainty and incentive for developers and manufacturers to anchor a supply chain right here in New Jersey that can serve the entire eastern seaboard,” President Fiordaliso added.

The Board’s action will allow developers seeking to build offshore wind facilities in federal waters to submit applications for approval. The application window begins on September 20, 2018 and closes on December 28, 2018. The Board intends to act on the applications by July 1, 2019, which should provide sufficient time for developers to qualify for federal investment tax credits that expire at the end of next year. These credits could save New Jersey ratepayers approximately 12 percent of the total project cost.

The NJBPU will issue a Guidance Document as part of the release of the Board Order that helps developers calculate net economic benefits. The Guidance Document also provides the formats to be used for submittal of the information required under the Offshore Wind Economic Development Act (OWEDA), as well as the evaluation criteria and the solicitation schedule. The timeline provides key dates including the Technical Bidder’s Conference and meetings with Rate Counsel and NJBPU Staff.

Today’s Order and Guidance Document resulted from a robust public input process. Additionally, as part of New Jersey’s offshore wind program, the NJBPU proposed a rule at its July meeting that would enact an Offshore Wind Energy Certificate (OREC) Funding Mechanism that establishes how an offshore wind project is funded and how revenues earned from the project would flow back to ratepayers.

The OREC rule proposal was published in the New Jersey Register on August 20, 2018 and public comment will be accepted until October 19, 2018.

“We are committed to increasing opportunities for small, disadvantaged, and diverse businesses, and this pilot program is another step forward,” PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards said. “This program aims to provide opportunities to expand expertise and the pool of potential firms for future department work.”

The Small Business Set Aside pilot program currently includes preliminary engineering and final design for three projects: a bridge replacement over South Witmer Run on Route 3005 in Irvona Borough, Clearfield County; a bridge replacement over Marshall Run on Route 3007 in Conemaugh Township, Indiana County; and replacing a bridge over Leaf Creek on Route 2057 in Amity and Douglass townships, Berks County. At least three more projects will be advertised to the private sector this fall. The department will evaluate how many SBEs submit a statement of interest, whether a contract is awarded to a SBE, and work results. The department may expand the program in the future depending on the pilot-program results.

There are currently 413 businesses certified by PennDOT as a SBE. SBEs must meet U.S. Small Business Administration size standards and submit a completed application to PennDOT for certification to participate in federally assisted transportation projects. Interested firms may review requirements and pursue certification through the department’s SBE database – www.dotsbe.pa.gov.

Under the pilot program, a SBE must be the prime consultant on the agreement, however other companies can be added as sub-consultants. Interested SBEs must perform at least 50 percent of the contracted work and must be registered as a business partner in the department’s Engineering and Construction Management System (ECMS). ECMS will be used for firms to present qualifications and submit a statement of interest, and advertisements for anticipated projects will be posted in the system under “Solicitation” as they become available.

More information on the department’s programs and efforts in Equal Opportunity Employment and diverse business opportunities is available at www.penndot.gov.

“Since the 1940s, people talked about adding a third track and modernizing the Main Line corridor — and now we’re actually doing it,” said Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. “These projects taken together will create smoother and more reliable service for LIRR passengers while at the same time improving public safety by eliminating dangerous grade crossings. The LIRR is the backbone of the region’s economy and this expansion effort will boost growth for generations.”

Benefits of the project will include smoother and more reliable commutes, safer and quieter crossings, improvements to stations and parking facilities, reduced noise along the project corridor as well as less congestion and cleaner air.

Project elements along the Main Line corridor include:

• 8 miles of a new third track;
• 7 grade crossing eliminations, including Covert Avenue, South 12th Street, New Hyde Park Road, Main Street, Willis Avenue, Urban Avenue and School Street;
• 7 bridge replacements and modifications, including South Tyson Avenue Bridge, Plainfield Avenue Bridge, Tanners Pond Road/Denton Avenue Bridge, Glen Cove Road Bridge, Meadowbrook Parkway Bridge, and Cherry Lane Bridge;
• 5 station improvements, including New Hyde Park Station, Merillon Avenue Station, Mineola Station, Carle Place Station, and Westbury Station; in addition to ADA-compliant elevators at Floral Park Station;
• 7 substation replacements, including Floral Park Substation, New Hyde Park Substation, Merillon Avenue Substation, Mineola Substation, Carle Place Substation, Westbury Substation, and New Cassel Substation;
• 5 miles of sound/retaining walls; and
• Additional improvements throughout the project corridor.

The plan takes no residential properties, eliminates the seven street-level grade crossings, and widens or increases the height of seven bridges across the line to prevent bridge strikes.

As part of the project, the state is also undertaking a comprehensive noise abatement program — replacing all tracks and building the new Third Track with advanced dampening technology. The project also includes sound-reducing walls along nearly six miles of residential neighborhoods along the mainline and features architectural treatments to complement the surrounding environments.

The LIRR will also replace power infrastructure throughout the system with seven new traction power substations to improve reliability and increase capacity enough to power three LIRR trains traveling simultaneously. In addition, to increase safety, the system will add positive train control to prevent operator error.

To ensure community input throughout the entirety of the project, the LIRR has entered into memoranda of understanding with the communities on the Main Line Third Track. The MOUs invite input on project design, including aesthetic design of certain project elements such as sound walls, consideration for traffic and parking, utilities, drainage, pest and dust control, transit-oriented development, construction schedule and duration and community safety and quality of life.

The Third Track expansion project is expected to be substantially completed by the end of 2022.

Work on the Main Line is part of the historic $6 billion transformation of the Long Island Rail Road to strengthen the region’s transportation infrastructure and usher in a new era of economic growth. In total, approximately 100 transformative LIRR capital projects are moving forward, including the Main Line Third Track, Double Track, Jamaica Station Reconstruction, 39 renovated Long Island Rail Road stations and grade crossing eliminations.

The project team has engaged in an unprecedented level of public outreach with a broad range of individuals and organizations, including community groups, elected and appointed officials, businesses, and residents. Many of the Project’s elements and construction impact minimization measures are the direct result of input given by the public. A series of environmental and community commitments were developed over the course of the planning phase in coordination with many stakeholders along the Project corridor.

The Cambridge Club amenities include a 25,000-square-foot clubhouse with a fine dining restaurant, 5,000-square-foot pool pavilion building, rooftop deck, lounges, fitness area and spa. Outside there are seasonal dining options, as well as a yoga lawn, playground, and two-acre recreational fields for kids and adults. Water features include a six-lane, 25-meter competition pool, zero-entry activity pool, heated therapy pool, oversized 20-person jacuzzi, children’s pool and 2,000-square-foot spray park.

Dresdner Robin coordinated with architectural firm Fabiano Designs to transform the former Strathmore Bath & Tennis Club, built in the mid 1960’s, into a modern, inclusive first-class recreational facility.

“We are very proud of the work we performed on the Cambridge Club, which included landscape architecture, construction administration, engineering consulting and surveying services. The owners of the facility, Frank and Tammy Ward, spent their summers here at the old swim club and had a grand vision of what they wanted The Cambridge Club to be. It was a pleasure working with them to turn that dream into reality,” says Mark Vizzini, Project Manager, Dresdner Robin.

“We developed a site-sensitive layout that preserved significant amounts of existing vegetation and installed many diverse plantings around the site. To improve water quality and accomplish zero stormwater runoff, we minimized paved parking by providing grass-covered overflow parking areas,” says Lauren Venin, Landscape Architect, Dresdner Robin.

Dresdner Robin’s engineers adhered to strict American with Disabilities Act building requirements to make the club easily accessible for all patrons. Owners Frank and Tammy Ward have a daughter with Down syndrome and dreamed of opening a club environment where anyone with a disability would be welcomed and given equal opportunities.

“Dresdner Robin helped us bring a facility to the community that we could be proud of,” says Tammy Ward, Owner, The Cambridge Club. “It takes the best elements from the ‘golden era’ of country clubs and modernizes it so that it can be a second home to anyone in the community.”

Since opening in July 2018, the club has attracted nearly 300 members and fielded more than 1,000 inquiries. It has hired a dozen full-time and 60 part-time employees for accounting, client services, lifeguarding, maintenance, social media and server positions.

The site and buildings were designed with future expansions in mind. Phase two will consist of a 5,000-square-foot young adult area, an outdoor performance stage and 5,000 square feet of event space.  Phase three will include an indoor aquatic center and expanded health, wellness and spa facilities.

To learn more about the Cambridge Club, visit www.cambridgeclubnj.com.

This program is designed for the non-scientist and will provide students with a basic understanding of geology, hydrogeology and environmental chemistry. The fundamental principles will be presented in terminology that makes it easy to understand, even if your only background is high school chemistry. Attendees will also learn how to use this information when evaluating environmental conditions at a site or property.

According to Rutgers, This course is appropriate for those who:

• develop, review or use hydrogeologic reports;
• purchase environmental services; or
• make decisions regarding environmental policies

For more details and online registration, visit https://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/ew0106ca.html.

“We and our planning partners developed this update with an eye on striking the right balance between allowing for some limited capacity expansion and taking the needed steps to ensure our existing system is well maintained,” said PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards. “While we are fortunate to have revenues to support an effective program, we understand that we face challenges to maintain this progress.”

The newly adopted program, which takes effect October 1, anticipates $11.53 billion being available for state highway and bridge projects in the first four years. Public transit is in line for $9.62 billion; aviation, $128 million; rail freight, $228 million, and multimodal projects, $319 million.

Four rural Planning Organizations, 19 Metropolitan Planning Organizations and one Independent County partnered with PennDOT in the review and development of the update. The plan is now submitted to the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration for review and approval. The Federal Highway Administration coordinates with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to review the plan’s conformity with air quality requirements.

Public input early in the 12-Year planning process played a key role in identifying investments in the various transportation modes.

The Commission is chaired by the Secretary of PennDOT and consists of 10 appointed citizens and the majority and minority chairs of the state House and Senate Transportation committees.

State law requires the commission to review and update the 12-Year Program every two years. No capital project can move forward unless it is included in the 12-Year Program.

Here are some of the significant projects included in the updated program. Note that some of these were carried forward from the 2017 plan:

• Over $1 billion in improvements to the Interstate 83 corridor including $668 million for the reconstruction of I-83 around Harrisburg and $389 million for widening near York.
• $320 million for the reconstruction of I-70 in Washington and Westmoreland Counties
• $14 million to construct the Chester Valley Trail in Montgomery County
• $165 million in improvements to the US 222 corridor in Berks and Lehigh Counties.
• $61 million in improvements to PA Route 8 in Venango County
• $41 million in safety improvements to US 220 in Lycoming County
• Over $2.4 billion for the I-95 corridor in southeastern Pennsylvania
• $284 million in bridge, pavement and safety improvements throughout the US 6 corridor across Northern Pennsylvania
• $117 million to rehabilitate the Hill to Hill bridge in Bethlehem, Lehigh County
• $91 million for the restoration of the Market Street Bridge in Philadelphia
• Over $19 million for improvements to the Centerville Road interchange in Lancaster County. (New)
• $20 million for continued work on Atherton Street in State College
• $10 million for the rehabilitation of the Johnstown Inclined Plane
• $117 million for Bus Rapid Transit in Pittsburgh
• $15.5 million for improvements to the Bayfront Parkway in Erie to increase safety and provide accommodations to bicycles and pedestrians. (New)
• $168 million for improvements to the SR 228 corridor in Butler County
• Nearly $27 million for the rehabilitation of the 9th Street Bridge in Pittsburgh
• $17 million to reconstruct SR 199 through Athens and Sayre Boroughs in Bradford County. (Moved into first four years)
• $142 million for the SR 61 corridor through Schuylkill County. (One of three projects is new.)
• $13 million for bridge improvements along SR 487 in Columbia County. (Three projects, one new, one moving into first four years and one is carryover.)
• $40 million in bridge improvements throughout Bedford County

Information about the 12-Year program Update is available at www.TalkPATransportation.com.

A P3 is a procurement model that uses an integrated approach to deliver infrastructure; incorporating design, construction, financing, operations and maintenance functions into the contract. This method is lauded for its life-cycle approach to procurement, optimizing taxpayer value and public benefit through risk transfer opportunities and transparent processes.

The Association for the Improvement of American Infrastructure (AIAI) worked closely with several key organizations to ensure that best practices and taxpayer protections were incorporated into the statute. Jack Kocsis, President of the Associated Construction Contractors of New Jersey, was a key driver of the legislation and commended New Jersey Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney (D, 3rd), the bill’s principal sponsor, for his support for this initiative. “The statute has the potential to create additional work opportunities for the contracting community and our labor partners that may not otherwise happen. In addition, the recently passed legislation contains strong, time-tested contractor and labor protections.”

AIAI’s Board of Directors, headed by Chairman William Marino, have been steadfast supporters of broadly enabling P3s for New Jersey. The bill allows local and state officials to evaluate and utilize this accelerated project delivery method, enabling development and reconstruction of courthouses, bridges, schools, transit systems, parking facilities and other public works projects to support New Jersey.

The P3 program will enable New Jersey to design, construct, develop, deliver, finance, operate and maintain much-needed public works projects more efficiently. The flexibility to leverage private participation in public works development and investment will facilitate economic development opportunities and create local and regional jobs.

During the bill signing ceremony, Executive Director of AIAI, John Parkinson, commented, “This is a welcome and meaningful step forward to support modernization and anticipated growth in the state.”

“McLaren took a 30-by-80-foot flat deck barge and brought it to life by turning it into a floating venue for glassblowing. Witnessing this concept become a reality was awe-inspiring for us at The Corning Museum of Glass,” says Rob Cassetti, the museum’s Sr. Director of Creative Strategy and Audience Engagement.  “This was an incredible engineering feat that provides a platform for us to tell our story of 150 years of glass innovation in Corning, NY. No other firm could fill our vision like McLaren has.”

One hundred and fifty years ago, the Brooklyn Flint Glass Company — now Corning Incorporated — moved to Corning via canal barges. GlassBarge commemorates the anniversary by retracing — and expanding — the journey, visiting 29 waterfront communities across the state from May to September.

McLaren’s marine team first helped Corning choose a barge and ensured it was up to coast guard standards before transforming it into a floating entertainment vessel. The team performed underwater inspections and ultrasonic thickness measurements to inspect conditions.

“We engineered the floating entertainment venue so that glassblowing demonstrations could fit safely within the confines of the barge,” says Ashleigh Campbell, project manager and naval architect, McLaren Engineering Group. “We worked with the U.S. Coast Guard throughout the design and construction process, ensuring the GlassBarge met all the requirements for a Moored Attraction Vessel, including stability, hull thickness and electrical wiring.”

McLaren’s entertainment team designed the barge layout to include a glassblowing container, stage, seating risers, storage vessel and canopy. The 30-foot-wide, 69-foot-long retractable canopy was designed to protect the performers, audience and stage from inclement weather.

“We used our experience working on Broadway theaters and concert stage performances to create stadium seating that amplified the viewer experience, while collaborating with our marine experts to maximize occupancy on the floating structure,” says Steven Bonadonna, technical design manager, McLaren Engineering Group.

McLaren also provided fabrication design, assembly, weldment and machining drawings, as well as renderings of the floating structure. The firm oversaw the construction repairs and integrated all the glassblowing equipment into the physical layout of the barge. McLaren’s team advised on the electrical layout needed for the high-energy-use equipment.

“This project is a perfect example of our firm’s applied ingenuity approach – blending our creativity and engineering expertise. We are a proud partner of GlassBarge and are thrilled to see it educating crowds at nearly 30 stops this summer,” says Malcolm G. McLaren, president and CEO, McLaren Engineering Group. “Because our firm has deep expertise in both entertainment and marine engineering, McLaren was uniquely suited to make this complex project a reality.”

McLaren coordinated with The Corning Museum of Glass, Port of Coeymans, United States Coast Guard (USCG), South Street Seaport and additional supporters of the construction and transit of the GlassBarge.

GlassBarge launched from Brooklyn Bridge Park in May 2018 and is currently taking a four-month journey along the waterways that carried the company 150 years ago. Along the route, a traveling team of educators, historians, and artisans invite the public onboard for history talks and hundreds of free glassmaking workshops. GlassBarge will return to Port of Coeymans in October.

For more information about GlassBarge, visit: https://www.cmog.org/glassmaking/demos/hot-glass-demos/glassbarge.

“With the state’s rich bridge and railway history, we’re honored to be selected for this contract by NJ TRANSIT,” said Mike Britt, President and CEO of Modjeski and Masters. “Linking major points in New Jersey to Philadelphia and New York, customers rely on these transportation structures every day to guide them to their destinations. We look forward to leveraging our railway experience to make sure these communities stay connected for years to come.”

Through this contract, Modjeski and Masters may provide engineering services for fixed and movable rail bridges, tunnels, culverts, dams, bridges over railways, hydrogeology and groundwater surveys, and railroad infrastructure, facilities and systems services. Work for this contract will run for five years and has an estimated value of up to $3.75 million.

“Our entire Bridge & Rail team is extremely grateful to NJ TRANSIT for the continued trust they’ve placed in us by this selection, and we all look forward to building on our very effective working relationships with NJ TRANSIT as an extension to their talented staff,” says Rick Martino, PE, Senior Project Manager for Modjeski and Masters, Inc.

For more information about Modjeski and Masters’ work on Railways and Bridges, visit: https://www.modjeski.com/Services/.

The Harman Group provided structural engineering services for The Harper, in partnership with developer, Pearl Properties, architect, DAS Architects and construction manager, Wellcraft Construction Company.

To accommodate for the retail spaces located on the ground floor and first floor, The Harman Group needed to create more open space. Using five trusses and two plate girders as transfer members, The Harman Group was able to eliminate nine columns from the retail and amenities floor plans.

“The Harman Group worked closely with Pearl Properties and DAS Architects to create a Class A luxury apartment tower in the heart of Center City,” said Christopher Gottschall, Senior Project Engineer at The Harman Group. “In order to reduce the number of columns and therefore allow for longer spans in the retail spaces, we elected to use trusses at the base of the tower to take on the load from the column transfers.”

Amenities at The Harper will include premier retail space, creative office space, an outdoor park and an underground garage. Named after James Harper, Rittenhouse Square’s first developer and a Pennsylvania congressman, The Harper is slated for completion in summer 2019.

With best-in-class hospitals, world-renowned universities, and an exploding biopharmaceutical sector, Greater Boston is a stand-out player in the global health services industry. To make the most of this elite status, the area’s health care and life science facilities need to keep up with shifting demographics and accelerating innovation. Professionals in the AEC industry are partnering with owners to balance the opportunities of medical advancements and venture capital investment with the challenges posed by an aging population, outdated infrastructure, and limited space.

“There is tremendous opportunity here, not only in Boston but across all of New England, to shape the future of life sciences and health care,” says Massachusetts Life Sciences Center President and CEO Travis McCready, a leading voice in the industry and the symposium’s keynote speaker. “By investing in innovative infrastructure and facilities, we can lead the way to a healthy future for generations to come.”

Create + Construct will bring together health care and life science leaders from across the AEC industry to discuss how to design and adapt these critical spaces to support wellness throughout New England. Symposium highlights include:

• A keynote address by Travis McCready on the convergence of health care and life sciences in Boston.
• Session presentations on retrofitting active health care centers, designing new facilities through prefabrication, and planning for resilience in critical structures.
• A panel discussion with health care and life science executives on trends, roadblocks, and opportunities for the area.
• Optional breakout sessions for specific interests.
• Networking opportunities with peers and thought leaders.

Session and panel speakers will include Michael Benedetto of Skanska, Jim Chambers of Shepley Bulfinch, William Kane of BioMed Realty, Andrea Kerr of Boston Children’s Hospital, Scott LeClair of Fitzemeyer & Tocci Associates, Edmund Lydon of Northeast Hospital Corporation, Kevin Neumann of E4H Environments for Health Architecture, Joe O’Farrell of Harvard University, Bill Ravanesi of Health Care Without Harm, Jason Seaburg of Suffolk, Tom Sieniewicz of NBBJ, and Lisa Strope of JLL. SGH participants include Daniel Clark, Emily Hopps, Michael Hughes, Joshua Kivela, Casey Stevenson, and Brian Twomey. New England Real Estate Journal is the event’s media sponsor.

Attendees can earn up to 5.5 hours of continuing education credit [SGH is an American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System (AIA CES) Approved Provider]. Registration closes Friday, Sept. 7.

The symposium takes place Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018 at the Joseph B. Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston. The day will begin with registration at 8:00 a.m. and conclude with a reception at 5:00 p.m.

For more event and ticketing information, visit www.create-construct.com.

Cambridge, Mass. — Construction and operation of all kinds of buildings uses vast amounts of energy and natural resources. Researchers around the world have therefore been seeking ways to make buildings more efficient and less dependent on emissions-intensive materials.

Now, a project developed through an MIT class has come up with a highly energy-efficient design for a large community building that uses one of the world’s oldest construction materials. For this structure, called “the Longhouse,” massive timbers made of conventional lumber would be laminated together like a kind of supersized plywood.

The design will be presented this October at the Maine Mass Timber Conference, which is dedicated to exploring new uses of this material, which can be used to build safe, sound high-rise buildings, if building codes permit them.

John Klein, a research scientist in MIT’s architecture department who taught a workshop called Mass Timber Design that came up with the new design, explains that “in North America, we have an abundance of forest resources, and a lot of it is overgrown. There’s an effort to find ways to use forest products sustainably, and the forests are actively undergoing thinning processes to prevent forest fires and beetle infestations.”

People tend to think of wood as a suitable material for structures just a few stories high, but not for larger structures, Klein says. But already some builders are beginning to use mass timber products (a term that basically applies to any wood products much larger than conventional lumber) for bigger structures, including medium-rise buildings of up to 20 stories. Even taller buildings should ultimately be practical with this technology, he says. One of the largest mass timber buildings in the U.S. is the new 82,000-square-foot John W. Olver Design Building at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

One of the first questions people raise when they hear of such construction has to do with fire. Can such tall wooden structures really be safe? In fact, Klein says, tests have demonstrated that mass timber structures can resist fire as well or better than steel. That’s because wood exposed to fire naturally produces a layer of char, which is highly insulating and can protect the bulk of the wood for more than two hours. Steel, in contrast, can fail suddenly when heat softens it and causes it to buckle.

Klein explains that this natural fire resistance makes sense when you think about dropping a lit match onto a pile of wood shavings, versus dropping it onto a log. The shavings will burst into flames, but on the log a match will simply sputter out. The greater the bulk of the wood, the better it resists ignition.

The structure designed by the class uses massive beams made from layers of wood veneers laminated together, a process known as laminated veneer lumber (LVL), made into panels 50 feet long, 10 feet wide, and more than 6 inches thick These are cut to size and used to make a series of large arches, 40 feet tall to the central peak and spanning 50 feet across, made of sections with a triangular cross-section to add structural strength. A series of these arches is assembled to create a large enclosed space with no need for internal structural supports. The pleated design of the roof is designed to accommodate solar panels and windows for natural lighting and passive solar heating.

“The structural depth achieved by building up the triangular section helps us achieve the clear span desired for the communal space, all while lending a visual language on both the interior and the exterior of the structure,” says Demi Fang, an MIT architecture graduate student who was part of the design team. “Each arch tapers and widens along its length, because not every point along the arch will be subject to the same magnitude of forces, and this varying cross-section depth both expresses structural performance while encouraging materials savings,” she says.

The arches would be factory-built in sections, and then bolted together on site to make the complete building. Because the building would be largely prefabricated, the actual on-site construction process would be greatly streamlined, Klein says.

“The Longhouse is a multifunctional building, designed to accommodate a range of event scenarios from co-working, exercise classes, social mixers, exhibitions, dinner gatherings and lectures,” Klein says, adding that it builds on a long tradition of such communal structures in cultures around the world.

Whereas the production of concrete, used in most of the world’s large buildings, involves large releases of greenhouse gases from the baking of limestone, construction using mass timber has the opposite effect, Klein says. While concrete adds to the world’s burden of greenhouse gases, timber actually lessens it, because the carbon removed from the air while trees grow is essentially sequestered for as long as the building lasts. “The building is a carbon sink,” he says.

One obstacle to greater use of mass timber for large structures is in current U.S. building codes, Klein says, which limit the use of structural wood to residential buildings up to five stories, or commercial buildings up to six stories. But recent construction of much taller timber buildings in Europe, Australia, and Canada — including an 18-story timber building in British Columbia — should help to establish such buildings’ safety and lead to the needed code changes, he says.

The Longhouse design was developed by a cross-disciplinary team in 4.S13 (Mass Timber Design), a design workshop in MIT’s architecture department that explores the future of sustainable buildings. The team included John Fechtel, Paul Short, Demi Fang, Andrew Brose, Hyerin Lee, and Alexandre Beaudouin-Mackay. It was supported by the Department of Architecture, BuroHappold Engineering and Nova Concepts.

The survey, which will collect valuable data about the sea floor, marks a key milestone in Deepwater Wind’s plan to develop the Skipjack Wind Farm that will generate enough energy to power 35,000 homes. These surveys are required as part of Deepwater Wind’s construction and operations plan, and the extensive data collected will help inform the design and exact location of the turbines.

Deepwater Wind commissioned the Hanover, Md., office of sub-sea engineering company Oceaneering to perform the survey, in keeping with Deepwater Wind’s commitment to building Maryland’s offshore wind workforce.

“We are deploying major offshore assets this week to move full-steam ahead with the Skipjack Wind Farm,” said Jeffrey Grybowski, CEO of Deepwater Wind. “The survey will provide detailed scientific data about the ocean floor, so that we can place turbine foundations and sub-sea cables in precisely the best locations. The findings will help us construct a world-class offshore wind farm, while also helping to build a world-class offshore wind workforce in Maryland. At the end of the scientific survey, we will know more about this slice of the ocean than ever before and be closer to building a project Maryland can be proud of.”

The survey will be conducted aboard the 145-foot Merchant Vessel Danielle Miller, which was outfitted for the work at the Port of Baltimore. Additional modules have been added to the ship, including a cutting-edge data processing lab and high-bandwidth satellite communications link. A full suite of high-tech survey technology, including sonar, magnetometer and tools to measure the depth and slope of the seafloor, will be used to map the seafloor and geology and account for any areas of ecological or historical significance. The vessel also has an acoustic monitoring system and thermal imaging cameras staffed by marine biologists participating in the survey. Additional vessels will provide supplies, soil sampling, and seabed biologic assessments over the course of the mission.

Skipjack Wind Farm will be located in the ocean waters northeast of Ocean City, Md., 19.5 miles away from the Maryland-Delaware border. At that distance, Skipjack is the best offshore wind option to minimize visual impacts from the Ocean City shoreline.

Deepwater Wind plans to invest approximately $200 million in Maryland during Skipjack’s construction phase, including $25 million for a new steel fabrication facility and $13 million for ports in the Greater Baltimore area. The company also plans to establish the project’s permanent Operations and Maintenance facility in the greater Ocean City area. In total, Deepwater Wind has committed to spurring the creation of 1,400 direct jobs for the Skipjack Wind Farm over the project’s life.

In May 2017, the Maryland Public Service Commission designated the Skipjack Wind Farm a “Qualified Offshore Wind Project.” Offshore construction is on schedule to start as early as 2021, with the wind farm coming online in 2022.

“Microdesk is excited about the opportunity to play such a critical role in the Port Authority’s effort to expand its Enterprise Asset Management Program to all its facilities throughout the New York metropolitan area,” says George Broadbent, director of asset management. “This contract provides a platform for Microdesk to demonstrate its capabilities and expertise, building upon our ongoing work of assessing and implementing systems to collect, integrate and analyze data that helps optimize the agency’s operations, and planning, and asset management.”

Under the new agreement, Microdesk will be responsible for maintaining the agency’s Maximo Platform and associated mobile applications.  In addition to the technical duties, it will provide high-level Asset Management Program guidance, recommendations, and development of policies to ensure the continuity of Enterprise Asset Management as a supportable, sustainable and efficient platform that meets the agency’s objectives. Microdesk is one of the few international consultancies with teams specializing in Maximo and System Integration.

Microdesk’s Asset Management Team members have diverse backgrounds in global consulting, government agencies and regulated industries, and advanced degrees in business administration as well as doctorates. Their range of knowledge and experience will be invaluable in delivering innovative solutions.

The contract is effective beginning on or about August 1, 2018.

Along with the former CLS America, which also merged with Woods Hole Group in January, all three companies are now referred to as Woods Hole Group, Inc.  The Waterhouse Road facility represents the corporate headquarters for Woods Hole Group, also with satellite offices in Lanham, Md., Dover, Del., and Richmond, Texas.  The new building also serves as the U.S. base of business for the overall CLS Group, an international company located in Toulouse, France, which acquired Woods Hole Group in 2017.

With new facilities, personnel, and capabilities, Woods Hole Group can better serve its customers during this time of growth and technology development.  All telephone and email addresses remain the same.

Orono, Maine — The University of Maine (UMaine) unveiled a rapidly deployable bridge system at the Advanced Structures and Composites Center. Engineers, Maine Department of Transportation officials, business leaders, investors, researchers, members from Advanced Infrastructure Technologies (UMaine’s licensee for the original Bridge-in-a-Backpack) and staff attended the event, at which a bridge span was strength-tested in the laboratory using computer-controlled hydraulic equipment that simulates the heaviest highway truck loads.

The strength-test was conducted for the first time to prove the design modeling predictions, and demonstrate the bridge system can withstand the truck loading specified in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Bridge Design Specifications.

The patent-pending system, developed at the UMaine Composites Center, utilizes composite material girders and precast concrete deck panels to reduce the time and logistics to build a bridge. The lightweight highway bridge superstructure can be built in 72 hours, a considerable improvement on the time it normally takes to build a bridge.

In addition to significantly reducing construction time and logistics, the new bridge girders are designed to last 100 years, and the precast concrete deck is designed to be easily removed and replaced. The bridge system can be used for highway bridges, pedestrian bridges and military applications. The design is targeted for short- to medium-span bridge applications, up to 80-foot unsupported spans.

“Today’s bridge test exceeded our expectations. The composite bridge withstood forces equivalent to more than 80 cars stacked on top of each other, and more than five times the HL 93 design load specified by AASHTO. The composite bridge girder exceeded twice the collapse strength of steel and concrete girders. Today was truly a remarkable engineering achievement made possible by research sponsored by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the dedication and hard work of University researchers,” said Dr. Habib Dagher, executive director of the UMaine Advanced Structures and Composites Center.

“This bridge system takes advantage of the unique properties of both composite materials and precast concrete, and it is designed with construction logistics in mind. The bridge girders weigh only 1-2 tons for 40- to 80-foot spans, so that they can be erected with locally sourced common rental cranes, making them easy to deploy in most locations.

“The unique girder shape was designed to be nesting and stackable. As a result, three to four bridges can be transported on a single flatbed. This bridge system continues the University of Maine’s commitment to be a world leader in developing advanced, innovative solutions to address our nation’s infrastructure challenges. We thank the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for sponsoring the research work.”

“As the commercialization partner of the Center’s composite arch bridge system, today’s event allowed us to showcase this new technology with potential investors as well as DOT partners and executives. We’re ready to go to market,” said Brit Svoboda, Chairman and CEO of AIT Bridges.

NRDC released its roadmap report to help guide a bipartisan coalition of seven governors and the mayor of Washington, D.C., who have committed to developing a regional clean transportation plan. Their goal is to cut climate-altering carbon pollution from the nation’s largest source — the transportation sector. It follows the successful Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative that has slashed carbon pollution from the region’s power plants.

“Our transportation system is broken. It needs an extreme makeover. Everyone has a story — we suffer in gridlock, choke on car and truck exhaust, drive on decaying roadways, cope with substandard public transit, and walk and bike on dangerous streets,” said Bruce Ho, senior advocate and principal author of NRDC’s report. “That’s why it’s exciting to see Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states step up and move toward fixing these chronic problems with a modern, regional transportation plan.

“States in this region have a golden opportunity to transform transportation — becoming a model for the world — as they create cleaner, safer and more livable cities, towns and rural communities. This is a big deal. Let’s get this show on the road.”

NRDC’s report, Transportation Reimagined: A Roadmap for Clean and Modern Transportation in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Region, outlines what might work in the states based on existing strategies already piloted around the country that could be implemented more broadly. They include:

• substantially expanding electric cars, trucks, buses (EVs);
• encouraging more walkable and bike-friendly living areas;
• upgrading public bus, train and subway transit;
• reducing congestion; and
• addressing rural and low-income communities that are particularly underserved today when it comes to their transportation needs.

According to the NRDC, following the roadmap would yield enormous health and environmental benefits. That includes generating billions of dollars of economic growth, major job expansion, improved safety and mobility, reduced respiratory illnesses and asthma, and a safer climate.

“U.S. investors and companies strongly support policies that promote a clean and efficient transportation system,” said Carol Lee Rawn, director of transportation at Ceres. “Transportation is the largest contributor to U.S. greenhouse emissions and a critical driver of the economy. The measures outlined in this report — including clean vehicles, strong public transportation systems, and robust pedestrian and cycling infrastructure — provide significant economic benefits as well as critical emissions reductions.”

Last fall, governors in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont, and the mayor of Washington, D.C. committed to developing a regional clean transportation plan. So far this year, the states have held several public listening sessions to gather comments and recommendations on that plan. The next one will be on July 24 in New York City.

Some regional benefits from a cleaner transportation system include:

• Reducing gasoline consumption, saving consumers more than $100 billion by 2035.
• Creating 125,000 new jobs and adding $17.7 billion per year to the region’s economy by 2030.
• Reducing pedestrian and cyclist deaths, which numbered 970 and 115 people respectively in 2016.
• Improving air quality and health. Nearly 60 percent—37 million people—in the region live in areas that do not meet national air quality standards for fine particulate matter, ozone pollution, or both.

NRDC’s report offers specific benefits and opportunities for urban, suburban and rural communities from transforming the transportation system:

Rural Communities

• Expanding public transit, providing flexible route bus service and better rapid transit could ease key rural problems. Rural households spend 7 percent more of their budgets on transportation compared to their urban counterparts. Rural workers travel 38 percent more than urban workers, and low-income rural workers travel 59 percent more.
• Improved mobility options for older Americans can keep them independent, decrease isolation and connect them with medical services.
• Creating walkable, bikeable Main Streets could improve quality of life.

Suburban Communities

• Strategies include improving pedestrian walkways and bike lanes in suburban communities, and linking them to transit corridors.
• Intercity rail should be expanded to help commuters get to their jobs, particularly low-income and service workers. Electrified commuter trains and other infrastructure upgrades could reduce emissions and improve speeds and efficiency.
• Suburban communities should develop more electric vehicle charging stations, which would support transitioning drivers out of gasoline-fueled vehicles to electric vehicles, reducing emissions.

Urban Communities

• Cities should develop more compact, multi-use housing and businesses, walkable and bikeable neighborhoods and improved public transit, all of which could reduce roadway congestion. Today, three of the top 10 most traffic congested cities in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region are Boston, New York and Washington, DC.
• Cities should ensure development of affordable housing near public transit. This can revitalize vacant parcels, while preventing displacement from gentrification.
• More electric buses and other clean vehicles should be deployed, reducing emissions, making neighborhoods quieter and improving air quality.
• Cities should switch to electric-powered heavy trucks and other equipment at ports, airports, and truck depots to reduce pollution in surrounding neighborhoods, which often are low-income and communities of color.

NRDC calls on local, state and regional leaders to act boldly in designing a 21st century transportation system. Achieving that vision will require new investment in technologies and infrastructure, new policies and funding, strong political leadership, and public engagement.

NRDC’s report, Transportation Reimagined: A Roadmap for Clean and Modern Transportation in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Region, and more is available at https://www.nrdc.org/resources/transportation-reimagined-roadmap-clean-and-modern-transportation-northeast-and-mid.

A blog on the report by principal author Bruce Ho is here: https://www.nrdc.org/experts/bruce-ho/reimagining-transportation-northeast-and-mid-atlantic.

“Superstorm Sandy was a wakeup call about the urgency to rebuild better, stronger and more resilient,” said Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. “We undertook an unprecedented and expedited transformation of these two iconic tunnels and in the process modernized New York’s infrastructure with cashless tolling, saving drivers millions of hours of travel time and creating a transportation system fit for the 21st century.”

MTA Bridges & Tunnels implemented long-term mitigation measures including installing massive 50,000-pound steel flood gates at all tunnel portals to protect against a FEMA 500-year flood event — four feet higher than the Sandy historic storm surge — as well as refurbished entryways. New state-of-the-art traffic control, communication, and drainage systems were installed on the interiors of the tunnels. Roadway lighting was replaced with new energy efficient LED lighting that will improve public safety. And new tiles, fire-rated ceiling boards, drainage gutters, pavement and catwalks were added. Plaza walls were restored and decluttered, removing conduits and unveiling original granite. At the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel Manhattan side, the decaying Morris Street Bridge has been replaced with a modern overpass that’s ADA compliant.

Reconstruction of the tunnels has also provided opportunities for innovations that are transforming New York’s infrastructure like cashless tolling. Last September, Governor Cuomo announced the implementation of cashless tolling at all seven MTA bridges and two tunnels. Cashless tolling uses sensors and cameras on gantries that read E-ZPass tags and take license plate images to ensure drivers are tolled — otherwise drivers are sent a bill in the mail. Since undertaking a promotional campaign for E-ZPass, more than 94 percent of vehicles crossing MTA Bridges and Tunnels use E-ZPass to pay tolls, saving the average driver up to 21 hours of drive time per year. Since converting to cashless tolling, customers at MTA crossings have saved up to 3.9 million hours of travel time; 1.8 million gallons of fuel have been conserved, saving $4.7 million.

The projects also included several critical public safety enhancements. Radiation detection equipment has also been installed at each tunnel entrance, and facial recognition equipment is currently being tested at the RFK Bridge. Situational awareness and security cameras have been installed at each tunnel entrance, including fixed cameras for traffic monitoring and incident management monitored by TBTA’s Operations Command Center. Pan, tilt and zoom cameras that automatically move to capture potential security issues as part of TBTA’s Electronic Security System were also added. In addition, 37 trucks — each weighing 10-tons and operated by the National Guard — are strategically deployed at all MTA crossings and ready to intercept possible security threats or terrorist attacks.

During and after Superstorm Sandy, Governor Cuomo and MTA Chairman Joe Lhota toured the tunnels and saw firsthand the damage left in the wake of the historic near-9.5-foot storm surge that flooded the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel with 60 million gallons of contaminated salt water and the Queens Midtown Tunnel with roughly 12 million gallons of flood water. The salt water severely damaged all tunnel systems including electrical, lighting, communication, traffic controls, drainage and finishes.

Governor Cuomo and Chairman Lhota oversaw the recovery efforts in getting the tunnels re-opened within weeks, obtained assistance from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Coast Guard, and helped secure $404 million in FEMA funds to restore and rebuild both tunnels stronger and more resilient than ever before.

“We thank our customers for being patient while we completed this critical work,” said Joseph Lhota, MTA Chairman. “By accelerating the projects, we completed the work over nine months earlier than planned and have completely modernized the tunnels, while also building them back stronger and more resilient.”

The two tunnel restoration projects totaled more than $550 million and were largely funded by FEMA. To minimize impacts to the travelling public, all restoration work was integrated with other planned rehabilitation work as well as with the implementation of Cashless Tolling at both tunnels and the replacement of the decaying Morris Street pedestrian bridge at the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel.

The Harman Group provided structural engineering services for the 103,000-square foot, $75 million project, the largest capital project in the school’s history. Turner Construction Company is the builder and Boston-based architecture firm, Payette, designed the building to encourage collaborative learning amongst the College’s science and engineering departments. The RISC will have flexible spaces that can adapt to new technology, varying group sizes, and diverse research experiences.

“I last walked out of a Lafayette College building as a student in 1977,” said Kirk Harman, president and managing principal at The Harman Group and a Lafayette alumnus. “It was an honor to have the opportunity to work on this significant project at the school where my educational foundation in engineering was built.”

RISC is situated on the north side of the campus’ quad, adjacent to the Anderson Courtyard, in-between two existing buildings and is set into a hillside, requiring a unique structural configuration of the five-story building. The building terraces down the steep slope with the main entrance from Anderson Courtyard into the 3rd floor with two floors below and three floors visible from the courtyard.

The foundation system employs spread footings, underpinning of the existing buildings and replacement of an aging 15-foot-tall retaining wall on the slope. The structure is a concrete slab on metal deck floor system with a steel superstructure. A steel vierendeel truss system provides open space at the entrance, supporting the brick exterior wall on the south side. The building was also strategically designed with vibration control to prevent hindrances on any research in the lab spaces.

The building will bring together Lafayette’s biology, computer science, environmental science, and neuroscience departments to promote the integration of different sciences and to foster collaboration and innovation. In addition to academic departments, the building will house the Dyer IDEAL Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Hanson Center for Inclusive STEM Education and will also connect to the Acopian Engineering Center building.

RISC is slated to open for the fall semester of 2019. This is the third project The Harman Group has worked on at Lafayette College; previous projects include the film and media studies building William C. Buck Hall, and Keefe Hall, a five-story student residence building.

After studying solutions to better manage this traffic growth, DelDOT decided on a DDI, as it would increase capacity of turning movements by allowing for “free-flowing, high-volume” left turns, while also reducing driver delays via two-phase traffic signals that provide more “green light time” on SR 72. Those two efforts not only improved safety for drivers by reducing number of conflict points, but also for pedestrians and bicyclists as well due to the “shared-use” path. Implementation of the $9.3 million DDI reduced travel times for vehicles by three to seven minutes, while making commuting safer and easier. The DDI was also a more cost-effective option than implementing a loop ramp for northbound vehicles, and broke ground in April 2016 and was completed in January 2017.

“We are very pleased with the results of Delaware’s first DDI, and winning this award is a credit to the many DelDOT employees who took an innovative approach to helping address the traffic and congestion issues at this interchange,” said Secretary of Transportation Jennifer Cohan.

“This well-deserved recognition represents the innovative work DelDOT is doing that benefits motorists and our communities,” says Cathy Rossi, Vice President of Public and Government Affairs at AAA Mid-Atlantic. “DelDOT clearly continues to earn a reputation for effective problem solving and forward-thinking well beyond the borders of our state.”

The America’s Transportation Awards competition recognizes transportation projects in three categories: Quality of Life/Community Development, Best Use of Technology and Innovation, and Operations Excellence. America’s Transportation Awards are sponsored by AASHTO, Socrata, AAA, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

MassDOT chose FiberSPAN based on its track record with another state project.  In 2013 Composite Advantage supplied the world’s largest fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite deck to Haverhill’s Rocks Village vehicle bridge. Built in 1883, the six-span steel truss structure is the state’s oldest movable bridge. Its swing span permits the passage of boats and barges, and the rehabilitation added 18,800 square feet of new driving surface to the bridge.  Inspections since the deck’s installation have found panel-to-panel joints, span joints and wear surface in like new condition.

Rugg Bridge totaled 123 feet long with longitudinal steel stringers spaced 6 feet, 2 inches on center. FiberSPAN deck panels were 25 feet, 11 inches wide and 10 feet long with a thickness of 7-7/8 inches. The FRP deck and its wear surface, a black Matacryl (aluminum oxide), weighed just 23 pounds per square foot. Bolted shear studs connected deck panels to steel stringers and floor beams. Specifications included AASHTO HS-20 vehicle plus impact loading, a 0.9 environmental durability factor, L/500 maximum deflection requirement, a dead load with bending strain/shear strain maximum of 10 percent and a service load plus dead load with bending strain/shear strain maximum of 20 percent. The short span opened just before Memorial Day weekend.

“State DOTs are committed to making America safer, better and stronger by improving connections between communities both large and small, urban and rural,” said John Schroer, president of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Transportation. “The transportation projects in this competition are part of a national multimodal network that is moving millions of people and tons of goods where they need to go every day.”

Sponsored by AASHTO, Socrata, AAA, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the 11th annual America’s Transportation Awards competition recognizes transportation projects in three categories: Quality of Life/Community Development, Best Use of Technology and Innovation, and Operations Excellence. Project categories are also differentiated by size — small (projects costing less than $25 million), medium (projects that cost between $25 million and $200 million), and large (projects costing more than $200 million).

The northeast region winners are:

• New Hampshire Department of Transportation’s NH Route 125 Reconstruction, Contract G (Quality of Life/Community Development, Small category)
• Maryland Department of Transportation’s Upgrade of MD 404 (Shore Highway) (Quality of Life/Community Development, Medium category)
• Delaware Department of Transportation’s SR 1/SR 72 Diverging Diamond Interchange (Operations Excellence, Small category)
• Maryland Department of Transportation’s BaltimoreLink (Operations Excellence, Medium category)
• Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Statewide Demand-Response Transit Scheduling Software Implementation (Best Use of Technology & Innovation, Small category)
• Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Hunter Station Bridge (Best Use of Technology & Innovation, Medium category)

Winners in the three remaining regions will be announced throughout the summer. The three highest-scoring projects from each region will be included in the “Top 12.” Those 12 projects will compete for the Grand Prize, selected by an independent panel of industry judges, and the Socrata People’s Choice Award, chosen by the public through online voting. The top two winners also receive $10,000 cash awards, to be donated to a charity or scholarship of the state DOT’s choosing. Online voting begins Aug. 30. The winners of the top two awards will be announced Sept. 23, at the AASHTO Annual Meeting in Atlanta.

Learn more about the nominees and the competition at www.AmericasTransportationAwards.org.

Fairfax, Va. — The Jersey Shore University Medical Center (JSUMC) held a ribbon cutting ceremony in June for its new 10-story HOPE Tower on the center’s east campus. The tower provides a healing outpatient experience for the community, a cancer center, advanced imaging technologies, research services and medical education programs, faculty physician offices, an amphitheater, and a high-tech simulation laboratory.

Dewberry, a privately held professional services firm, provided surveying; site/civil, geotechnical, and traffic engineering; and landscape architecture and environmental services for JSUMC’s new $265 million development. The 300,000-square-foot facility includes the HOPE Tower and a nine-level parking garage with more than 1,500 parking spaces. The firm also supported JSUMC with demolition of a senior housing complex that occupied the development site and offsite water, sewer, and roadway improvements to support the development.

Hackensack Meridian Health and JSUMC co-hosted the ceremony, which included Dewberry employees and community members who gathered to celebrate the completion of HOPE Tower.

In addition to Dewberry, EYP Inc. provided architecture for the project; B R + A provided mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering services; and Walter P Moore provided structural engineering. LF Driscoll served as the construction manager, with Stantec as the project manager.

“A hallmark of the ecological revival of Jamaica Bay has been the productive partnerships formed between community groups, environmental advocates, educational institutions and city, state and federal agencies — and today we join together once again to announce a $400 million plan to further improve the health of the Bay,” Sapienza said. “We all recognize the Bay as an ecological jewel within the five boroughs, and we will build on these partnerships as we construct wetlands, install ribbed mussels and build green infrastructure in the Bay’s watershed in the coming years.”

“Our wetlands are vital to the health of our ecosystem and the resiliency of our city against the impact of climate change. The Jamaica Bay Improvement Plan is a comprehensive set of projects that would strengthen the watershed and improve the capacity of coastal communities in Brooklyn and Queens to handle damaging sewer overflows,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams. “I thank DEP Commissioner Sapienza for his leadership on advancing this important investment in the future of our bay.”

“The health and resiliency of Jamaica Bay isn’t only an environmental consideration, it is also vital for the economic success of southeast Queens,” said Congressman Gregory W. Meeks. “The $400 million will provide the resources for extensive wetland restoration, dredging and ribbed mussel installation. I commend DEP for diligently working with the community and elected officials to identify what projects are critical for Jamaica Bay, and investing accordingly.”

“This additional $400 million investment into Jamaica Bay is yet another step forward in making the bay healthier for the surrounding communities and the overall ecological health of New York City,” said State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., a member of the New York Senate Environmental Conservation Committee. “With this funding, DEP will be able to begin expanding several green infrastructure projects as well as restoring many acres of wetlands. I would like to thank DEP for their continued efforts to improve the health of Jamaica Bay through these various projects.”

“We cannot overstate how a worthwhile investment in Jamaica Bay is to the returns we get as a city,” said State Senator Roxanne Persaud. “Restoring wetlands doesn’t just help our residents during major storms, they protect us from coastal erosion, and make our waterways cleaner for the plants and animals in their habitat. I look forward to seeing results from this exciting DEP project.”

Alex Zablocki, Executive Director, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy said, “The announcement of a $400 million investment plan to improve the health of the Bay is welcome news and will lead to healthier communities across Brooklyn and Queens. Jamaica Bay is host to over 300 species of birds and diverse marine life dependent upon wetlands, marsh islands and upland forest. Green infrastructure projects will help stabilize and restore these precious resources supported by the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy and our government and non-profit partners. While city, state and federal agencies, along with groups such as the America Littoral Society and Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers have worked tirelessly to restore parts of the Bay over the past years, the plan announced today will further enhance and support its resilience.”

DEP has already invested more than $1.5 billion to improve the health of Jamaica Bay. This includes large underground tanks at Paerdegat Basin and Spring Creek to store any sewer overflow during rainstorms, the restoration of 137 acres of wetlands and 442 acres of maritime forests/grasslands through strategic partnerships and significant upgrades to the wastewater treatment plants that drain to the Bay, including reducing nitrogen levels. Ongoing is a massive $1.9 billion project to build a storm sewer system in southeast Queens as well as Green Infrastructure at schools and public housing as well as parks, playgrounds and curbsides. All of this work has already resulted in significant improvements to the water quality in Jamaica Bay.

However, over the last 150 years New York City has lost approximately 85 percent of its historical wetland coverage, a significant amount of this within the Jamaica Bay watershed. These important natural areas serve as a protective transitional area between a body of water and dry land. Wetlands are extremely valuable as they help to absorb storm surge, filter impurities from the water, increase dissolved oxygen levels, reduce coastal erosion, capture greenhouse gases and serve as a productive ecological habitat and nursery for juvenile fish. Wetlands are among the most productive natural areas on earth and are particularly important in urban waters.

In order to continue restoring these essential functions to Jamaica Bay, DEP is proposing significant investments in the restoration of wetlands and salt marshes. Ribbed mussels have also proven to be particularly effective at filtering impurities from the water and the plan calls for substantial installations in several of the Jamaica Bay tributaries. In addition, DEP will continue to expand the successful Green Infrastructure program to the communities surrounding the Bay.

The Plan calls for:

• Jamaica Bay (including Northern Channel, Inner-Bay and Rockaway Shore) — Restoration of 16 acres of wetlands
• Thurston Basin — Green Infrastructure expansion including 147 greened acres within the watershed; 3 acre ribbed mussel installation
• Bergen Basin — Green Infrastructure expansion including 232 greened acres within the watershed; environmental Dredging; 50,000 cubic yards of sediment removed; 4-acre ribbed mussel installation
• Spring Creek — Restoration of 13 acres of wetlands
• Hendrix Creek — Restoration of 3 acres of wetlands
• Fresh Creek — Restoration of 14 acres of wetlands
• Paerdegat Basin — Restoration of 4 acres of wetlands

Jamaica Bay is a 31-square-mile water body with a broader watershed of approximately 142 square miles, including portions of Brooklyn, Queens, and Nassau County. It is a diverse ecological resource that supports multiple habitats, including open water, salt marshes, grasslands, coastal woodlands, maritime shrublands, and brackish and freshwater wetlands. These habitats support 91 fish species, 325 species of birds, and many reptile, amphibian, and small mammal species. In fact, Jamaica Bay is a protected United States Wildlife Refuge and is part of the larger Gateway National Recreation Area.

University Park, Pa. — The dramatic deindustrialization of much of Pennsylvania during the 1980s and 1990s left many areas of the state in serious need of revitalization. Once vibrant and bustling communities have been left in disarray. Deteriorating streets, abandoned factories and buildings and empty storefronts are found in cities like New Kensington, Pa., a town located 18 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

Esther Obonyo, associate professor of engineering design and architectural engineering, was awarded a $25,000 grant from Penn State’s Institutes of Energy and the Environment to design and test a new roofing composite. The project is part of an ongoing economic development initiative in the city of New Kensington. The initiative was stimulated by an Invent Penn State seed grant that funded the creation of Penn State New Kensington’s Corner LaunchBox entrepreneurial center and coworking space, a cornerstone for the city’s revitalization and development efforts.

Through Corner Launchbox, Penn State New Kensington campus chancellor Kevin Snider is working to entice new businesses to the community by highlighting New Kensington’s affordable real estate market. A goal of the program is to find cost-effective ways to improve and retrofit building elements in disrepair to help encourage business growth in the area.

To gather data on the building elements, representatives from Penn State New Kensington have been working with city officials to engage community members in the improvement conversation. A panel consisting of Obonyo; Snider; Clive Randall, director of the Materials Research Institute (MRI) and professor of materials science and engineering at Penn State; and Steve Leonard, an industry-based innovation manager, also spent time discussing the problem and possible solutions during MRI’s 2017 Materials Research Day in October.

The collected data and information points to leaky roof problems as a top priority to improve local buildings in the New Kensington area.

With the help of co-investigators Randall, Snider, and Ali Memari, Bernard and Henrietta Hankin Chair in Residential Building Construction, director of the Pennsylvania Housing Research Center and professor of architectural engineering and civil engineering, Obonyo hopes to fix this issue.

According to the Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing, each year nearly 4 billion square feet of roof coverings are installed in the United State alone. Re-roofing work to existing buildings accounts for close to 3 billion square feet.

Because building materials can equate to one-third of the total cost of construction, Obonyo and her team are working on a concept that uses innovative materials, reduces costs, lowers energy costs and optimizes the use of resources.

The team’s initial conceptual model, a rubber-type membrane like ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM) will be installed on top of the old, leaky rooftops. Aluminum panels will play a role akin to ballast to prevent movement. To produce energy, a thin-film photovoltaic solar cell layer will be attached to the panels.

“We believe that our proposed multifunctional solution is more cost-effective because it addresses the existing moisture-related durability concerns, while also improving the energy efficiency and environmental sustainability of the building envelopes,” Obonyo said.

Both simulations and lab testing will be used to determine the model’s practicality in regards to waterproofing, insulation and condensation minimization. The research team will use the gathered data to refine the initial prototype to deliver a detailed, sustainable and energy-producing reroofing system.

Obonyo also looks to investigate additional challenges New Kensington is currently facing in the future. Crumbling foundations; issues with sewage, water and power; spaces for the aging; and workforce demographics and meaningful educational experiences in the K-12 school system rise to the top of her project list.

“Transformational use of sustainable building materials would result in significant financial benefits, reducing construction costs while enhancing the use of scarce materials [in the area],” Obonyo said.

The governor’s action marks another critical step toward making a mass-transit link between Midtown Manhattan and LaGuardia a reality, which will help reduce vehicular congestion and delays for passengers traveling to and from the airport. AirTrain LGA seeks to establish a reliable, convenient means of travel, with less-than 30-minute trips between the airport and New York Penn Station or Grand Central Terminal. It will also provide rail access from all of Long Island via the LIRR as well as the MTA’s 7 subway line.

“The new LaGuardia Airport will provide an improved customer experience with better access to airlines and public transportation for all passengers — essential to the airport’s transformation,” Governor Cuomo said. “AirTrain LGA will set an example of comprehensive transit infrastructure for the rest of the nation, and will pay dividends for decades by connecting riders to transit hubs across the Metropolitan area, boosting passenger growth across all airlines, and providing a more efficient means of travel for generations to come.”

“We’re transforming airports in New York with significant investments in additions and upgrades to provide a better experience and increased services,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. “The LaGuardia AirTrain project will provide easy access and options for travel for people in Manhattan and on Long Island. We’re committed to remaking our airports into 21st century hubs of transportation.”

“For too long, LaGuardia Airport has had the dubious distinction of being the only major East Coast airport without a rail link, and that is unacceptable,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “Simply put, a 21st century airport must meet global standards, and that requires rail mass transit access. The AirTrain will complement the ongoing $8 billion redevelopment of LGA into a world-class airport worthy of New York.”

In coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, the steps include the selection of a consultant to prepare the EIS and to oversee the process for the proposed environmental review. The environmental review is slated to begin later this year and be completed by the end of 2019.

Construction is anticipated to start in 2020 and conclude in 2022.

The legislation specifically defines a corridor within which the AirTrain LGA project could be constructed and allows, within this corridor, for alternative alignments to be developed and considered as part of an extensive environmental review process, with required public participation. That corridor was created in consultation with local community members and elected officials. No route can be finalized before the environmental review, which will be led by the FAA, is completed. Under the legislation, the State Department of Transportation would be authorized to acquire parcels of land already owned by the city or the MTA within the established corridor. No private property would be impacted.

The Port Authority already has conducted numerous meetings with local elected officials, community groups and other key stakeholders to elicit comments regarding potential AirTrain routes ahead of the formal environmental review process.  The agency will continue to actively seek further input.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates LaGuardia Airport, is working cooperatively with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to build a new station complex at Mets-Willets Point, with easy transfer options between the LIRR or 7-line and the new AirTrain, which will run approximately every four minutes. The total estimated travel time between midtown Manhattan and the airport of less than 30 minutes is comprised of an approximate 16-minute journey on the LIRR between Moynihan/Penn Station or Grand Central and Willets Point, followed by an approximate 6-minute journey from the Willets Point Station to LaGuardia.

The new LaGuardia Airport will provide an improved customer experience with better access to airlines and public transportation for all passengers.

Today’s action builds on significant momentum announced by Governor Cuomo over the past 18 months toward building AirTrain LGA. Those actions include the selection of Parsons Brinckerhoff to lead preliminary engineering and design process for up to two new AirTrain stations at LaGuardia Airport’s new unified terminals, as well as construction of an AirTrain station at Mets-Willets Point and construction of the system’s elevated guideway.

The announcement also supplements the progress to create a new $8 billion state-of-the-art unified LaGuardia Airport via public-private partnerships to build new Terminals B and C, which broke ground in 2016 and 2017, respectively. A new Terminal B garage opened earlier this year and the first new concourse and gates at Terminal B will begin operations later this year.

The new Terminal B, being developed by the consortium LaGuardia Gateway Partners, is expected to open its main area (head house) in 2020, while Delta is anticipating the opening of its new Terminal C (replacing the airport’s existing Terminals C and D) in 2021.

The grant represents the second installment of funding for the GLX after FTA signed a $996 million Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) with MBTA for the 4.7-mile light rail line from Cambridge to Medford.

“The Green Line Extension project will improve mobility, access to jobs, schools and the quality of life for tens of thousands of passengers in the Boston area,” said Secretary Chao.

“The Green Line Extension will improve access to education, housing and job opportunities across the entire MTBA system,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Our administration is grateful for the collaboration and support we have received from Secretary Chao and all partners at the federal, state and local level to reach this milestone and begin a project that will have a transformational impact on this region of the Commonwealth by accommodating riders and spurring economic growth.”

“DOT is proud to partner with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and MBTA to extend safe public transportation to the 75,000 residents who live along the Green Line extension, which will spur development and bring added value to the corridor,” said FTA Acting Administrator Williams. “The leadership at the state and MBTA should be commended for making the necessary decisions to ensure this project opens on time and within budget.”

The project includes seven new light rail stations, replacement or rehabilitation of eight bridges, and a new pedestrian/bike path. The GLX is expected to generate approximately 40,000 new transit trips a day, improving access to jobs and opportunities in Boston as well as the communities of Somerville and Medford, home to Tufts University.

The line is projected to open in January 2022.

The DOT will provide as much as $14.2 million over five years for the UMaine-led coalition that includes the University of Rhode Island, University of Connecticut, University of Massachusetts Lowell, University of Vermont, and Western New England University.

Additional partners include representatives from the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT), Vermont Agency of Transportation, Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Connecticut Department of Transportation, Rhode Island Department of Transportation, and the American Society of Civil Engineers Transportation and Development Institute.

“Building on an impressive legacy of accomplishment, UMaine is well-positioned to lead this research to address the major challenges facing the future of our nation’s transportation systems,” said Sen. Susan Collins.

“As a regional and national leader in transportation-related research, UMaine is prepared and ready to take on this work,” said Sen. Angus King. “The creation of this new center will allow the university to expand its efforts to tackle the infrastructure problems facing communities not just in Maine, but across the country. This project has the potential to save taxpayer money and improve quality of life for residents of our state, and I look forward to seeing its impact on Maine people for years to come.”

“This is the first time that Maine was selected as the regional hub for U.S. DOT university transportation infrastructure-related research. Along with our partners from all New England states, we look forward to leading research to extend the life of existing bridges, construct longer-lasting assets, and reduce costs for the DOT and the public,” said Habib Dagher, founding executive director of the UMaine Advanced Structures and Composites Center, and director of the newly formed TIDC Center.

“We are eager to partner with this program to support research that will offer new technologies and techniques that ensure taxpayer investments continue to be maximized while also extending the lifespan of our investments,” said MaineDOT Commissioner David Bernhardt.

New England’s transportation infrastructure faces unique challenges due to harsh winter weather and short construction seasons. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, nearly 30 percent of New England roads are rated in poor condition which, on average, costs each motorist $584 annually in extra vehicle repairs and operating costs. Nationally, driving on roads in need of repair costs U.S. motorists $120.5 billion.

Working with state DOTs, the new TIDC seeks to identify new materials and technologies that maximize the impact of transportation infrastructure investments. The center will work along four pathways: 1. develop improved road and bridge monitoring and assessment tools; 2. develop better ways to strengthen existing bridges to extend their life; 3. use new materials and systems to build longer-lasting bridges and accelerate construction; and 4. use new connectivity tools to enhance asset and performance management while promoting workforce development.

TIDC will harness the experience of 28 faculty researchers and train 280 student researchers from all New England states. It will focus on real infrastructure needs identified by DOT partners and prioritize extending the life of existing transportation assets to ensure cost-effectiveness.

Since 1987, the UTC program has advanced transportation research and technology at colleges and universities across the country. Every five years, academic institutions nationwide compete to form their region’s UTC.

Member universities of the new TIDC have an extensive record of accomplishments in transportation infrastructure research, education and technology transfer. In addition, the 100,000-square-foot UMaine Advanced Structures and Composites Center is a world-renowned civil infrastructure research laboratory with a long track record of innovation, including being named a White House Transportation Champion of Change in 2015, and receiving the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Charles Pankow Award for Innovation.

New York — Thornton Tomasetti announced that Vice Chairman Aine Brazil P.E., F.SEI, LEED AP, received the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat’s (CTBUH) prestigious Fazlur R. Khan Lifetime Achievement Medal for her contributions to the advancement of the built environment. She was presented with the award during the CTBUH 2018 Tall + Urban Innovation Conference in Chicago on May 31.

The Fazlur R. Khan award, bestowed by the CTBUH Board of Trustees, recognizes demonstrated excellence in technical design and/or research that has made a significant contribution to a discipline for the design of tall buildings and the built urban environment. Brazil was recognized for her technical contributions to tall building design and her unwavering commitment to the improvement of the built environment.

Brazil is the first woman engineer and the third Thornton Tomasetti executive to receive the Fazlur R. Khan Lifetime Achievement Medal. In 2012, Thornton Tomasetti Founding Principals Charlie Thornton and Richard Tomasetti were jointly awarded the honor.

With a career spanning more than 40 years, Brazil has been responsible for the design and construction of nearly every building type and is widely recognized for her engineering achievements in the United States and internationally. Brazil has helped shape Manhattan’s skyline, having led structural engineering teams that designed more than 3 million square feet of high-rise office development in New York City’s Times Square, including the structural design of the 975,000-square-foot Eleven Times Square, the city’s first core-first office tower.

Her portfolio includes such landmark projects as the 54-story Bloomberg Tower, Greenberg Pavilion at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, and Via 57 West. Brazil has been actively involved in the development of 30 and 10 Hudson Yards as well as the redevelopment of LaGuardia Airport. Outside the U.S., Brazil’s work includes the 35-story Soyak Kristalkule Finansbank Headquarters in Istanbul, Turkey and the 43-story Palazzo Lombardia in Milan, Italy.

During her career, Brazil has received numerous professional awards for her excellence in the field. In 2018, she became a member of the National Academy of Engineering and, in 2017, was inducted into the National Academy of Construction and selected honorary member of AIA New York. Brazil also received the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Homer Gage Balcom Award in 2016 and the Ireland International Engineer Award in 2014. She has served as a member of the Mayor’s Commission on adopting the International Building Code and as the first president of the Structural Engineers Association of New York.

Brazil is passionate about encouraging women to join the engineering profession and is currently co-chair of the NYBC Council of Industry Women. She also established a mentoring program at Thornton Tomasetti, Women@TT, to help the firm’s female employees grow their careers.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from University College, Galway, Ireland and a master’s degree in structural engineering from Imperial College of Science and Technology in London.

• Region 1: University of Maine, Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center — $2,570,600
• Region 2: Rutgers University, Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation — $2,570,600
• Region 3: Pennsylvania State University, Center for Integrated Asset Management for Multi-modal Transportation Infrastructure Systems — $2,570,600

In all, 13 UTCs applied to the re-competition for the three regions. The centers focus on improving and extending the life of the transportation infrastructure. UTCs advance U.S. technology and expertise in the many modes and disciplines comprising transportation, and address vital workforce needs for the next generation of transportation leaders.

The day’s events will include educational sessions and on-site technical assistance to help property owners assess their solar potential and troubleshoot their brownfield issues. Brightfields 2018 will also include a Solar Market Mixer where landowners can meet with solar developers in timed, face-to-face meetings for direct introductions and market feedback.

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Acting Commissioner, Catherine R. McCabe, will be the keynote speaker.

Featured NJII Innovation Lab (iLab) speakers include: Dr. Colette Santasieri and Elizabeth Limbrick of NJII’s Civil Infrastructure iLab, and Brigadier General William Marshall (retired) of NJII’s Defense and Homeland Security iLab. Also on hand will be representatives of NJII/NJIT’s Brownfields Program to provide guidance to attendees as they navigate the brownfields cleanup and redevelopment processes.

The event will help those ready to explore the solar energy potential of public or private property and answer questions about solar project feasibility, grant/incentive eligibility and financing, as well as assist those seeking connections to solar developers. Brightfields 2018 will illuminate new opportunities emerging in the dynamic solar development space, present practical know-how, and provide the ideal place to shop a solar RFP/RFQ or prepare for one — with the marketplace potential to spark real action and solar success.

For more information, visit: https://brownfieldlistings.com/blog/post/speakers-announced-for-brightfields-2018–newark-on-june-19.

The program is open to the public but registration is required; visit https://brownfieldlistings.com/events/Solar-Development-Event-Newark-Registration.

“We reached out to 50 universities from coast to coast looking for students who are majoring in fields related to the built environment and invited them to pitch ideas relating to the theme of “rebuild/restore” for this issue,” said Kenneth R. Fulmer, PE, president and CEO of Urban. “Please join me in congratulating Owen on winning the competition and wishing him luck in what is sure to be a promising future.”

Originally from Raleigh, N.C., Hitchcock is a second-year graduate student pursuing his Master of Science in civil engineering. His article reimagines the waterfront along the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg, Pa. According to Harrisburg City Engineer Wayne Martin, the concrete steps and walls on the riverbank were constructed between 1914 and 1917 as part of the City Beautiful movement. The walk and steps provide public access to the river, armor the riverbanks against erosion, and protect a sewer line that runs under the slab and behind the steps. Hitchcock’s vision echoes what many in Harrisburg would like to see, and is reminiscent of “Riverfront Destination,” one of the highest-ranking concepts from the public engagement process for the city’s Comprehensive Plan. Read his article on Urban’s Excellence blog at https://urbanengineers.com/blog/student-article.

Urban created the Excellence Student Article Competition to create a scholarship opportunity for talented college students studying an academic discipline related to the built environment — including, but not limited to, engineering, architecture, design, construction, real estate, and environmental studies. Students were invited to create a pitch for an article relating to the theme of rebuild/restore for a chance to win a $500 scholarship and have their article published in the 12th volume of Excellence.

Students who are enrolled at the time of entry in any related academic program offered at a school that has received an Official Contest Invitation were eligible to enter. Those entering submitted a 250-word pitch for their article, as well as a mood board and/or ideas for supporting graphics.

The report, Feasibility of Harbor-wide Barrier Systems: Preliminary Analysis for Boston Harbor, was sponsored by the Boston Green Ribbon Commission, a group of business, institutional, and civic leaders working side-by-side with the City of Boston to develop shared strategies for confronting climate change, and funded by the Barr Foundation.

“Harbor barrier systems have been a helpful tool for certain other coastal cities, but in this case, Boston would be making a bet on a massive infrastructure project with limited benefits compared to the alternative,” said Paul Kirshen, academic director of the Sustainable Solutions Lab, professor of climate adaptation in the School for the Environment, and the report’s lead author. “The more impactful strategy the city can pursue is to stay focused on neighborhood, shore-based resilience, moving quickly and working closely with communities. Local protections can also provide additional public realm advantages that maximize investment and benefit everyone plus provide us the flexibility to adjust to the uncertainties of climate change.”

The researchers tested the feasibility of both inner- (from Logan Airport to the Seaport) and outer- (from Winthrop to Hull) harbor barrier configurations. They studied the technical effectiveness of a barrier over time, the environmental impacts of a barrier, and the cost-benefits of a barrier as compared to shore-based resilience investments. The analysis found that while a barrier likely wouldn’t pose additional environmental risk to an already-evolving harbor ecosystem, either configuration would face major technical challenges and provide only marginal benefit on top of the immediate shore-based solutions that need to be constructed under any scenario.

The report’s cost-benefit analysis assumes that the city continues to pursue some level of shore-based solutions due to the long lead time required for permitting and constructing a barrier. By 2050, the earliest a barrier could be reasonably erected, Boston will potentially have already faced multiple billions of dollars of damage without neighborhood resilience projects like those proposed in Climate Ready Boston.

“This report reaffirms the direction already set by the City of Boston,” said Bud Ris, co-chair of the Green Ribbon Commission’s Climate Preparedness Working Group. “Shore-based solutions will not only protect vulnerable neighborhoods along the waterfront, but also provide substantial co-benefits in the form of new open space buffers and parks.”

“Given Boston’s significant vulnerabilities to sea level rise and other climate-related impacts, all options that will make our city more resilient merit consideration. Boston is fortunate to have the Green Ribbon Commission calling for this study, and the Sustainable Solutions Lab at UMass Boston undertaking such a rigorous analysis of various approaches to prepare for the changes ahead,” said Jim Canales, president and trustee of the Barr Foundation. “Armed with this insight, we must move with urgency to advance solutions that protect people and communities throughout Boston.”

Beyond the cost-benefits, a barrier strategy would also face major technical challenges. The researchers focused efforts on a barrier configuration that features gates that would remain open except during flood conditions caused by storm surge; this configuration is the only design that would provide some protection against storm surge in the early years of operation, minimize interference with Boston’s maritime economy and the thousands of jobs it supports, and protect the environmental gains of the Boston Harbor cleanup.

However, this configuration is challenged by the nature of Boston’s climate vulnerabilities, which eventually will be defined by less catastrophic, but more frequent, flooding events. A barrier opening and closing frequently creates too many environmental impacts and shipping disruptions to be functional, and becomes vulnerable to mechanical failure. A barrier could also not manage tidal or nuisance flooding whereas shore-based solutions can.

The costs of a barrier could range from $6.5 billion to $11.8 billion, depending on whether the inner- or outer-harbor configuration were selected. The outer-harbor configuration would become the largest barrier in the world and its water-span the longest in the world. The report offers options for refining and extending harbor barrier research further should the city determine it’s worthwhile to revisit a harbor barrier in the decades ahead as climate science evolves.

The project team included UMass Boston’s School for the Environment, the Woods Hole Group, Arcadis, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

“Vineyard Wind is proud to be selected to lead the new Massachusetts offshore wind industry into the future,” said Lars Thaaning Pedersen, CEO of Vineyard Wind. “Today’s announcement reflects the strong commitment to clean energy by Governor Baker and the Massachusetts Legislature. We are grateful for the time and commitment shown by many stakeholders, including Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Matthew Beaton and Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Judith Judson. All parties successfully guided the state’s electric distribution companies in carrying forth the requirements of a clean energy law that assures significant benefits for every resident in Massachusetts. We look forward to working with the Commonwealth, the communities of the Cape, Islands, and South Coast, and all stakeholders in together fully realizing the enormous opportunity of offshore wind.”

Vineyard Wind is a joint venture of Avangrid Renewables, a subsidiary of AVANGRID Inc., which is majority owned by Iberdrola S.A., and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), each of which own 50 percent of Vineyard Wind.

“Vineyard Wind’s partners are eager to deliver an offshore wind project that will provide the Commonwealth with abundant clean energy resources for decades to come,” said Laura Beane, President and CEO of Avangrid Renewables. “Today’s announcement serves to further illustrate the AVANGRID companies’ commitment to deliver value and opportunity in a region that is determined to address complex energy challenges through significant investments in clean energy infrastructure.  Avangrid Renewables is excited to play a substantial role in the Vineyard Wind joint venture, which is poised to support hundreds of Operations and Maintenance jobs and create thousands of construction jobs while launching an exciting new industry in Massachusetts.”

“The Vineyard Wind team is honored to be chosen to provide clean wind energy for communities across Massachusetts,” said Torsten Lodberg Smed, Senior Partner with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners. “CIP is committed to continue to move forward with our plan to make Vineyard Wind the first operational large-scale offshore wind project in the United States. Backed by the proven global leadership of our joint venture partners in the global and domestic offshore wind sector across three continents, our team will deliver a utility-scale offshore wind project that will stimulate tremendous economic development opportunity on Cape Cod, the Islands and the South Coast.”

Under Massachusetts law, the selection of Vineyard Wind by the EDCs and Department of Energy Resources (DOER) allows all parties to begin negotiations to secure all necessary transmission services and power purchase agreements to facilitate the delivery of offshore wind electricity to Massachusetts customers. Once satisfactory contract terms are secured, those documents will be submitted to the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities for formal review as set forth in the in the 83C process.

Vineyard Wind is the only offshore wind farm developer to begin both the state and federal permitting processes by filing an Environmental Notification Form (ENF) and Construction and Operations plan in December 2017. Vineyard Wind’s early timeline was designed to maximize the abundant environmental, economic and energy benefits associated with utility-scale wind energy for Bay State residents and businesses. Vineyard Wind will continue to refine the project design and approach as it receives additional comments from regulators and stakeholders. Vineyard Wind received a significant volume of substantive and productive comments from the fishing industry, residents on Cape Cod and the Islands, environmental organizations, as well as regional economic and community-based stakeholders, during the initial ENF comment period.

Vineyard Wind has been especially focused on receiving input from the fishing industry and has already held more than 100 meetings with fishermen or fishing organizations since 2016. Input from those meetings is reflected within the project design as part of a broad-based effort to ensure that offshore wind facilities and the fishing sector thrive together in the decades ahead.

With passage of An Act to Promote Energy Diversity in 2016, Massachusetts required the state’s EDCs to procure 1,600 megawatts (MW) of clean, offshore wind energy within the next decade, resulting in intense competition among offshore wind lease holders for long-term contracts with utilities in Massachusetts. The addition of 1,600 MW of low-carbon wind generation capacity will provide enough clean, homegrown energy to power the equivalent of more than 750,000 Massachusetts homes every year.

Vineyard Wind recently took another significant step in its effort to build the first large-scale offshore wind farm in the United States by submitting the project’s Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) with state regulators. The filing advances the company’s proposal to construct an 800-megawatt (MW) wind farm 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard while maintaining Vineyard Wind’s early timetable to begin construction in 2019 and become operational by 2021. When completed, the Vineyard Wind project will reduce Massachusetts’ carbon emissions by over 1.6 million tons per year, the equivalent of removing 325,000 cars from state roads.

Vineyard Wind’s proposal committed $15 million to three initiatives designed to make Massachusetts the center of the American offshore wind industry. The commitment includes a $10 million Wind Accelerator Fund to accelerate the development of an offshore wind supply chain, businesses, and infrastructure in the Bay State by attracting investments to upgrade or create necessary facilities and/or infrastructure. The $2 million Windward Workforce program will recruit, mentor, and train residents of Massachusetts, particularly southeast Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands, for careers in the Commonwealth’s new offshore wind as part of an effort to build a skilled offshore wind workforce centered in southeastern Massachusetts. The $3 million Marine Mammals and Wind Fund will fund development and demonstration of innovative methods and technologies to enhance protections for marine mammals as the offshore wind industry continues to grow.

As a generational company, VHB shares in the WTS mission of advancing women in the transportation industry. A proud sponsor of WTS since the company’s founding, VHB actively supports and participates in the advancement of women in transportation through sponsorship of student scholarships, positions on WTS Boards of Directors, chairing and supporting committees, participating and sponsoring WTS events, and sharing the benefits of involvement with WTS at VHB and throughout the industry.

“I’m proud and humbled to be a VHBer and part of this company that is dedicated to providing an environment where all employees have the opportunity to achieve their full potential and grow to be the next generation of leaders,” said Carragher. “Thank you to our dedicated team members for helping to set VHB apart and achieve this remarkable recognition.”

Ownership transition is an important part of VHB’s generational company model. The company has an ongoing program that identifies and rewards new generations of outstanding professional owners. The company has also created robust learning opportunities for employees at various stages in their careers, beginning with onboarding, to foster leadership development.

In 2017, VHB welcomed 360 new employees, 43 percent of whom were women. Women serve in all levels of leadership at VHB, including the firm’s Board of Directors, Executive Committee, and Regional Management. From leading internal efforts for career progression, to managing projects that shape the communities we live in, VHB’s women in leadership are influencing the progression of the organization, while serving as innovative thought leaders and stewards to the cities and towns around us.

In addition to the company’s Guardian sponsorship of WTS International, VHB maintains active leadership roles and supports local WTS chapters including, Atlanta, Boston, Connecticut, Greater New York, Maine, North Carolina Triangle and Rhode Island. VHB is a proud Gold Sponsor of the WTS-Boston new public art installation to celebrate the contributions, diversity, and creativity that women bring to the transportation industry. The public art piece will be a site-specific, permanent work commemorating women’s contributions to transportation in the Greater Boston area.

“In addition to supporting our ongoing growth, our new office offers a high-energy, creative environment to inspire our team as they deliver imaginative and functional solutions to our clients,” said Bravo President and Chief Executive Officer, Ehab Shehata. “As we look to build on our recent successes, this modern office space, combined with our rewarding culture, will also help us attract the A/E/C industry’s top talent.”

Bravo’s new headquarters is staffed with a diverse team of architects, engineers, construction managers, business professionals, and other technical specialists. This depth of local expertise allows Bravo’s cooperative companies to deliver solutions that overcome their public and private clients’ immediate challenges while addressing their overarching operational and financial goals. Representative clients include New York City School Construction Authority, Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and its various agencies, State University of New York/State University Construction Fund, City University of New York, New York City Housing Authority, and many other public agencies and private businesses.

Bravo is the partnering of Velocity Architectural Services, Bradford Construction Corporation (WBE), and Chu Engineering (MBE), offering the full-breadth of architectural, engineering, and construction management services.

The new 15,000-square-foot center incorporates a green roof, recycled materials, energy efficient lighting, and water conservation techniques such as rain barrels. Walking paths and trails provide connectivity to the Visitor Center, memorial garden, informational kiosk, picnic pavilion, and a connecting path to the adjacent trails within the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge.

DBF assisted with the USGBC LEED certification process obtaining credits for construction activity pollution prevention, alternative transportation with reinforced gravel and turf parking spaces, and maximized the open space to be greater than the building footprint. The stormwater design utilized multiple sustainable techniques such as microbioretention areas, submerged gravel wetlands, grass filter strips and swales, and minimized impervious areas with the use of alternative paving materials. 90% of the average rainfall is captured by these systems and treated. DBF also utilized an innovative wastewater technology, the Bermed Infiltration Pond, treating 30% of the wastewater generated on site to tertiary standards, thereby protecting the groundwater, woods, marshes, and wetlands of the surrounding Blackwater Wildlife Refuge.

According to DBF Project Manager Ken Eaton, LEED Green Associate, “This project is located just outside of the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, an ecologically important area within the state of Maryland containing 1/3 of the state’s tidal wetlands. Due to this project’s highly sensitive environmental location, it was of the utmost importance to responsibly manage the post-construction surface runoff through sustainable site design utilizing low impact development, innovative wastewater treatment and best management practices.”

The film highlights the many projects of New York City, both past and present, where the principal professionals are women. Once anonymous to the many inhabitants of this bustling city, Unknown New York introduces viewers to the female architects, designers, engineers and developers whose legacies envelop us today.

It includes the works of star designers such as Jeanne Gang, Annabelle Selldorf, Maya Lin, Liz Diller and Zaha Hadid and prominent engineers, including Aine Brazil, Vice President of Thornton Tomasetti; Sabrina Kanner, Executive Vice President, Design & Construction of Brookfield Properties; and MaryAnne Gilmartin, Founder and CEO of L&L MAG. The film reveals not only the skyscrapers, but also the bridges, gardens, subways and many other structures built by women that give New York City its rich and complex urban fabric.

Following the 17-minute film, guests will enjoy a Q&A session with Beverly Willis, the writer and director of the film and founder of BWAF, and enjoy light refreshments while networking with fellow industry professionals.

For more information or to register for the event, email Cynthia Kracauer at ckracauer@bwaf.com or (212) 577-1200 and visit the organization’s website at www.bwaf.org.

Westfield, Mass. — Tighe & Bond, Inc., a northeastern leader in engineering and environmental consulting, opened its doors this month to a new office in Providence, R.I. The 4,000-square-foot workplace on 300 West Exchange Street (Suite 300) provides a central location to better serve the company’s growing base of Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts clients.

Senior Project Manager, Benjamin Levesque, P.E., BCEE, will provide leadership for Tighe & Bond’s newest office. A resident of nearby North Attleboro, Levesque is a civil and environmental engineer with 20 years of experience in the municipal water and wastewater industry. Tighe & Bond plans to expand its workforce at this office to approximately 20 employees over the coming months.

“We are a firm that is committed to our clients, and establishing an office in Providence allows Tighe & Bond to be closer to, and more readily support, our growing client base in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts. We are confident that this location will benefit both existing and new clients,” says Tighe & Bond’s President and CEO, David Pinsky. “Also, as we continue to expand our business, this office provides an accessible location for talented employees who reside in the area,” he adds.

Tighe & Bond’s strategic plan calls for geographic growth to further reinforce its position as a northeast regional leader in engineering and environmental services. This new office represents yet another growth opportunity for the firm that is experiencing office expansions and staffing growth in multiple locations throughout the Northeast. Tighe & Bond currently has more than 340 employees.

Tighe & Bond provides comprehensive engineering and environmental services to hundreds of public and private clients throughout the northeastern United States, with emphasis on the education, energy, government, healthcare, industrial, real estate, and water/wastewater markets. In addition to Providence, Tighe & Bond staff work from offices located in Middletown and Shelton, Conn.; Westwood, Pocasset, Worcester and Westfield, Mass.; Portsmouth, N.H.; and Rhinebeck, N.Y. Tighe & Bond is an employee-owned firm that has been in business for over a century.

New York — The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) reached a landmark recently when a micro-tunneling machine broke through a wall of rock and completed the first leg of a new release tunnel at Schoharie Reservoir. The “holing through” happened April 23 at 9:02 p.m. It marked end of tunneling for the 930-foot land leg of the tunnel. Engineers will now focus on building the 1,188-foot water leg of the tunnel, which will extend from a shaft near Route 990V in Gilboa, N.Y., and come up through the bottom of the reservoir.

The milestone is part of a $142 million project to build release works at the reservoir. The new tunnel is expected to be complete in about three years. It will give DEP the ability to release water downstream of the reservoir into Schoharie Creek to facilitate dam maintenance, respond to potential emergencies, mitigate flood risk for downstream communities, and enhance downstream habitat for fish and wildlife.

“The projects happening now at Schoharie Reservoir are meant to ensure our critical infrastructure at this location continues to deliver water while protecting public health and safety for decades to come,” DEP Commissioner Vincent Sapienza said. “I want to congratulate our crew in Gilboa for completing the first leg of the release tunnel. Holing through on any tunnel is an important landmark that deserves all our recognition and appreciation for the workers who achieved it.”

The release works are one component of a larger $400 million program that has strengthened infrastructure and will improve operational flexibility at Schoharie Reservoir, which annually supplies about 15 percent of New York City’s drinking water. The program began with the full-scale rehabilitation of the 155-foot tall Gilboa Dam, a $138 million project that finished in 2014. It will also include upgrades to the Shandaken Tunnel Intake Chamber and site restoration work. DEP implemented the program of repairs and upgrades at Schoharie Reservoir more than a decade ago to achieve modern safety standards at Gilboa Dam.

DEP began construction of the new release works at Schoharie Reservoir in July 2015. Thus far, the city has made substantial progress on excavations for an intake at the bottom of the reservoir and a release outlet near the creek. Work crews also completed the construction of a 182-foot-deep gate shaft that served as the starting point for tunneling. The 9.5-foot-diameter micro-tunneling machine began its work last October. It is an unmanned machine that is operated by remote control from the surface, where operators track its progress and performance by watching it on monitors inside a control room. Workers only entered the tunnel when the machine needed maintenance.

The machine will drive two tunnel sections that total 2,118 feet, running as deep at 185 feet below the surface. The recently completed land leg of the tunnel stretched 1,188 feet from the gate shaft to a valve chamber on the eastern bank of Schoharie Creek. The valve chamber is located about 1,000 feet downstream of Gilboa Dam. A second leg of the tunnel — set to begin construction soon — will run 930 feet from the gate shaft to the intake structure at the bottom of Schoharie Reservoir, several hundred feet south of the dam. Once workers bore into the bottom of the reservoir, a specialized dive team will remove the micro-tunneling machine from the 135-foot-deep water and install the remaining parts of the intake structure.

The valve chamber — which acts as the portal that releases water into the creek — will include two valves capable of releasing about 65-1,550 million gallons of water each day. A third, smaller valve will be capable of smaller releases up to 65 million gallons per day.

Gilboa Dam was built from 1919 to 1927 and impounds Schoharie Reservoir, the northernmost reservoir in the city’s water supply system. Schoharie Reservoir can store up to 19.6 billion gallons of water, and it accounts for nearly 15 percent of the drinking water delivered to New York City each day. Schoharie Reservoir collects water from a 314-square-mile watershed. It diverts that water through the 18-mile Shandaken Tunnel, which discharges into the Esopus Creek where it travels another 11 miles before entering Ashokan Reservoir. From Ashokan Reservoir, the water flows south through the 92-mile-long Catskill Aqueduct to New York City.

New York — Parsons School of Design at The New School presents Street Seats, a sustainably designed temporary public space for New Yorkers to sit, socialize, and people-watch. Designed and constructed by undergraduate Architecture, Interior Design, Product Design, and Food Studies students, with assistance from Design and Technology and Lighting Design graduate students, the project sits in two parking spaces at the northeast corner of Fifth Avenue and 13th Street in Greenwich Village.

Street Seats is an elective design-build class, now in its fourth iteration, offered within Parsons’ School of Constructed Environments.

The Parsons Street Seats has been designed with an eye toward sustainability. Repurposed fishing net is used as netting for seats, planters, and screens; naturally rot-resistant Western red cedar is used for the structural modules and countertops; and coconut fiber and jute webbing, both of which are biodegradable, are used for the planters.

Operating independently from the electric grid, the lighting system uses solar panels, batteries, and energy efficient LED lighting that is activated by a daylight sensor to provide artificial light after sundown.

Additionally, planters are installed on the edges of the seating area to reduce noise from the street and provide a pleasant environment in which to sit and relax. Herbs and native plants will add fragrance and invite pollinators.

The design was reviewed by Silman Structural Engineers. Seeds were donated by the Greenbelt Native Plant Center; Sam Robinson of Greenwood Robinson contributed gravel for the planters;  Voltaic Systems provided material and consulting support for solar-powered lighting; and Van Houten Farms and Westco FG Corp.provided additional discounts on materials.

Construction of the 4.3-mile extension, which will provide the Massachusetts communities of Cambridge, Somerville and Medford with a one-seat ride to downtown Boston, is expected to begin later this year, with revenue service beginning in 2021.

In total, the project also includes the design and construction of a new vehicle maintenance facility, an administration building, a viaduct, six new stations, one relocated station, six bridges, and a community path.

“The three communities where the Green Line Extension project is being constructed have been engaged in this process for nearly 20 years,” said Mark Pelletier, STV vice president and Boston office manager. “They are knowledgeable, passionate and excited to have public transportation being made available to them. We look forward to working with them, the MBTA, and the Fluor Middlesex/Herzog/Balfour Beatty team in making this project a reality.”

The MBTA anticipates a number of benefits for the project, including the reduction of 26,000 regional daily vehicle miles travelled, thereby improving air quality and reducing automobile congestion in the commonwealth. Daily ridership at the seven new GLX stations – which will all be outfitted with amenities that meet or exceed Americans with Disabilities Act standards – is expected to hit 45,000 by 2030. Additionally, all GLX operations will take place within an existing railroad right-of-way, the 3.4-mile Lowell Line and 0.9-mile Fitchburg Line, which minimizes the need to purchase additional ROW.

STV’s role in shaping the GLX marks another major MBTA initiative supported by the firm. One of STV’s earliest projects for the MBTA was the North Station Transportation Improvement Project, where the elevated section of the Green Line’s viaduct was relocated into a tunnel section. In the mid-2000s, STV served as the lead designer for the Greenbush Commuter Rail Restoration project, then the largest design-build project ever undertaken by the MBTA.

“It is truly an honor to be recognized by my peers in the industry as the Civil Engineer of the Year,” said Thomsen. “Hard work and determination served as the keys to my success, but I would not be where I am without the help of my partners and the staff of Urban, my family, and of course, our clients.”

In addition to his responsibilities overseeing Urban’s offices and national geography and serving on the firm’s board, Thomsen is the president and chief executive officer of Urban Engineers of New York, D.P.C. He is responsible for directing all major national transportation programs, public transit, national consulting, and megaproject program management services. Thomsen has played a key role in the growth of the Urban’s program management oversight division and is a national leader in the management of large-scale projects, including New York City’s high-profile One World Trade Center, L.A. Metro, East Side Access, and Second Avenue Subway. A registered Professional Engineer in four states, his extensive experience encompasses the management and engineering of major infrastructure projects including tunnels, railways, and transportation systems.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in civil/environmental engineering from Clarkson University and master’s degree in engineering management from Drexel University. He is a past president of ASCE Philadelphia, served on the executive committee of the American Public Transportation Association, and is the past chairperson of the organization’s Capital Projects national committee on design and construction. He has also been nominated for and received numerous awards.

Fairfax, Va. — Dewberry announced that the Cozy Lake Road bridge replacement project in Morris County, N.J., was awarded a New Jersey Concrete Award by the New Jersey Concrete and Aggregate Association and the New Jersey Chapter of the American Concrete Institute.

The project, designed by Cherry, Weber & Associates, PC and constructed by Ron-Jon Construction Corp., was a replacement of Morris County Bridge No. 1400-323 at Cozy Lake Road over the Pequannock River at a cost of $1.4 million. Dewberry provided resident engineering and inspection services throughout construction. The completed structure comprises a 60-foot clear span, 26-foot curb-to-curb road width, and an out-to-out width of 30 feet. Concrete was used for the cast-in-place footings and for precast structural elements, including a precast arch, spandrel/parapet walls and wing walls. A total of 500 cubic yards of concrete was used on the project.

Dewberry’s resident engineer oversaw unique construction challenges. While the road was closed to traffic with a detour in place, an existing railroad line remained in service during construction, requiring the use of steel sheet piling for the foundation to reduce the bridge footprint and retain the railroad bed. The Dewberry team also coordinated extensively with overhead utilities during the precast setting period.

The rural, wooded location of the project required stone facing of exposed concrete surfaces. Precast elements included dovetail slots so stainless steel ties could be incorporated to hold the stone masonry. A New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres tree planting program was implemented to mitigate adjacent property impacts.