Now, it’s your turn to share Arizona’s beauty with the magazine’s worldwide audience.

For the 12th year, Arizona Highways is inviting amateur and professional photographers to participate in its photography contest, with submissions due Dec. 15.

Photos will be judged in two categories: landscape and macro (close-up) photography. All photos must be made in Arizona.

Entries will be judged on composition, framing, light and an overall “wow” factor.

Those submitting the three best photos will win prizes. First prize is an in-state photo workshop valued at $2,500. Second- and third-place winners will receive prize packages from Tempe Camera valued at $500 and $250, respectively. Additionally, winners’ images will be featured in the September 2020 issue of Arizona Highways.

The most recent grand prize winner, Sara Wittenberger, offered a spectacular and snowy view of a Christmas Day sunset at Mount Ord, northeast of the Phoenix area. Tam Ryan won second place for a photo of mist cloaking a group of great egrets at a Gilbert preserve.

For more information and to see last year’s winners, please visit ArizonaHighways.com and select Photo Contest below the Photography dropdown in the top navigation options.

Aaron Nitzkin, founder and CEO of SRD, will assume additional responsibilities as Citadel’s Executive Vice President of Solar. He will oversee the company’s continued growth into the residential, small commercial and new home construction markets; and spearhead its efforts to strengthen its foothold as a leading roofing and solar subcontractor to homebuilders in preparation for California’s new home solar mandate.

“The California solar market is heating up as homebuilders gear up to comply with the new state mandate that all new residential construction include solar energy systems starting January 1, 2020,” said Nitzkin. “As one of the largest and most experienced solar and roofing contractors in California, Citadel is uniquely positioned to serve as a trusted advisor to homebuilders, big and small, to ensure that their transition to meeting the new code goes smoothly.”

Citadel is one of the only contractors in the state to offer integrated roofing and solar installations along with an integrated, single-source warranty. It is one of the state’s few solar contractors servicing the homebuilder market to use only its own installation crews rather than subcontractors, which ensures tighter control of training and quality.

“This is an exciting time in the California solar market, and we are delighted to add Aaron to our solar team to guide residential and commercial sales and operations,” said Dieter Folk, President of Citadel. “Aaron’s appointment is particularly timely as we approach the deadline for California’s mandate that all residential new construction includes a solar system. His years of experience and success building Solar Roofing Dynamics will help Citadel expand its penetration into the homebuilder market and strengthen our leadership role in roofing and solar throughout the state.”

Aaron Nitzkin has been working in the solar industry since 2003, working as National Sales Director for Dow Chemical Company’s solar division, and as Executive Vice President of Solar for PetersenDean before founding Solar Roof Dynamics. Aaron also has consulted for a variety of client companies including SunPower Corporation and Clarum Homes. Aaron holds an MBA from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business as well as a BA from Indiana University.

Ventura, California (June 2019) – John Dreher has been elected by Rincon’s Board of Directors as the next President and CEO, effective July 1, 2019.  In his role as Chief Operating Officer, John has worked closely with Michael P. Gialketsis (President and CEO since 2012) to ensure this smooth transition as Mike steps into a Strategic Advisor role within the company.

John started with Rincon in 2002 as a Regulatory Permitting Specialist to support a growing environmental compliance and regulatory permitting service line. Over the years, John played an integral role in developing many long-term client relationships that helped Rincon diversify its clients and services, including public agencies, utility, renewable energy and transportation infrastructure clients, and strategically partnering with other environmental, engineering and design firms. He pursued his interest in driving the business and played a significant role in business planning efforts over the last decade, which led to him to becoming COO in 2014. John has pushed to evolve Rincon’s foundation by building a strong and nimble platform to allow our professionals to perform at a high level to lead the environmental consulting industry. His vision that Rincon is never quite “there” and that there is always opportunity to improve helps Rincon provide client services that consistently exceed expectation.

John along with other leaders have been instrumental in pushing the firm to be a leader in the environmental consulting industry. In 2019 Rincon ranked as #11 as both a Zweig Group’s Best Firm to Work for and Hot Firm.  John’s transition into President and CEO will continue Rincon’s investment in the value offering to its employees and clients. The Best Firms to Work For competition ranks firms in the AEC industry based on workplace practices, benefits, retention rates, and more, and Hot Firms ranks the 100 fastest-growing architecture, engineering, planning, and environmental consulting firms in the US.

“This is an exciting transition of leadership for the firm,” says Mike, “and through John’s evolution and growth at Rincon, I am confident that his leadership, with the support of all members of the Rincon team, will continue our vision of achieving a powerful healthy culture and leading professional excellence.”

]]> 2031680 https://csengineermag.com/urban-engineers-los-angeles-office-expands-facilities-cm-capabilities/ Mon, 24 Jun 2019 17:37:02 +0000 https://csengineermaga.wpengine.com/?p=2031517 Los Angeles, CA – Urban Engineers is pleased to announce the expansion of facilities construction management in its Los Angeles office, with the relocation of Stephen Ehrlich, PE, LEED AP. Mr. Ehrlich is managing the firm’s work at Los Angeles International Airport, and will help to grow the firm’s expertise and staff in the region.

“Our expansion in Los Angeles will further enhance the services we provide to West Coast-based clients,” said William Thomsen, PE, Urban’s senior vice president for national services. “We are excited to continue to grow our facilities construction management practice and lend our aptitude to projects of all sizes and complexities throughout California and beyond.”

“Steve is widely respected in the industry for his managerial and technical expertise and he will be instrumental in assisting the Los Angeles World Airports with the Landside Access Modernization Program at Los Angeles International Airport,” said Matthew Marquardt, PE, Urban’s senior vice president for vertical services. “He was an obvious choice for this role as he is a proven leader and consistently demonstrates a commitment to high-quality client service.”

Mr. Ehrlich serves as a vice president and the general manager of facilities construction management services at Urban, and previously worked at the firm’s Philadelphia, PA, headquarters. With more than 25 years of experience in the industry, his experience includes a variety of airports, buildings, petrochemical facilities, heavy highway, site development, marine, transit facilities, and environmental investigation and remediation projects. A registered Professional Engineer in four states, Mr. Ehrlich is an active member of the Construction Management Association of America, the Design-Build Institute of America, and the American Council of Engineering Companies. He earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.

Urban also announced the promotion of Jared Krause, PE, CWI, to general manager of facilities construction management services. He will take over Mr. Ehrlich’s responsibilities for East Coast clients. Mr. Krause previously served as deputy general manager for Urban’s facilities construction management practice, that included management of the special inspection practice in New York City and Philadelphia. He has more than 13 years of experience in engineering design, special inspection, construction management, and construction inspection on a range of projects including high-rise buildings, tenant fit-outs, site development, and horizontal infrastructure. Assisting Mr. Krause will be Meera Ponnappa, who was recently promoted to assistant project manager. Ms. Ponnappa has been key in developing Urban’s Special Inspection Manual and Inspection Procedures, and for implementing the cloud-based Agile MetaField software Urban uses to coordinate and schedule inspections for improved efficiency.

Urban’s construction management and special inspection practice is backed by its multidisciplinary design and construction expertise. The firm has performed expert special inspections per Chapter 17 of the International Building Code for more than 20 years, and emphasized this public safety service long before many cities required building owners to hire accredited special inspection agencies for their projects. Urban’s special inspection services play a crucial role in delivering safe, reliable, and code compliant construction.

BYD joins its city partner for the celebration being held from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, June 7 on The BLVD between Genoa and Beech Avenues. The event will feature live music, a car cruise in, and, of course, fireworks.

During the celebration, stop by the BYD booth to pick up some toys and red, white and blue candy for the kids and learn about the company’s Lancaster-built zero emission battery-electric buses and trucks. The celebration is one of several city events BYD is proud to join as a sponsor.

“BYD believes in our community,” said Bobby Hill, vice president, BYD Coach & Bus. “BYD has created more than 750 American manufacturing jobs at its Lancaster plant and we think the future is very bright here in the Antelope Valley.”

All BYD buses sold to U.S. transit agencies are made in Lancaster and exceed the Federal Transit Administration’s “Buy America” regulatory requirements. These are American buses built by an American workforce.

BYD has invested more than $250 million on facilities, equipment, and people since arriving in Lancaster in 2013. Last year alone, BYD spent more than $70 million with U.S. vendors, including more than 130 Antelope Valley companies.

BYD continues its expansion plans with the purchase of an additional 150 acres of land near its Lancaster plant; and is planning service/maintenance centers across the U.S.

Pioneering zero-emission technology, the 220,000-person international company is helping to revolutionize transportation, leave a cleaner environment and bring back manufacturing to the U.S. Its model proves that going green can be good for the economy, good for workers and good for America.

The major milestone for heavy duty battery electric trucks features BYD’s hardworking 8R Class-8 fitted with New Way Viper Rear Loader refuse body. The first-of-its-kind vehicle is now in operation with Recology in Seattle, WA servicing the city of Seattle with solid waste pickup.

“By partnering with the City of Seattle, BYD and New Way, we can be a catalyst to effect positive, sustainable change, setting the stage for what a 21^st century refuse truck should look like,” said Derek Ruckman, Vice President and Group Manager in the Pacific Northwest at Recology.

“We’re proud to provide Recology and the residents of Seattle with the most advanced collection trucks in the world,” said BYD Motors Director of Business Development, John Gerra. “And with the outstanding support we received from New Way for its advanced Rear Loader design, we are excited to build many more trucks together for the US market.”

New Way, a family-owned business since 1971, manufactures a complete line of refuse equipment in Scranton, Iowa, including the Viper mid-compaction Rear Loader bodies. With outside cylinders and operating valve, New Way’s streamlined Viper design offers increased efficiency, safety and value.

“By combining the innovative design of our Viper Rear Loader body with BYD’s zero-emissions battery-electric technology, we can produce the most efficient and sustainable refuse truck available on the market today,” said Don Ross, New Way Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

Recology, an employee-owned company with more than 100 years’ experience in the waste industry, provides service to communities up and down the West Coast. The Recology mission represents a fundamental shift from traditional waste management to resource recovery. The vision at Recology is to create a world without waste by developing and discovering sustainable resource recovery practices that can be implemented globally.

“With Kleinfelder positioned to experience significant growth, Jay fills an important and exciting role,” commented Louis Armstrong, President.  “Jay will be instrumental in leveraging Kleinfelder’s core capabilities to further penetrate targeted markets as well as identifying and nurturing new growth and investment opportunities that deliver sustained, profitable growth for our company.”

Clare comes to Kleinfelder with an extensive background in corporate leadership and growth strategy. Most recently, Clare was responsible for strategic direction and growth of environmental business line services for the oil and gas market throughout the Americas, which exceeded $300 million in annual bookings.  With experience managing global client accounts, Clare has achieved double digit sales growth through enhancing collaboration across operating groups, diversifying services, and strategic hiring and acquisitions. Clare’s multidisciplinary background in environmental, engineering and construction services, along with his experience working in Kleinfelder’s targeted markets, will aid in successful identification, evaluation and development of new opportunities and growth initiatives.

“I am thrilled to be joining Kleinfelder in this leadership capacity where I will have the opportunity to work with the executive leadership team, staff, and clients to achieve the company’s growth objectives,” said Clare. “I’m looking forward to leveraging my market knowledge and experience with strategic growth initiatives to have a personal impact on delivery of client services, employee career development, and profitable growth.”

“Raken is in position to see extraordinary growth in the next few years, and I hope my experience and guidance can help them achieve that,” Berman said. “This company is meeting a unique need in the construction industry by prioritizing the needs of the field – a group that has been traditionally underserved by technology.”

Berman has more than 25 years of experience in sales, marketing and support in the software technology industry. His innovative and effective sales strategies contributed to major growth for WebEx, RingCentral, Affectiva and ZOOM. Under Berman’s leadership, ZOOM experienced triple-digit annual growth in revenue, users and number of employees. Berman currently serves as a venture adviser for Spider Capital Partners, a seed-stage venture capital firm. Berman’s experience helping ZOOM build sales motion with individual users and expanding from there to the enterprise level is highly relevant: Raken is taking a similar approach, building a groundswell of adoption in the field and expanding from the bottom up.

“Dave has had an incredible track record over the past couple decades, leading some of the fastest growing technology companies of our time. Needless to say, we’re excited to have him join our team,” said Raken CEO and founder Kyle Slager. “Our software is focused on the mobile workforce in construction – the hard-working men and women who work in the field. Raken makes their lives easier and helps them be more productive, and that in turn empowers the supervisors, project managers, executives and clients all the way up the ladder.”

Raken serves nearly 4,000 clients in 92 countries and has been utilized on over 350,000 projects. The cloud-based SaaS solution boosts productivity and safety by streamlining workflow processes such as daily reporting, time tracking and safety management. Raken recently introduced a Spanish-language option and an “offline mode” following a $10 million Series A funding round in 2018.

About Raken
Raken provides mobile-first technology to streamline field workflows for the construction industry. Raken’s digital toolbox connects the field to the office with daily reports, time cards, task management, photo management, and more. Thousands of the world’s top general contracting and subcontracting firms use Raken for their field reporting needs. To find out more, visit www.rakenapp.com or call 866-438-0646.

The lowest grade in the Report Card was wastewater, with a grade of “D.” In general, these systems are aging beyond their useful design life and many will soon need replacement or full rehabilitation. Approximately 30% of Oregonians are on septic systems, about 10% of which typically experience on-site failure each year. This aging category of infrastructure needs approximately $5 billion across the state.  Levees, although slightly better than wastewater, also received one of the lowest grades in the Report Card with a “D+.” Of levees inspected by the USACE, about 11% (124 miles) of Oregon levees are rated “Minimally Acceptable,” while about 30% (113 miles) are rated “Unacceptable.” Looking to the future, state leaders must take proactive steps to ensure these systems have the proper funding needed to be prepared for population growth, deterioration, and disaster response.

A few bright spots prevailed in the Report Card including roads, which earned the highest grade with a “C+,” and bridges, which earned a “C.” Oregon has the lowest percentage of bridges that are structurally deficient in the western states at only 5.2%. This compares to 7.6% at the national level. Additionally, 90% of Oregon’s highways are in fair to good condition. However, these categories may face significant challenges in the near future. Approximately 20 % of Oregon’s bridges are at risk of becoming structurally deficient in the short term and congestion is already a problem that impedes on successful economic development and impacts residents’ quality of life.  Finally, a major earthquake would render components of the surface transportation network unusable. Seismic retrofitting and investment in critical segments of infrastructure necessary to move emergency vehicles and supplies is necessary.

“A reliable multimodal transportation system connects communities within Oregon to each other and the rest of the country, and we need to continue prioritizing these systems to ensure future success,” said Matt Garrett, Director, Oregon Department of Transportation. “We look forward to continuing to build on the progress we’ve made to ensure our transportation network keeps Oregon competitive and resilient.”

Additionally, the ASCE report also finds:

• Petroleum transmission systems and equipment are over 50 years old and storage tanks are over 100 years old.
• Over the next 5 years, over 70% of Oregon’s dams will be over 50 years old.
• Oregon has 681 miles of inland waterways. Along with ports, inland waterways support close to 21,000 jobs and contribute $3.6 billion to the economy.
• Freight rail tonnage in 2017 64.8 million tons, up from 54.4 million tons in 2012.

In addition to an evaluation and analysis of the 10 infrastructure categories, the Report Card also offers various recommendations to raise the grades, which include, but are not limited to the following:

• Achieve ODOT’s goal of post-earthquake resiliency by completely funding the retrofit or replacement of bridges along “lifeline” routes.
• Conduct a thorough seismic resiliency risk assessment of all key water system components, particularly above-ground reservoirs and water treatment and pumping plants for all water systems in Oregon.
• Mitigate Oregon’s petroleum supply chain vulnerabilities, including transmission, storage and distribution. This will improve Oregon’s most significant energy sector vulnerability.
• Protect the federal Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund from being used for other, non-port related purposes.
• The State of Oregon should establish a levee safety program that works directly with levee communities and federal partners, including FEMA and USACE. Of primary importance is identifying the conditions and risk associated with levee systems outside the federal portfolio.
• Construct projects that will relieve bottlenecks on Portland area freeways.
• Preserve tax exempt municipal bond financing. Low-cost access to capital helps keeplending for water and wastewater upgrades strong and accessible for communities large and small.

“Overall, Oregon’s infrastructure is in better condition than the national average and we are proud of the innovation happening in transportation, water, and other sectors,” said Mark Libby, P.E., Chair, Oregon Infrastructure Report Card Committee. “To keep Oregon’s economy thriving and ensure we are best prepared for what the future may bring, whether that be population growth or a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake, we must continue to place a high priority on modernizing our infrastructure and ensuring it is resilient.”

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

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

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

CO Architects’ expertise in designing hybrid experiential learning spaces has been sought out by many universities across the US.  As specialists in this new approach to learning, the firm has established a reputation for developing environments that dissolve barriers among disciplines, classrooms, teachers and students, and campus surroundings.  “Our goal with ASU’s Health Futures Center is to create opportunities that maximize interdisciplinary collaboration and research in partnership with Mayo Clinic Phoenix to help meet the mission of improving health outcomes,” said Jennifer Knudsen, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Principal at CO Architects.  “Our team designed the building to support a range of evolving interdepartmental research activities, industry partnerships, and teaching models through flexible, innovation-ready spaces.”

HFC features a trapezoidal undulating façade, designed to minimize solar exposure of glazing on its east and west sides.  The concept endeavors to optimize passive design strategies within this project’s hot desert climate.  CO Architects developed a custom-built parametric tool through 3D Generative Innovator, which was leveraged to provide real-time geometric feedback on various configurations of the primary surfaces and basic structural framework.  Residing on Dassault Systemes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform, this tool also streamlined and democratized the visualization of this complex geometry to help key stakeholders comprehensively understand the design benefits.

To meet an accelerated schedule, the CO/DFDG team worked closely with DPR Construction’s pre-construction team through the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) delivery method.  Together, they developed a new, transparent, predictive cost-analysis tool that was used before and during programming.  The tool was effective in helping key stakeholders prioritize wants and needs ahead of the schematic design phase, allowing for an informed, successful design process within budgetary and timeline constraints.

CO Architects serves as design architect, master planner, laboratory planner, simulation planner, and interior designer for HFC.  DFDG served as executive architect.  Other project team members include DPR Construction (general contractor), ASE (structural engineer), AEI Affiliated Engineers, Inc. (MEP engineer), Wood Patel (civil engineer), Floor Associates (landscape), and Jeremiah Associates, LLC (AV/IT and acoustical).

Los Angeles-based CO Architects is nationally recognized for architectural planning, programming, and design in the higher education, science and technology, and healthcare sectors, and works with leading institutions from coast to coast.  CO Architects’ specialized expertise includes transformative schools of medicine and health professions, advanced research and teaching laboratories, and innovative clinical facilities on higher education, healthcare, and urban campuses.  The firm has been nationally and internationally recognized with more than 135 awards for innovative design and project delivery, including the American Institute of Architects, California Council’s Architecture Firm of the Year Award.

Founded in 1970, Phoenix-based DFDG provides a full range of architectural and interior design services for clients in higher education, civic, sports & recreation, parking, religious, and commercial/corporate.

ASCE San Diego Section recognized the project for award in the Seismic Retrofit category, which acknowledges projects that primarily focus on seismic retrofit design and construction of existing buildings and infrastructure, and which showcase advances and/or innovation in design.  The project also received the top award in the Historical Renovation category, which recognizes projects that focus on the renovation/restoration design and construction of a historical civil engineering project, building, structure or facility.

As the lead consultant and bridge designer, Kleinfelder worked with the City of San Diego (Client/Owner) to develop a full retrofit plan as well as address other rehabilitation efforts for the bridge, which was originally constructed in 1914. The reconstruction plan was developed to alleviate structural deficiencies, seismic vulnerability and extensive deterioration, as well as maintain the bridge’s historic integrity.

Squeezing a modern seismic design into the framework of a historic arch bridge was no easy feat. Kleinfelder utilized innovative techniques including integration of existing arch ribs into the final structural system, hydrodemolition of cover concrete, and self-consolidating concrete with reinforcing fibers. The result was an innovative design that balanced safety, historic preservation, cost, and seismic performance, while accomplishing the goal of restoring the aging landmark to its original glory.

In addition to being recognized by ASCE San Diego as an Outstanding Project Award winner, the Georgia Street Bridge project also received the ACEC California Honor Award, which Kleinfelder, alongside the City of San Diego, accepted in February.

Soylent, a pioneer in food technology, relocated from its previous LA location to accommodate the company’s rapid growth. Located on the third floor of Building 2 in the At Mateo campus, Soylent’s new corporate headquarters design is focused on collaboration. The space features open offices, breakout rooms, sample room, game area and a variety of lounge spaces with tiered seating for meetings. A circulation path runs around the entire office area, connecting the five “neighborhoods” or departments within the company. Private offices are located around the perimeter of the space, with 10-foot high glass walls allowing daylight to reach the interior. The black and white color palette reflects the foundation of the company’s product branding, and allows for the brand to advance as the company grows. Operable windows and roll-up doors let in fresh air and provide access to the exterior areas, including a rooftop patio for employees to enjoy. 

The new headquarters is also home to the Soylent Innovation Lab, a coworking space designed to attract like-minded, innovative technology companies to the Arts District. 

“This new headquarters provides an engaging atmosphere for Soylent employees that truly embodies the company’s innovative and collaborative corporate culture,” said Radwan Madani, Principal of Ware Malcomb’s Los Angeles office. “It has been gratifying for our firm to have the opportunity to work on so many exciting projects — like this one for Soylent — in the burgeoning Arts District of downtown Los Angeles.”

“Ware Malcomb was a phenomenal partner in designing an incredible space that allows both our Soylent team and our Soylent Innovation Lab members to build culture and synergy that are so important for growing our businesses,” said Bryan Crowley, Soylent CEO.  “We started with two of our Soylent core values, flexibility and collaboration, as inspiration and Ware Malcomb delivered a space that inspires our teams each and every day.”  

The General Contractor for the Soylent project was HBC.

About Ware Malcomb (waremalcomb.com)

Established in 1972, Ware Malcomb is an international design firm providing planning, architecture, interior design, branding and civil engineering services to commercial real estate and corporate clients. With 22 office locations throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and Panama, the firm specializes in the design of commercial office, corporate, industrial, science & technology, healthcare, retail, auto, public/educational facilities and renovation projects. Ware Malcomb is recognized as an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing private company and a Hot Firm and Best Firm to Work For by Zweig Group. The firm is also ranked among the top 20 architecture/engineering firms in Engineering News-Record’s Top 500 Design Firms and the top 30 interior design firms in Interior Design magazine’s Top 100 Giants. For more information, visit waremalcomb.com/news and view Ware Malcomb’s Design video atyoutube.com/waremalcomb.

About Soylent (www.soylent.com)

Soylent is a pioneer in food technology, producing delicious, functional foods with complete nutrition that are good for the body and the planet. In 2013, Founder & Chairman Rob Rhinehart developed the first iteration in his kitchen after recognizing the need for a simpler, more efficient food source. The company has grown to become both a disruptor and a driver in the Food Tech world. Soylent is on a mission to provide complete, sustainable nutrition that is affordable, appealing and affordable to all, and its line of products are engineered from the ground-up to provide the vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates and protein that the body needs – all in convenient packages. Soylent’s innovative products include Original Powder, Cacao Powder, Cafe Mocha Powder, Bridge, the 180 calorie, in-between meal, and 14oz Ready-to-Drink bottles available in Original, Cacao, Strawberry, Vanilla, Cafe Mocha, Cafe Vanilla, and Cafe Chai. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA. For additional information please visit www.Soylent.com. 

San Francisco — The San Francisco Bay Area has been pummeled this winter by storms packed with moisture from atmospheric rivers. Formed when atmospheric water vapor is pushed across the Pacific Ocean by strong winds, atmospheric rivers deliver much of the Bay Area’s precipitation.

The City and County of San Francisco (CCSF) is partnering with experts from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and Silvestrum Climate Associates to assess how climate change may influence the intensity of atmospheric rivers and associated precipitation, and how those changes may impact San Francisco and its infrastructure.

Berkeley Lab climate scientists Christina Patricola and Michael Wehner will leverage a computing method they developed, published, and previously used to study how climate change affected Hurricanes Maria, Katrina, and Irma and a 2013 Colorado storm that caused record flooding. In their collaboration with CCSF the researchers will take a similar approach, using climate models to first simulate historical storms that severely impacted the Bay Area, and then predict how increased greenhouse gas concentrations may alter similar storms in the future.

“We will consider the two main types of Bay Area storms – atmospheric rivers and mid-latitude cyclones – because it is possible that climate change may influence the two storm types differently. By considering both, we can provide a more complete understanding of how climate change may influence precipitation in the future,” Patricola, a research scientist in Berkeley Lab’s Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division, said.

Current state-of-the-art long-term climate simulations are approaching resolutions of 25 kilometers, which can broadly represent atmospheric rivers. However, even at 25 kilometers, climate models struggle to represent the magnitude of extreme rainfall events and fail to distinguish between the bay and the peninsula, including its terrain.

Advanced supercomputers at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC), a Department of Energy Office of Science user facility at Berkeley Lab, allow Patricola and Wehner to produce climate simulations at a resolution of 3 km, which is more suitable for representing intense rainfall rates and provides precipitation data at a resolution more appropriate for local decision makers. They have developed a high-resolution “hindcasting” method that allows them to quantify how climate change may modify the intensity of extreme weather events.

A 2018 study by Patricola and Wehner, which was supported by the DOE Office of Science, showed climate change intensified the amount of rainfall in recent hurricanes such as Katrina, Irma, and Maria by 5 to 10 percent. A study the previous year found that climate change substantially enhanced rainfall during the 2013 flood event in Boulder, Colorado, which washed away 500 miles of roadway and 30 bridges. Patricola and Wehner will approach their analysis of Bay Area extreme precipitation using similar methods.

San Francisco is home to the country’s seventh busiest airport and a 100-plus year-old seawall standing between the waterfront and the bay. Anna M. Roche is a Project Manager for San Francisco’s Public Utilities Commission who is involved in CCSF’s efforts to better understand how extreme precipitation due to climate change may affect the Bay Area. CCSF, according to Roche, stands to benefit from climate simulations that are produced at a resolution of 3 km versus 25 km.

“Given the size of San Francisco (11.5 km x 11.5 km) – and the fact that we are coastal and get atmospheric rivers at the rate that we do – global climate modeling with resolutions of 25-plus km simply won’t tell us enough,” said Roche. “The ability for a climate model to allow us to focus in on the impact a storm had or could have on an area as specific as 3 km allows CCSF to consider more meaningful decisions.”

Patricola says that it can be difficult to identify how climate change may be influencing storm severity using observations alone because natural variability can drive large variations in storm characteristics and extreme events are relatively rare. “The climate modeling approach allows us to focus on the rare storms that are most impactful and to simulate a large sample size of those storms,” she said. “The challenge is that standard climate models struggle to represent extreme rainfall rates.”

“Our high-resolution models will allow us to represent the extreme rainfall rates that impact the San Francisco Bay Area. That’s very important to making reliable predictions about what extreme weather could look like under climate change,” she said.

This work is partially funded by the City and County of San Francisco. Computational time at NERSC is supported by the DOE Office of Science.

The plan was shared with an audience of local business, government and nonprofit leaders and elected officials including State Senators Nancy Skinner and Henry Stern, and City of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.  A series of community meetings will be held to solicit public input before a final plan is submitted to the Board of Supervisors for approval later this year.

“The strategies and actions in the plan address everything from climate change and water management to energy and land use,” said Los Angeles County chief sustainability officer, Gary Gero. “We also tackle transportation, air quality, public health and resiliency concerns for a truly regional vision for the present and future generations of Los Angeles.”

Among the plan’s ambitious goals are reduction of on-road diesel particulate emissions by 100% by 2035, sourcing 80% of water locally by 2045, and achieving carbon neutrality, or net-zero carbon dioxide emissions, countywide by 2050.  Gero said these and other efforts outlined in the plan reflect priorities of residents and, if approved by the Board of Supervisors, would establish a roadmap for building a sustainable future based on a cleaner environment, a stronger economy, and innovation grounded in community equity.

Nationally, countywide sustainability plans are rare.  And with more than 10 million residents and 88 incorporated cities, Los Angeles County is the most populous in the United States — creating significant challenges for comprehensive green plan design.  Through a partnership with BuroHappold Engineering, the University of California, Los Angeles, and the Liberty Hill Foundation, the county convened multiple community workshops that engaged more than 600 stakeholders from nearly 300 organizations for input and solution-gathering.

The resulting plan represents the perspectives of localities and neighborhoods disproportionately affected by environmental hazards and social and economic inequities.

Members of the public are encouraged to provide input on the draft plan. The County has launched a new website, https://OurCountyLA.org, where residents can view the plan and provide feedback online.  Additionally, a series of five community events are scheduled throughout the month of May.

CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew announced the appointment of Sophie Shulman to lead this new office as Chief of Innovative Mobility. Shulman most recently led partnerships and business development at Electrify America, an electric vehicle charging company, and has extensive experience in innovative transportation technologies, including at the U.S. Department of Transportation, where she served as the Acting Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology. During her time at USDOT, Shulman worked extensively on the $40 million Smart City Challenge grant, which included engagement with many Denver and Colorado stakeholders. Shulman also served at the White House, including as Deputy Chief of Staff at the Domestic Policy Council, and at the U.S. Department of Energy.

“We are thrilled to have Sophie join the leadership team at CDOT, to spearhead efforts to expand multi-modal transportation and  provide a more sustainable, efficient and equitable network,” said Lew. “These issues are critical to improving travel options and quality of life for Colorodans, by reducing both congestion on the roads and congestion in the air.”

The theme for this year’s symposium is “The City We have, The City We Want.” The sessions aim to understand existing paradigms in cities and plan to finish with discussions on a path forward for engineering and planning to achieve desired cities. Panel topics include Origins and Implications of Our Current Infrastructure Paradigm, Our Current Paradigm and Reasons to Consider Change, Future of Infrastructure and Service Deliver and the Path to a Smart City and the City We Want.

Guest speakers include:

• Ron Sims, former Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
• Lea Treat, Managing Director, Nelson/Nygaard
• Laurie Hodges, Director, Larimer County Office of Emergency Management
• Max Kirschbaum, Director, City of Westminster Department of Public Works and Utilities
• Josh Radoff, Senior Vice President, WSP
• Jake Rishavy, Vice President of Innovation, Colorado Smart Cities
• Mark Reiner, CEO WISRD
• Jacob Smith, Executive Director, Colorado Communities for Climate Action

Additional speakers are listed on the SSI-3 website at https://www.sustainabilitysymposium.org/speakers.

View the symposium’s full schedule at https://www.sustainabilitysymposium.org.

The study will advance the South Platte Regional Water Development Concept, an initiative to bring municipal, environmental, and agricultural stakeholders together in new ways to manage and utilize water supply more effectively. It is potentially a pivotal step toward achieving the goals of the South Platte Basin Implementation Plan (https://southplattebasin.com) and Colorado’s Water Plan (https://www.colorado.gov/cowaterplan).

The analysis will focus on partner outreach and the identification of supply alternatives that consider timing, amount, and location of stakeholder water needs, possible organizational structures, water treatment strategies, and other drivers deemed critical to the potential success of the project. The final report will equip water providers with the information required to advance the concept in a collaborative and transparent way.

Initial concepts to be studied include multiple, operationally linked storage facilities capable of storing more than 150,000 acre-feet of water and additional conveyance capacity strategically positioned throughout the basin. This infrastructure network will allow storage, reuse, and exchange of several water types including unappropriated native flow, reusable supplies, and agricultural water derived from alternative transfer methods. Water will be delivered to meet diverse municipal, agricultural, environmental, and recreational needs.

“The study is a key driver to conserving, protecting, and enhancing water supplies as the basin continues to experience unprecedented growth and subsequent supply challenges,” said Joe Frank, Lower South Platte Water Conservancy District general manager.

Directing a multidisciplinary team, Brown and Caldwell will provide project oversight, coordinate a 60-strong stakeholder task force, evaluate agricultural requirements, and lead modeling. Stantec will integrate results of the South Platte Storage Study, a 2017 report detailing multi-purpose water storage possibilities in the Lower South Platte River basin. Cost estimating, organization structuring, and water treatment will also be part of Stantec’s remit. Leonard Rice Engineers will refine municipal, industrial, environmental, and recreational demands and support modeling. Sigler Communications has been engaged for stakeholder outreach. The team will be advised by Doug Robotham and attorneys from Holland & Hart.

“This project is an opportunity for diverse stakeholder collaboration and to develop implementable solutions to secure Colorado’s future water supply,” said Matt Lindburg, Brown and Caldwell project manager. “Our talented team is excited to leverage our collective expertise and move this important project forward for the betterment of Colorado’s residents and businesses.”

Project kickoff commenced in March with a draft of the final study scheduled for delivery within a year.

“Gannett Fleming’s entrepreneurial and innovative spirit is critical to our culture, so we always look for that same characteristic when evaluating other firms – SAGE is the perfect match,” said Bob Scaer, PE, Gannett Fleming chairman and CEO. “We’re eager to expand our geoscience, geostructural, power, and dams services in California, but even more excited to welcome SAGE’s thought leaders to our team.”

Founded in 1997, SAGE is home to more than 50 engineers and geologists based out of offices in Roseville and Oakland. SAGE is known for its work on some of California’s marquee infrastructure projects, including the Oroville Dam Spillway and the Folsom Dam Raise. They serve clients as diverse as Pacific Gas & Electric Company, California Department of Water Resources, Northern California Power Agency, and the Army Corps of Engineers.

“It would be difficult to find two firms more closely aligned in culture, dedication to client service, technical excellence, and innovation,” said Steve Sanders, PE, GE, former president of SAGE and now a vice president at Gannett Fleming. “Our union with Gannett Fleming enables us to continue providing top-notch engineering and geology solutions, except now with the strength and multidisciplinary resources of a national firm.”

Trimble’s broad portfolio of building construction solutions support the Constructible Process, Trimble’s innovative approach for enabling digital transformation of architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) workflows. This process empowers disparate teams across the construction lifecycle with actionable data to improve productivity and reduce waste.

The gift will be recognized as “Technologies by Trimble” throughout the Department of Construction Management. The department’s labs will include Trimble laser scanning, Trimble Field Link and Rapid Positioning Systems, UAS and surveying systems, and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers. Trimble’s software packages will include RealWorks scanning software, Trimble Business Center, Vico Office Suite, Tekla Structures, Sefaira Architecture and its popular 3D modeling software SketchUp Pro, along with MEP software such as AutoBid SheetMetal and Mechanical, Sysque and AccuBid Electrical estimating packages.

Potential applications of these technologies include scanning historic and other buildings to ensure their preservation as well as planning future renovations; designing and 3D printing of architectural building models; surveying and layout; and improving construction estimating and scheduling to reduce costs.

“Working with Trimble represents the culmination of a fruitful, multi-year collaboration between CSU’s Department of Construction Management and Trimble,” said Jon Elliott, Assistant Department Head and Undergraduate Program Coordinator in the Department of Construction Management. “Through numerous pieces of Trimble hardware and software applications, students gain important exposure to cutting edge technologies in surveying, virtual design and construction (VDC)-based estimating, site logistics, 3D modeling, building energy performance analysis, laser scanning, photogrammetry, and so on. Beyond the applications, Trimble’s dedicated employees provide outstanding educational opportunities through software demonstration and training. Through this exciting collaboration, Trimble is making significant contributions to our goal of preparing construction management students for a technologically advanced and dynamic construction industry.”

“Collaborating with CSU’s Department of Construction Management has been exciting. Trimble’s portfolio is highly relevant for students at the university,” said Roz Buick, Trimble vice president. “It will be rewarding to see the next generation of architecture, engineering, construction and building operations professionals experience the breadth and depth of our construction lifecycle solutions. We also look forward to supporting and learning from these new professionals as they experience and apply our solutions to real-world applications in their curricula.”

The gift was made to CSU’s Construction Management Program in the College of Health and Human Sciences.

Paulien & Associates has experience on more than 700 campuses across the United States. With a focus on academic facilities, they provide strategic insights on campus-wide space efficiency as well as facility programming and planning. The team also provides in-depth expertise in academic planning and policy development for higher education institutions. These upstream, strategic services combined with SmithGroup’s campus master planning, facility programming and design expertise create a complete suite of services to address the broad needs of today’s colleges and universities at all scales.

SmithGroup and Paulien have partnered for over a decade on a wide range of higher education projects across the country. During that time, the two organizations have worked together on the campuses of 30 higher education institutions on a variety of project and building typologies, including Indiana University, Temple University, Ball State University, Augusta University, Georgetown University, California State University and Marquette University.

Paul Leef, AIA, LEED AP, has served as the president of Paulien & Associates and will join SmithGroup as a vice president, serving as the studio leader for Campus Strategy & Analytics. “As the higher education market continues to evolve, there was a growing opportunity for SmithGroup and Paulien to work together to benefit our clients,” Leef said. “We have had a successful partnership over an extended period of time, so the timing seemed right to bring these two organizations together.”

Two additional members of the Paulien leadership team, Steve Schonberger, AIA and Frank Markley, Ph.D., will also be joining SmithGroup as principals.

Leef will integrate his team’s unique skillset in academic planning and space analytics across SmithGroup’s Higher Education practice and continue to serve a national client base. He has more than 20 years of experience in higher education facilities planning, programming, design and construction with a focus on collaboration, teamwork, and balanced solutions. As the former campus architect for two of Colorado’s most prestigious research universities, Colorado School of Mines and the University of Colorado Boulder, he brings a deep understanding of the business of higher education from the perspective of operations, finance, and academics.

Rounding out the leadership team in Denver will be Brenna Costello, AIA, ACHA, EDAC, and Mecayla Cobb, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, who will serve as the Health and Higher Education studio leaders for the office, respectively. Costello, a principal with the firm, has been with SmithGroup since 2007 and is a nationally recognized expert in the planning and design of military and community medical rehabilitation facilities. She was named to the Building Design + Construction magazine “40 Under 40” list in 2016 and is the president-elect of the American Institute of Architects Academy of Architecture for Health. Cobb joined the firm in January 2019, having previously served in leadership roles at Hord Coplan Macht and CannonDesign. She brings a wealth of expertise in the Higher Education market in the region, having recently worked on major projects for Colorado State University and Colorado School of Mines. She is an active alumnus of the University of Kansas and serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board for the School of Architecture and Design.

SmithGroup Managing Partner, Russ Sykes, PE, LEED AP, noted that the firm’s strategic long-range plan had targeted the Rocky Mountain region as an opportunity for growth. “As our firm has grown over the past several years, there was an obvious gap in the geography of our offices,” Sykes explained. “We have a long history of teaming with Paulien, so building on that relationship to establish a presence in Denver made sense to both parties. This move also allows us to be closer to our clients while continuing to expand our portfolio into other markets.”

SmithGroup’s client base in the Rocky Mountain region includes the University of Colorado Denver, Colorado State University, Laramie County Community College, Colorado School of Mines, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Banner Health and Craig Hospital.

The firm will be located in Paulien’s current office at 899 Logan Street in Denver.  Brad Woodman, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, office director for SmithGroup’s Phoenix location, will oversee operations for the new location.

“Mass timber is a new category of wood products that will revolutionize how America builds and we’ve seen interest in it continue to grow over the last several years,” Glowinski said. “The actions by the Utah Governor and State Legislature is the next step in helping jump-start mass timber construction in the state. AWC applauds Governor Herbert, Representative Casey Snider and Senator David Hinkins who sponsored the bill, and state legislators for recognizing the significant environmental benefits that accrue from greater wood product use and helping pioneer better places for us to live and work.

“The entire construction industry is changing and mass timber is a big part of that change. Beyond the aesthetic qualities of mass timber that building owners and designers are seeking, wood is among the most energy-efficient and environmentally friendly of all construction materials. Wood products store carbon, keeping it out of the atmosphere indefinitely, thereby reducing a building’s environmental footprint.”

Mengelkoch is a registered California structural engineer with over 15 years of experience in building analysis, design, and construction administration for new, existing, and historic buildings. In addition to being a Project Manager for multiple Structural Focus projects, he is also responsible for organization of the firm’s earthquake response program and assisted DreamWorks Animation and the City of Glendale in developing the first post-earthquake Building Occupancy Resumption Program in Southern California.

Mengelkoch’s representative projects include the Wallis Annenberg Center Goldsmith Theater, a ground-up state-of-the-art performing arts center in Beverly Hills, renovation and seismic retrofit of the ROW DTLA Building 2 and restoration of the Santa Monica Professional Building that is now the Landmark piece of the Santa Monica Proper Hotel. In October 2005, Mengelkoch volunteered with the California Office of Emergency Services to provide structural engineering support in areas heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina in and around New Orleans.

Enormous economic growth in the Seattle region led the push in Snohomish County, Wash., (population appx. 800,000) to support new passenger airline service at its local airport, Paine Field. Paine Field is the site of the largest Boeing manufacturing facility but prior to the Paine Field P3 did not have passenger service.

Paine Field is the first U.S. airport with a privatized commercial airline passenger operation within a publicly owned airport. This unique P3 arrangement allows Snohomish County to focus on what it does best — operate an airport that is designed around the needs of Boeing’s manufacturing plant — while ensuring a first-class passenger experience.

Propeller Airports, represented by NCPPP member, Kaplan Kirsch & Rockwell LLP, negotiated agreements with three airlines (United Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Alaska Air) to create 24 daily flights to nationwide destinations – an unprecedented success for a new airport both in number of airlines and number of flights.

The original elements of the project included not only the unique P3 arrangement, but the genuine partnership between Propeller and County officials designed to fulfill passenger needs and to avoid conflicting with Boeing’s needs.

Paine Field showed that a genuine partnership between an airport owner and a private enterprise with expertise and access to capital can deliver a project that is uniquely tailored to community needs.

What others are saying about Paine Field:

• What’s it like to fly out of Paine Field? We try it on the first week to find out The Seattle Times (https://www.seattletimes.com/life/travel/whats-it-like-to-fly-out-of-paine-field-we-try-it-on-the-first-week-to-find-out)
• Is this the best small airport in the United States? CNN Travel (https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/paine-field-washington-state/index.html)

Paine Field representatives will receive the 2019 Innovation Project Award at the P3Awards Luncheon at NCPPP’s annual conference, P3Connect 2019, on May 15 in Denver.

Los Angeles — Two buildings designed by critically acclaimed African-American architect Paul Revere Williams, FAIA, are under renovation at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).  Williams — a groundbreaking pioneer who overcame racial biases during an era of profound social inequality — gained notoriety for designing celebrity homes in Southern California, as well as spearheading several landmark projects.  His most notable work includes the Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles International Airport’s Theme Building, and the Beverly Hills Hotel.  In 2017, he was posthumously awarded the American Institute of Architects’ highest honor, the Gold Medal, for overcoming numerous barriers and paving the way for future generations of African-American architects.

Leading UCLA’s renovation endeavors is Los Angeles-based CO Architects, which recently completed a remodel of the La Kretz Botany Building lobby.  The new lobby’s signature element is an originally planned, but abandoned, 285-square-foot wall mosaic that recalls the iconic banana leaf wallpaper installed in the Beverly Hills Hotel’s Lanai Room and Fountain Coffee Room.  Working off a design found in Williams’ original drawings, the design team carefully brought the mural to life, using 72,796 three-quarter-inch-square vitreous glass mosaic tiles in 14 hues inspired by the hotel’s wallpaper.

In addition to the lobby renovation, CO Architects is currently designing a full-building upgrade to target LEED Gold certification, with anticipated completion in 2022.  The renovation will include innovative learning spaces and state-of-the-art laboratories that support teaching and research of plants, ecology, and conservation.  The second project is a major renovation of the Psychology Tower, currently under construction and anticipated for completion in 2020.  The design includes significant upgrades throughout the building to improve the quality of classrooms, research environments, and study spaces.  The Psychology Tower is pursuing LEED Silver certification.

“We’ve had a longstanding client relationship with UCLA that goes back to the late 1990s with the seismic renovation and conservation work achieved with the campus’ landmark 1929 Royce Hall,” said Scott Kelsey, FAIA, Managing Principal at CO Architects.  “When addressing the complexities of institutional architecture, particularly those of a historic caliber, it’s imperative to respect the integrity of the site, as well as create environments conducive to learning, teaching, and research.

Originally designed by Williams in 1959, the 37,128-square-foot La Kretz Botany Building, located along the northern edge of the Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden, consists of research and teaching laboratories within UCLA’s department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.  In addition to the striking mosaic tile wall, CO Architects expanded the lobby space and increased visibility to the adjacent garden.  By removing and replacing existing solid walls at the exit stair with a concealed roll-down fire shutter, the architects created unobstructed views from the front door to the botanical garden, enhancing visual connections that were previously hidden and reinforcing the building’s purpose for scientific exploration.  The lobby also received a new glass-and-aluminum entry, polished concrete floors, and a linear wood-grille ceiling system with upgraded lighting.

CO Architects is currently designing the complete building renovation to reinforce the design concepts initiated with the lobby project.  The renovated building will increase visibility for the work produced by the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, as well as affiliated faculty from the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability.  To create a productive work environment, an office suite will incorporate a blend of private, shared, and open spaces.  The use of glass will increase transparency into the previously hidden research labs, while open floor plans will inspire researcher collaboration and efficiencies.  Conference rooms, huddle spaces, and alcoves will offer meeting areas for various types of interactions.  When complete, the building will contain laboratory space capable of housing up to 15 principal investigators and their graduate and postdoctoral researchers.

“With this renovation, our role is to unlock the inherent opportunities of the existing building’s design, location, and history, to make a modern research and teaching facility that will serve the campus far into the future,” said Phillip White, AIA, Associate Principal at CO Architects.  “By leveraging its location on the edge of the botanical garden, the renovation introduces strategic transparency that pulls views through the building and out to the landscape.”

In addition, renovations are currently in progress for the newly renamed Psychology Tower, formerly called Franz Hall II, located west of Charles E. Young Drive East and along the south plaza with the popular Inverted Fountain.  Originally designed by Williams in 1967, the 125,000-square-foot, 11-floor building, with eight levels above grade and three basement levels, will feature a full interior modernization for UCLA’s nationally top-ranked Psychology Department.  The expanded lobby will feature a two-story curtain wall encasing the building and second-level, double-height arcade to provide student amenity spaces, study areas, and collaboration opportunities.  The material finishes used recall the historically significant marble walls, terrazzo flooring, and circular dome lights, as they were damaged over time and unable to be retained.  A complete renovation of the upper levels of the building will provide new offices, classrooms, conference rooms, dry labs, and elevator upgrade.  The ends of the corridors will feature private study “nooks” that provide views to the exterior.  The renovation will also include a seismic retrofit for the building, which required a rigorous testing program during the pre-design phase to develop a retrofit scheme to minimize visual impact to the building’s existing historic character.

“It’s a memorable experience to work on a building that has such a rich historical background and significance,” said Rachel Jordan, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Associate at CO Architects.”

Reston, Va. — The Oso landslide, also known as the SR 530 landslide, occurred in northwest Washington state on March 22, 2014, leading to devastating loss of life and destruction of property. Landslide debris blocked the North Fork Stillaguamish River, destroyed about 40 homes and other structures, and buried nearly a mile of State Route 530. Most tragically, it caused 43 fatalities in the community of Steelhead Haven near Oso, Washington.

Oso was emblematic of a worst-case landslide scenario. As such, U.S. Geological Survey scientists have identified it as a key geological-hydrological event that can help explain and inform our understanding of the potential effects of landslides in other settings in the United States and worldwide. USGS scientists have been studying this event since the landslide occurred.

Shortly following the landslide, the USGS assisted state and local agencies by providing emergency landslide monitoring and flood threat information to ensure that if the landslide moved again, warning could be provided to emergency response teams involved in rescue and recovery efforts.

Using helicopters, the USGS deployed three portable instrument packages called “spiders,” specifically developed for monitoring active volcanoes and landslides. These spiders, which were placed on and near the landslide, contained high-precision GPS units for detecting landslide movement as well as geophones for detecting small vibrations. USGS scientists also provided immediate data on water levels and river discharge from an existing permanent streamgage located downstream on the North Fork Stillaguamish River at Arlington. Immediately following the event, the USGS also installed three rapid-deployment gages and three buoys to measure flow, sediment, and lake levels.

Five years later

Over the past five years, scientists have examined a long list of factors which led to the landslide, including soil, water, and climatic conditions. Published findings from USGS studies are already being used by planners and emergency response officials to understand the context in which the landslide occurred and the potential impacts of landslides like Oso. USGS scientists continue to study the site to gain new insights that only such a significant, though unfortunate, event can reveal.

USGS published research includes maps showing the relative ages of landslides similar in style and geographically near Oso, models that showed how quickly the landside mobilized, and information about the expected response of the North Fork Stillaguamish River to the ongoing erosion of the millions of tons of material deposited as a result of the landslide. USGS researchers are now nearing the conclusion of a five-year study that mapped the landslide in detail in order to understand the mobility of the event — that is, to understand why the landslide traveled so far.

The USGS has been conducting field work, soils laboratory testing, and additional analyses to identify the likely causes of the large mobility of the Oso landslide. This work entailed making approximately 1,400 on-site observations of the landslide surface to reconstruct the displaced geology of the landslide deposit in order for the mobility of the landslide to be deciphered. The findings of this work will be published in the coming months and are anticipated to help update and develop models that better capture the true behavior of these types of landslides.

What have scientists learned?

Although there is still much to learn about the Oso landslide, USGS and other scientists have unraveled invaluable scientific information that is shedding light on how and why such landslides happen.

The Oso landslide involved a complex sequence of geological and hydrological events that ultimately resulted in a debris-avalanche flow. USGS research indicates that the landslide traveled exceptionally far, crossing the entire one-half-mile wide river valley. Research has also shown that heavy seasonal precipitation likely contributed to destabilizing the slope. In fact, precipitation in the area during February and March of 2014 was 150 to 200 percent of the long-term average.

USGS, working with the University of Washington, University of California, Los Angeles, NOAA, and other partners, published findings that revealed that the time of year in which the seasonal total precipitation had occurred was relevant to triggering the landslide — heavy precipitation occurred toward the end of the rainy season when the ground was already nearly saturated. Another USGS study revealed how models can help explain the travel distance and timing of these types of landslides, which, in turn, can help us improve landslide susceptibility maps for such events in the future.

USGS interviews with eyewitnesses and analyses with dynamic landslide models indicate the landslide’s average speed was about 40 miles per hour. New volume estimates of the landslide using LiDAR-derived maps collected after the landslide reveal that, by the time the event had ended, the landslide had moved about 19 million tons of sand and till, and had covered approximately one-half square mile. That amount of material would cover approximately 700 football fields 10 feet deep.

The slide dammed the North Fork Stillaguamish River to a depth of as much as 25 feet, forming a temporary lake 2.5 miles long, which flooded houses and other structures in Steelhead Haven. In the 6-8 weeks after the landslide, and with some initial assistance from responders using a dredge, the river slowly eroded a channel through the landslide debris. This cut the river bed back to near its pre-landslide elevation and effectively drained the remaining excess water by the middle of May.

The USGS, working in collaboration with the Washington State Department of Transportation and the University of California, Berkeley, performed laboratory testing of soil samples from the landslide to identify the composition of the materials forming the landslide. This work has helped researchers understand how soils may move in other areas that have a similar soil composition.

The most in-depth studies from the USGS indicate that slope failure occurred in two stages over the course of about one minute. During the second stage of movement, the landslide greatly accelerated, crossed the North Fork Stillaguamish River, and mobilized to form a high-speed debris-avalanche. This accelerated movement was caused by the liquefaction of the saturated soils underneath the landslide, allowing the moving soil to quickly hydroplane across the river valley.

The Oso landslide occurred in an area of known landslide activity, but at the time of the slide, scientists had not researched the area to fully understand the geological history and various factors that lead to landslides of this magnitude. Shortly after the slide, USGS scientists identified and published a paper describing the North Fork Stillaguamish River valley and the geologic evidence they had uncovered showing the occurrence of past landslides, some of which traveled in a similar pattern to that of the 2014 landslide. Other researchers have identified the ages of some of these landslides, which range from 500- to 6,000-years old, but there is still a lack of understanding for the overall recurrence time frame for these types of landslides.

The Oso landslide response involved many federal, tribal, state, and local agencies, as well as the private sector. These organizations include Snohomish County; the Washington State Emergency Management Division; the Federal Emergency Management Agency; the Washington State Department of Natural Resources; the Washington State Department of Transportation; NOAA’s National Weather Service; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians; and the USGS.

Landslides occur in all 50 states and U.S. territories and on average cause $1 billion to $2 billion in damages and more than 25 fatalities each year.

“Mobility choices are very important to Coloradans, and we are here to listen and make these options possible. Getting people from place to place and ensuring that people can choose a reliable option between transit, bikeway or Express Lanes is our priority at CDOT and HPTE,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. “Our $3 billion of new infrastructure in the past few years was made possible by HPTE, which found creative ways to finance projects that otherwise would not be possible for another decade or two.”

The early years, between 2011 and 2014, were productive for HPTE. HPTE closed its first Public-Private Partnership (P3) that was also the country’s first multimodal P3 agreement on US 36 with Plenary Roads Denver and worked with CDOT to develop new Express Lanes on I-25 North from US 36 to 120th Avenue. Since then, 69 miles of Express Lanes opened in Colorado, with an additional 143 miles becoming operational by 2022.

In 2015, HPTE successfully introduced the Switchable HOV Transponders to allow carpools to use the Express Lanes for free. Nearly 200,000 Switchable HOV Transponders have been distributed to date. The first phase of the US 36 Express Lanes Project opened in 2015, and the eastbound I-70 Mountain Express Lane from Empire to Idaho Springs also opened in 2015. After adding the I-70 Mountain Express Lane, travel times across all lanes, including the non-tolled general-purpose lanes, saw improvements of nearly 40 percent. As a result, travelers spend more time at their destination and at home than in their car.

The US 36 Express Lanes Project was completed in 2016, nearly 20 years early because of the P3 model. The result is a truly multi-modal system with options for commuting that include carpooling, bus rapid transit, the option to pay a toll in the Express Lane, a commuter bikeway, and the first Diverging Diamond Interchange in the Denver metro area, which has eliminated fatal accidents at the McCaslin and US 36 interchange. On US 36, drivers have seen peak travel speeds improve up to 20-29 percent, even in the general purpose lanes since the addition of Express Lanes. As a result, commute times have become more consistent and reliable. The Flatiron Flyer, bus rapid transit on US 36, also helps improve travel times. Since opening in 2016, Flatiron Flyer daily ridership increased nearly 29 percent, with 8.5 percent ridership increase in 2017-2018.

In 2017, the Express Lanes transitioned from HOV2 to HOV3+, encouraging the movement of more people, but in fewer vehicles. Also that year, HPTE closed on the state’s second P3, the $1.3 billion Central 70 project. Following that successful transaction, 2018 was marked by three project groundbreakings: Central 70, I-25 North from Johnstown to Fort Collins and I-25 South Gap from Monument to Castle Rock. All three of these projects will add Express Lanes next to the general purpose lanes and will make other improvements to aging infrastructure along these corridors.

“We are excited to be making such a difference for Coloradans in such a short period of time,” said HPTE Director David Spector.  “The CDOT and HPTE Express Lanes projects in Colorado have become national models, both financially and technologically, for how to implement creative and highly-effective solutions for reducing congestion — and for how to finance those efforts.”

As Colorado’s population continues to grow, HPTE will work on an overall interconnected Express Lanes system plan and work to facilitate transformative programs in the state, including programs that will create smarter roadways with more informed drivers and, eventually, connected and self-driving cars that can communicate with each other and directly with the road itself.

At its 10-year anniversary, HPTE is also searching for the next generation of leadership. HPTE Director David Spector is leaving his employment with the state and will be joining KPMG’s market-leading and expanding Infrastructure Advisory and Strategy team as a senior director, consulting with public and private sector clients on infrastructure, transportation, and mobility projects and strategy.

“David Spector has been a strong leader of HPTE, and CDOT is grateful for his contributions, service and dedication to improve our state’s infrastructure and make commutes better for Coloradans,” said Lew. “We wish him the best of luck with future endeavors, and we have some big shoes to fill to continue leading HPTE’s successes.”

“David has led much of the growth at HPTE since 2015, and has positioned the government-owned business for success in its next 10 years,” said HTPE Board Chair Don Marostica. “We’ve been very fortunate to work with David over the past four years, we thank him for his service and leadership and wish him the best in his career.”

For more information, visit www.coloradohpte.com.

With two buildings totaling 149,916 square feet and situated over 9.6 acres, Katella Office Campus is ideally located on the border of Orange County and Los Angeles with easy access to numerous Southern California freeways and thoroughfares.

Ware Malcomb designed the new exterior architecture of the front entry locations of both buildings using new aluminum composite metal panels and glazing. Site improvements to the front entries also included upgrading the concrete paving and adding drought tolerant landscaping. In addition, the firm provided site upgrades to the shared break patios behind the buildings, including new paving, landscaping and added seating. New exterior paint on both buildings completed the renovation.

“We were able to modernize the design of both buildings while still utilizing the existing structural framing,” said Tom Myers, Regional Vice President of Ware Malcomb’s Irvine office. “This transformation has made Katella Office Campus a more inviting and functional space for the people who work there, while also making it easier for tenants to recruit and retain top talent in Southern California.”

The General Contractor for the project is CDG Builders and the Developer is Lincoln Property Company.

Ware Malcomb’s Irvine office specializes in the design of office, healthcare, industrial, advanced manufacturing, retail, hospitality and science & technology projects.

Especially devastating for mountain and rural corridors north of Denver, in the Big Thompson River canyon, floods destroyed more than 10 miles of the US 34 roadway embankment, washed out homes, and took the lives of two. Having experienced similar devastation in 1976, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) wasn’t satisfied with just implementing a short-term end solution; rather, they committed to completing emergency, temporary repairs, followed by a flexible and resilient permanent solution – for which they engaged Jacobs.

Jacobs served as the prime consultant and design lead for the US 34 Big Thompson Canyon Permanent Repair project that Engineering News-Record just named as the 2018 Overall National Best of the Best Project. The project, which included 23 miles of design, construction, and traffic control measures, also received the ENR Best of the Best Highway/Bridge award for 2018.

The Best of the Best Project Awards recognize the pinnacle of design and construction achievement among projects completed in the U.S. ENR selected the US 34 Big Thompson Canyon Permanent Repair project from more than 820 projects nominated through regional competitions in 2018. ENR’s Mountain States Region recognized the project with a Judges Special Recognition and as its 2018 Highway/Bridge Best Project.

The extensive rainfall and duration of the 2013 floods resulted in flow surges exceeding the 500-year flood event and major sections of roadway were washed away completely, along with access bridges and retaining walls. Due to the damages to the road, residents in the canyon were cut off from emergency services and more than 2,000 people needed to be evacuated to safe areas via helicopter.

“This project was about more than just restoring a 23-mile long section of highway. It was also about restoring the community’s sense of security,” says Jacobs Global Vice President of Transportation Kevin Slack. “Residents in the Big Thompson Canyon experienced an event that took lives, wiped away homes, cars and much of the highway connecting their communities. With the canyon inaccessible by vehicles, the airlift operations that took place in the days after the flood were second only to those conducted for Hurricane Katrina victims.

“Receiving ENR’s Overall Best of the Best honor is a tribute to the tremendous work of CDOT, the contractor Kiewit and the Jacobs design team,” Slack said. “The innovative design and resiliency techniques used on this project, the critical role it’s serving to better protect and connect a community and building back better than before are outstanding examples of what truly makes a project one of the best. We’re honored to add this distinction to the US 34 Big Thompson Canyon Permanent Repair project.”

After identifying common areas of damage from previous flood events, Jacobs’ project team, which included Kiewit Infrastructure as general contractor, identified resiliency measures to offer the best long-term public safety. Knowing that flood-proofing the entire canyon wasn’t feasible, Jacobs incorporated design and methods such as soil cement mixing, installing matrix riprap, moving the roadway onto bedrock, swapping the alignment of the road and the river and a unique approach to traffic control to preserve at least 15 feet of roadway for getting people in and out of the canyon in the next flood event and achieve maximum resiliency.

The US 34 Big Thompson Canyon Permanent Repair project, deemed best overall in terms of teamwork, safety, overcoming challenges, innovation and quality, will be recognized at ENR’s Best of the Best Projects Awards Banquet on March 21, 2019 in New York City. The American Council of Engineering Companies of Colorado (ACEC Colorado) also presented the project with a 2019 Excellence Award.

Jacobs’ work with CDOT includes design of enhancements on an 18-mile critical stretch of Colorado’s overcrowded Interstate-25 transportation system between the state’s two largest cities, Denver and Colorado Springs; serving as lead engineer on the team developing the $1.2 billion reconstruction and expansion of Interstate-70 across north Denver; and delivering program support services for CDOT’s bold and forward-thinking RoadX Program, which will support Colorado’s continued economic vitality by transforming the state’s aging transportation system the advancement of comprehensive technology solutions.

Now in its third year, BuroHappold’s “Collective Impact” speaker series invites experts and concerned citizens to the firm’s L.A. office, where they speak to attendees about their work. A dozen or more speak, for just three minutes each, on what they are doing personally or professionally to advance sustainability initiatives.

The next event in the series will take place Wednesday, May 8.

“Our Collective Impact speaker series began two years ago, born out of an idea to bring people together who care deeply about sustainability,” says Jodi Christopher, an Associate with BuroHappold in L.A. “The people who come to speak and to listen are passionate about creating more sustainable and equitable communities, in Los Angeles and beyond.”

The most recent Collective Impact event was held February 20 and featured speakers addressing a broad array of topics:

• Brian Sheridan, Development Director for Clean Air LA, speaking on the impact of idling gas-powered vehicles;
• Allison Lynch, Senior VP for Watt Companies, on volunteering with Meals on Wheels and what she has learned about the city’s homebound;
• Harjot Kaur, of UCLA School of Law, on the disparate impacts of climate change and “environmental racism”;
• Several speakers on initiatives to connect people to their food systems through urban gardens, composting and more.

Immediately following the lightning round of talks, BuroHappold Associate Principal Heidi Creighton and LA County Sustainability Program Director Kristen Torres Pawling led a roundtable discussion to generate ideas for taking immediate action. The ideas included attending planning commission meetings, participating in or volunteering for car-free street events through groups like CicLAvia, or even attending a school district curriculum workshop focused on careers in architecture or engineering — for those interested in making a sustained impact.

“We are eager to officially begin the construction and advancement of LAX’s world-class facilities,” said Terence Easton, president of Fluor’s infrastructure business. “This project is a signature piece of mega infrastructure that will be ready to welcome the 2028 Summer Olympics, will improve mobility for travelers from around the world and empower progress for the Los Angeles region for generations to come.”

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti was on hand for the groundbreaking, along with LAWA officials and many other distinguished guests.

The LINXS team is comprised of Fluor, ACS Infrastructure Development, Balfour Beatty, Bombardier Transportation, Dragados USA, Flatiron and Hochtief PPP Solutions. LINXS has been working on the pre-construction phase of the project over the past year.

Fluor is the managing partner of the design-build joint venture team, LINXS Constructors, comprised of Fluor, Balfour Beatty, Dragados and Flatiron. The project includes building six stations along a 2.25-mile guideway where driverless vehicles will arrive to transport passengers every two minutes during peak periods. This new line will offer ridership capacity of up to 10,000 passengers per hour. LAWA anticipates that it will carry 85 million passengers per year, providing a modern, reliable solution to help ease traffic congestion.

Following construction, LINXS Operators, comprising Fluor, ACS, Bombardier and Hochtief, will provide approximately 25 years of operations and maintenance services.

Reston, Va. — New U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)-led coastal modeling research presents state, federal, and commercial entities with varying storm and sea level-rise scenarios to assist with planning for future infrastructure and mitigation needs along the California coast.

The research was published in the journal Scientific Reports.

While most vulnerability analyses only look at flooding directly caused by sea level rise, this is the first study to examine a combination of the effects related to a changing climate on the California coast. The study modeled the impacts for a wide range of scenarios with sea-level rise (SLR) increments from 0 m to 2.0 m as well as an extreme 5.0-m sea level rise case. Those SLR values were then combined with four storm scenarios (average daily conditions, annual storm, 20-year storm, 100-year storm).

“It’s not just sea-level rise that we need to consider when assessing the impacts of climate change, but it is also the combination of sea-level rise with storms and every daily high tide we experience along the coast,” said USGS research geologist Patrick Barnard, lead author of the paper.

The research is being used to help coastal managers prioritize planning and mitigation efforts. These include the National Park Service, Department of Defense, NOAA, Caltrans, California Department of Emergency Services and every major city and county in California.

“The Port of San Diego is currently using the flooding and inundation data from the USGS’s Coastal Storm Modeling System to assess exposure of Port assets to different amounts of sea level change and storm events,” said Philip Gibbons, program manager for Energy and Sustainability at the Port. “We are also using the flood depth and duration data to properly ‘tell the story’ of the impacts that sea level rise will have within our jurisdiction in the future.”

USGS scientists and collaborators used state-of-the-art computer models to determine the coastal flooding and erosion that could result from a range of peer-reviewed, published 21st-century sea-level rise and storm scenarios. The authors then translated those hazards into a range of projected economic and social exposure data to show the lives and dollars that could be at risk from climate change in California during the 21st century. Their analysis focused on highly developed coastal counties in Southern California and the San Francisco Bay area, home to 95 percent of the state’s coastal population.

The new paper, “Dynamic flood modeling essential to assess the coastal impacts of climate change,” is available online (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-40742-z). Researchers from the USGS, Coastal Carolina University, Deltares, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and Point Blue Conservation Science collaborated on this study.

Expected to be finished in 2020, the new Rainier Square Tower will become Seattle’s second-tallest building. The structure will be a 58-story tower with a unique sloping appearance. With a step back on each building floor, the cladding system for each floor will have a different angle and require complex geometries to fit together perfectly.

Walters & Wolf worked with 3Diligent from prototype through production to produce 140 unique nodes with varying dimensions up to nearly a cubic foot in size. As geometries changed throughout the building’s design, 3Diligent leveraged its deep metal 3D Printing expertise to ensure each unique geometry met Walters & Wolf’s exacting specifications.

“From an operations standpoint, we were impressed with 3Diligent’s consistency in delivery of highly accurate and complex parts in a timely fashion that was in sync with the production schedule we established early on,” said Tony Parker, Project Executive at Walters & Wolf.  “At the end of the day, 3Diligent upheld their end of the bargain – they simply did what they said they would do.”

3D printing of challenging geometries

Each piece of the curtain wall needed to be custom fabricated to meet the unique geometry of that section of the building. Walters & Wolf determined the best approach would be to create v-shaped nodes that ranged in size that would bring together square cut parts of the curtain wall. After experimenting with a variety of manufacturing processes and having some vendors say they couldn’t complete the work, Walters & Wolf turned to 3Diligent.

3Diligent presented two manufacturing processes – investment casting and 3D Printing – and delivered first articles from the different processes. These were assembled into curtain wall units and sent for performance mock-up testing. After testing, Walters & Wolf selected 3D Printing as their preferred path forward.

“We were honored when Walters & Wolf engaged 3Diligent as its manufacturing partner for this project,” said Cullen Hilkene, CEO of 3Diligent. “Both the tower and these specific parts represent the sort of innovation that 3Diligent strives to enable every day.  It was great collaborating with Walters & Wolf on such a compelling project and look forward to seeing the completed tower in 2020!”

But the difference between the cost of development between New Mexico and Wyoming is 10 percent, and that gap would grow to 21 percent if Wyoming were to raise its wind generation tax from $1 to $5 per megawatt hour, as some legislators have proposed.

The research is intended to provide policymakers with information on the potential economic development and tax revenue trade-offs associated with wind development. The report may be found on the UW School of Energy Resources website at www.uwyo.edu/ser/research/.

“Communities have grappled with trying to decide whether to welcome large-scale wind development and whether to reduce its tax burden in an effort to competitively attract projects, or to take advantage of such development as it occurs to tax it, either to compensate for the local costs wind facilities impose or to supplement local, county and state revenues — especially in regions where traditional revenue sources have been declining,” wrote the authors, UW economists Rob Godby and Ben Cook. “It is important to understand the capital, operating and tax structure of wind developments to appreciate how, for a given tax revenue or incentive change, different cost consequences may occur that affect the attractiveness of a state to wind development.”

Wyoming is the only state that taxes generation of wind energy, but wind developers pay a number of taxes in Western states, including business, property and sales taxes. Taxes paid by wind energy companies, taking into account incentives, range from $1.57 per megawatt hour in Colorado to $5.34 per megawatt hour in Washington.

Taking into account Wyoming’s potential wind generation given modern technology, as well as the existing taxes in Wyoming, wind energy companies building new facilities in the state may be expected to pay as little as $3.05 per megawatt hour in taxes, the study shows. Existing wind facilities using technology from 2008-2010, when most facilities in the state were built, currently pay an estimated tax burden of closer to $4.05 per megawatt hour. Increasing the wind generation tax to $5 per megawatt hour, as has recently been proposed by some legislators, would more than double the total tax load to $6.62 per megawatt hour at new facilities and raise the tax burden to over $7.77 per megawatt hour at existing facilities, making the tax burden in Wyoming the highest of all Western states.

“Our conclusion is that this cost change could have a significant negative impact on wind developers’ willingness to consider Wyoming, and undermine the potential use of wind development as an economic diversification strategy,” the economists wrote.

Noting the fixed nature of a wind production tax — which causes the tax burden on the overall cost of wind development to increase as the cost of wind energy production declines — they suggest Wyoming consider moving to taxes assessed on a percentage basis, such as income, gross receipts, property and sales taxes.

Another problem the economists note is the state’s reliance on a sales tax assessed on wind equipment in Wyoming, even though most other industries choosing to locate in Wyoming would be exempt from such a tax. This raises the cost of development in the state. The economists include an example tax change to show that it is possible to increase taxes collected over the life of a wind farm and reduce the cost of developing wind in Wyoming simply by changing the types of taxes assessed on a wind project.

“Wyoming relies on a sales tax for a significant portion of the taxes collected on wind generation in Wyoming and, because the majority of this tax is assessed during construction before facilities are producing output, the tax cost has to be financed with debt. This drives up developers’ costs, because they not only have to pay the tax, but also interest on that tax,” Godby says.

The economists show that charging a gross receipts tax — a tax on the production value of electricity generated over the life of a facility — and rescinding the sales tax would lower the cost of wind development by avoiding the debt developers must undertake to pay sales taxes, while increasing the total taxes the state collects. They note their example is not the only way this type of cost and tax revenue improvement could be made.

“Increases in property taxes or the use of a gross receipts tax on wind in Wyoming could be preferred to a wind production tax as currently imposed in Wyoming, and could reduce disincentives to wind development while increasing wind tax revenues,” they wrote. “Overall, greater consideration of how tax changes will affect development costs in Wyoming should be seriously considered before new policies are implemented to avoid any unintended consequences of such tax changes.”

As a key part of this contract extension, the company will support the City and County of Denver to deliver ambitious goals outlined for future phases of work on approximately 60-acres of the site referred to as The Triangle. The City and County of Denver advertised on March 1, 2019, for a development partner on The Triangle project, which includes redevelopment of the 1909 historic stadium building, a new 10,000 seat arena, a new expo hall, supported structure parking and development of 42-acres of the site for revenue-generating real estate use.

“The National Western Center Program is about more than buildings and infrastructure, it’s about building beneficial partnerships and enriching the local and regional communities – all while delivering outcomes that can be broadly applied and scaled to address similar challenges globally,” said Jacobs Buildings and Infrastructure Americas Executive Vice President and General Manager Greg McIntyre. “I live in Denver and am passionate about Jacobs improving its livelihood, alongside the city, county and program partners, to preserve the history of the center, maintaining the strong connection to its surrounding neighborhoods for locals and out-of-state tourists for years to come.”

Since joining as program manager in 2016, Jacobs has assisted with land acquisition, rail consolidation and site remediation in support of the program’s first two phases, including connection facilities for a new commuter rail system, a 20-acre stock yard/event center multi-use space, a water resources center and river restoration plan.

“The Mayor’s Office of the National Western Center and our partners are committed to creating a revolutionary campus that will provide a broad focus on entertainment, food, animal health, water, agriculture, livestock, equestrian, sustainability and the environment, and with Jacobs’ help, we are making good on that commitment,” said Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of the National Western Center, Gretchen Hollrah. “Jacobs has been an incredible partner and I’m confident they will help us build a facility that will engage current and future generations through these new programs and facilities.”

“Water reclamation and reuse projects provide improved efficiency and flexibility during water shortages and help communities diversify their water supply,” Title XVI Program Coordinator Amanda Erath said.

The funding opportunity is available at www.grants.gov by searching for funding opportunity number BOR-DO-19-F007. Applications are due on April 22, 2019. Reclamation is making $35 million available through this funding opportunity.

This funding opportunity is only open to sponsors of the 53 congressional authorized Title XVI projects, provided that the Title XVI Project has not reached its federal funding ceiling as specified in the Title XVI Act. A separate funding opportunity for Title XVI projects eligible under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act will be released later in the fiscal year.

To learn more about the Title XVI Program, visit https://www.usbr.gov/watersmart/title/.

For more than 100 years, Reclamation and its partners have worked to develop a sustainable water and power future for the West. This program is part of the Department of the Interior’s WaterSMART Program, which focuses on improving water conservation and reliability while helping water resource managers make sound decisions about water use. To find out more information about Reclamation’s WaterSMART program, visit https://www.usbr.gov/watersmart.

After 50 years playing home football games at off-campus stadiums, Colorado State’s Rams are truly “home” again, thanks to the new 727,000-square-foot state-of-the-art sports facility. Features include an exterior seating bowl that can comfortably accommodate 40,000 spectators, private suites and club spaces, press facilities, and football training areas, as well as non-athletic amenities such as classrooms, alumni centers, and a student advising center.

Faced with site space constraints and complex design specifications within the active university campus, the project team developed a careful phasing strategy that minimized the need for space for construction materials and equipment. The completed site incorporates several sustainable features aimed at minimizing reliance on Colorado’s precious water and energy resources.

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.

Stormwater received the lowest grade in the Report Card, sitting at a “D-.” The state has experienced an increase in extreme flooding caused by high tides, storm surges, hurricanes, tsunamis and sea level rise. This harmful flooding also causes pollutants, trash and debris to enter Hawai‘i’s water resources. Based on the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2018 assessment, 88 of the 108 marine water bodies did not meet water quality standards. Meanwhile, projections show that by 2100, sea levels will rise by approximately 3.2 feet, meaning over 20,000 people would be displaced, roughly 5,700 structures would be impacted and approximately 40 miles of coastal roads would be at risk of sea inundation.

“Governor Ige and I would like to thank the American Society of Civil Engineers for this valuable, candid assessment of Hawai‘i’s infrastructure,” said Hawai‘i Lt. Governor Josh Green. “Investing in our state’s infrastructure not only ensures that Hawai‘i residents get to work and school safely and efficiently, but it plays an important role in the health and overall quality of life for Hawai‘i residents and visitors. While we are making measurable progress under the Ige administration, this Report Card shows us that we still have more to do to modernize the Aloha State’s infrastructure systems. We remain committed to working with state and local leaders to get this done for the good people of Hawai‘i.”

Lack of funding and aging assets for the state’s drinking water and wastewater systems are concerning. Hawai‘i’s drinking water and wastewater systems are plagued by infiltration of saline groundwater and both exhibit significant funding gaps when it comes to available revenue versus total needs. Water main breaks, flood water damage, loss of property from coastal erosion and beach and park closures from brown water advisories are all results of deteriorating infrastructure. With much of Hawai‘i’s population located along the coastline, the resiliency of the wastewater infrastructure in coping with sea level rise and increasing severity of storm events is extremely critical. Honolulu has identified over $5 billion in drinking water infrastructure needs, Kauai requires $174 million for current deficiencies and future needs and Maui needs $310 million over the next 20 years for source development and transmission improvements. Additionally, urbanization on the island has increased water usage without replacing these sometimes undersized and deteriorating systems.

Hawai‘i’s unique island geography and isolated location presents unique challenges for the state’s energy infrastructure. The state leads the nation in both residential solar power generated per household and is third in solar photovoltaic capacity installed. Hawai‘i currently has the highest electricity cost per kilowatt hour in the nation— approximately 2.5 times the national average. To bring costs down and better protect the environment, Hawai‘i aims to generate 100 percent of electricity with renewable sources by 2045.

Meanwhile, the state’s public school facilities are challenged by population growth and a lack of adequate funding. As of 2017, the average age of the schools overseen by the Hawai‘i Department of Education (HIDOE) was 62 years old, while 53 buildings were over 100 years old. When a facility is beyond its useful life, higher maintenance and repair costs are anticipated.

“The first Report Card for Hawai‘i’s Infrastructure showed us that a large majority of our infrastructure systems were built decades ago and are reaching the end of their service lives,” said Steven Doo, PE, Co-chair of the Hawai‘i Infrastructure Report Card Committee. “We hope our local and state leaders will take the Report Card’s recommendations into consideration, prioritize investment in the state’s infrastructure, and make the changes needed to make the Aloha State ready for the challenges of the next several decades.”

In addition to an assessment of the state’s infrastructure systems, the Report Card also offers recommendations to improve the state’s infrastructure and the overall grade:

• Fund short and long-term strategies to address the impacts of sea-level rise and other natural disasters and weather events. In the short term, education regarding beach nourishment is needed and funding should be identified and directed toward shoreline protection projects. In the long term, the state should prioritize funding to address the impacts of sea level rise on Hawai‘i’s existing infrastructure.
• The state legislature should increase the state gas tax and support innovative funding mechanisms.
• Significant funding for engineering investigations, repairs and maintenance are necessary to help Hawai‘i’s dams meet current safety standards and minimize the risk to downstream communities and the general public. 93 percent of Hawai‘i’s dams are high-hazard potential, meaning failure could result in significant loss of life or property.
• Rates for both drinking water and wastewater utilities should reflect the true cost of service and Hawai‘ian communities should leverage available loan and grant programs to ensure public safety and the environment is protected. Additionally, impacts of sea level rise and wave inundation on facilities could potentially release wastewater or hazardous waste to local waters and habitats.
• Take advantage of new laws in place that allow stormwater to be recognized as a utility and further develop county stormwater fees. These fees can help pay for the retrofitting of flood control infrastructure and water quality improvement projects.

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

A full copy of the Report Card for Hawai‘i’s Infrastructure is available at www.InfrastructureReportCard.org/Hawaii.

“The selection of The Boring Company for the Las Vegas Convention Center’s on-property, guest transportation solution leads the way to the evolution of transportation overall in Southern Nevada,” said LVCVA CEO and President Steve Hill. “Our destination thrives on innovation and reinvention and The Boring Company’s concept allows us to continue providing the world-class experience our guests and clients have come to expect and move people in an efficient and cost-effective manner with advanced technology.”

Currently in the midst of an expansion, the Las Vegas Convention Center will span 200 acres when complete in time for CES in 2021. Conventioneers walking the facility will log approximately two miles from end-to-end, hence the need for an on-property guest transportation solution. In 2018, Las Vegas had more than 42 million visitors. The Las Vegas Convention Center hosts more than 1 million convention attendees annually. The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada carries approximately 12 million passengers per year within the Las Vegas Boulevard Resort Corridor.

“We are excited to work with the LVCVA to provide a world-class mass transit system in Las Vegas,” said Steve Davis, president, The Boring Company. “Upon approval, it can be in use by Las Vegas Convention Center guests within one year, supporting the LVCVA’s expansion timeline.”

Founded by Elon Musk, TBC is a leader in innovative transportation technology. Its projects include a Research and Development (R&D) Test Tunnel in Hawthorne, California. The R&D Test Tunnel represents a fully operational 1.14-mile Loop system that cost less than $10 million per mile including internal tunnel infrastructure.

The LVCVA’s TBC recommendation is a result of a multi-step process that started in 2018 with a request for information to gauge interest. A request for proposal was then issued. Interviews with the qualified respondents were conducted by an evaluation team who determined the recommended company. The evaluation team was comprised of representatives from the LVCVA, private organizations including a Las Vegas resort property, and consultants in transportation systems, and automated people-mover construction and operations industries.

Pending the LVCVA Board’s approval during their March 12 meeting, TBC and the LVCVA would determine specific design, construction and operational plans and negotiate a contract for final approval by the LVCVA Board in a subsequent meeting anticipated by June 2019. The estimated fiscal impact of the potential project is $35 to $55 million.

Overall, the tourism industry continues to be crucial to Southern Nevada’s economy, generating $58.8 billion in total economic impact, supporting 391,000 jobs and $16.4 billion in local wages and salaries. These jobs represent 41 percent of Southern Nevada’s total workforce.

The study, required for projects that receive federal funding, will have an accelerated timeline of 18 months when it launches later this year.

“Through this partnership advanced by the Maricopa Association of Governments in conjunction with the Gila River Indian Community, we are developing a vision and strategy to provide the capacity that I-10 needs today and tomorrow in this corridor,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “As ADOT has made significant investments to increase capacity between the state’s two largest metropolitan areas, we must respectfully work with all governments and citizens affected by plans for I-10.”

The Maricopa Association of Governments, the regional transportation-planning agency, has allocated about $65.5 million toward I-10 improvements in Maricopa County, $5.9 million of which is in ADOT’s current Five-Year Transportation Facilities Construction Program for study, coordination and design of additional lanes. These funds are from the voter-approved Proposition 400 program, the dedicated transportation sales tax in Maricopa County.

In late 2019, after ADOT completes two widening projects underway between Earley Road and Interstate 8 in Casa Grande and between Eloy and Picacho, I-10 will be three lanes in each direction between State Route 387 near Casa Grande and Tucson. That will leave I-10 across the Gila River Indian Community, between Queen Creek Road and State Route 387, as the only remaining stretch with two lanes in each direction. That is the area this study will assess.

Widening I-10 across the Gila River Indian Community has been a longer-term ADOT priority requiring an agreement with tribal leaders and significant funding. While funding for initial improvements is tentatively planned for fiscal year 2023, the study will determine when construction would begin and establish the time frame for improvements.

ADOT is committed to identifying additional funding for I-10 improvements elsewhere in this Key Commerce Corridor.

“Lisa is a well-respected and recognized leader who brings to Kleinfelder extensive operational management experience and new approaches that will drive growth and profitability,” commented Louis Armstrong, President. “She will be instrumental in positioning Kleinfelder to best capitalize on the market opportunities throughout the Central Division as well as fostering a culture that provides opportunities for our professionals to grow their careers within our company.”

With over 30 years of AEC industry experience, Millet has an impressive track-record applying her deep understanding of strategic planning and implementation, operations management, and business and client development to realize business value across multiple markets and geographies.  As the manager of regional operations, Millet successfully provided leadership and strategic vision for over 700 technical and administrative resources that supported heavy civil, transportation, federal, mining, power, and oil and gas projects that generated over $300 million in business annually.

As a Managing Partner for development of a Global Key Client Program, Millet demonstrated her expertise in building and sustaining client relationships through implementation and stewardship of a program that focused on business development, quality and accountability for strategic clients, and resulted in significant year-over-year sales growth. Millet’s understanding of client operations and business needs will help advance Kleinfelder’s efforts in matching its unrivaled technical talent with the increasingly complex needs of the company’s clients.

“It is a privilege to join the many talented professionals at Kleinfelder and support them in delivering leading technical services and business outcomes to our clients,” said Millet.  “Kleinfelder is positioned for strong growth and financial performance.  It is an exciting time to be part of this successful organization.”

The firm will design and build the expandable 35,000-capacity stadium to support collegiate football, professional and collegiate soccer, NCAA championship games, concerts and other events. In keeping with the current timeline, construction is slate to begin in early 2020 with a completion date in time for the start of the 2022 NCAA football season. The value of the contract is approximately $250 million, which includes the direct cost of construction.

Clark Construction and SDSU will go through a joint selection process for the stadium architect. The project will be required to pay prevailing wage.

“Clark Construction has significant expertise building large, multi-use stadiums and is a great fit to build San Diego State University’s new multi-use stadium and the future home of Aztec Football,” said JD Wicker, SDSU Director of Athletics. “I am confident in their ability to deliver a stadium that meet the needs of the university and the San Diego region.”

Clark Construction’s locally based team boasts significant sports facility expertise and strong relationships with San Diego-based subcontractors. They have been responsible for the design and construction of several successful sports facilities including Petco Park and the Rose Bowl renovation, in addition to a number of local projects such as the Naval Hospital at Camp Pendleton and SDSU’s Engineering and Interdisciplinary Sciences building, which opened in 2018.

“The Clark team is proud and excited to partner with San Diego State University for the design and construction of the new multi-use stadium,” said Carlos Gonzalez, Senior Vice President and Regional Executive Officer for Clark Construction Group. “The full resources of our national organization, combined with our local expertise and relationships will be at the service of the university to achieve the project’s vision.  We recognize the opportunity this project creates for SDSU’s Mission Valley campus and for the greater San Diego community. We could not be more excited to bring this vision to reality.”

Clark will proceed with the design and planning for the new stadium, concurrent with the university’s negotiations with the City of San Diego to purchase the land, and the development of the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the complete SDSU Mission Valley development.

SDSU recently completed the scoping period for the draft EIR and will now begin working on the document. It is anticipated that the draft EIR will be out for public review this summer and the California State University Board of Trustees is expected to consider its approval at their first meeting in 2020.

In addition to the new stadium, SDSU Mission Valley will be the location of a campus expansion, which will include a world-class university research and innovation district, a community river park and housing. More information is available at https://missionvalley.sdsu.edu.

This month construction crews with Connect 202 Partners, the developer of the South Mountain Freeway, set the remaining 32 girders for the Dobbins Road interchange, one of 15 interchanges on the project. Last month, they placed 30 girders for the Baseline Road interchange. Approximately 1,000 girders are needed for entire 22-mile freeway corridor, which also includes the I-10 Papago, Center and Pecos segments. The first girders on the South Mountain Freeway project were installed in July 2017.

The girders have ranged from 48 feet long and weighing 46,000 pounds at the 51st Avenue crossing to some of the massive Salt River bridge girders that measured 174 feet long and 170,000 pounds each – the largest of their kind used for an ADOT project.

Two-hundred and ninety-two girders were needed to build the two half-mile-long bridges over the Salt River. These bridges will provide a much-needed local crossing to and from Laveen, especially when the river flows, while also reducing congestion at current crossings. The city of Phoenix’s 51st Avenue bridge is currently the lone all-weather Salt River crossing between 35th Avenue and Avondale Boulevard.

The 22-mile South Mountain Freeway is scheduled for full completion in 2020, although traffic is expected to be using the freeway earlier. It will provide a long-planned direct link between the East Valley and West Valley and a much-needed alternative to I-10 through downtown Phoenix. Approved by Maricopa County voters in 1985 and again in 2004 as part of a comprehensive regional transportation plan, the South Mountain Freeway will complete the Loop 202 and Loop 101 freeway system in the Valley.

For information on the project, visit https://www.azdot.gov/projects/central-district-projects/loop-202-(south-mountain-freeway).

The Board also voted to continue work on the Twenty-Eight by ’28 Initiative, which seeks ways to accelerate the delivery of 28 major projects before the Olympic and Paralympic Games arrive in the Los Angeles area in 2028.  Metro staff will provide updates to the board on acceleration efforts to deliver Twenty-Eight by ’28 later this year.

One of the “Re-Imagining L.A. County” initiatives approved for further study includes congestion relief pricing, which uses tolls to more effectively manage traffic flow, especially during peak periods. Metro will begin a 12- to 24-month congestion relief pricing feasibility study to evaluate potential models and locations to test the concept.

The three models to be studied are: a cordon model, where anyone traveling into a designated zone is charged a fee; a Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) model, where charges are based on the number of vehicle miles traveled within congested areas, and; a corridor model, where anyone traveling within a congested corridor is charged based on number of vehicle miles traveled within that corridor.

Upon completion of the feasibility study, the Metro Board will consider a pilot program to test the concept.

A critical component of the feasibility study is an Equity Strategy that will look at ways that congestion relief pricing can improve equity for vulnerable populations. The study will develop a plan for transit service improvements to provide faster and more reliable trips as an alternative to driving. In addition, it will investigate potential toll and fare discounts for low-income users.

Metro will also study the idea of levying fees on new mobility devices like electric scooters and ride share companies like Uber and Lyft that profit from the use of public roadways and whose vehicles contribute to congestion.

“It’s easy for us to say, ‘Fix traffic!’ but it’s going to take serious imagination and out-of-the-box thinking to actually do it,” said LA County Supervisor and Metro Board Chair Sheila Kuehl. “We are ready to explore a whole panoply of ideas that can help reduce traffic, encourage shared trips, and get more people on public transit.”

“By reinventing Los Angeles County through the lens of better mobility, equity and the environment, we have the potential to greatly reduce congestion, combat climate change by lowering our carbon footprint and significantly increase our transit frequency and capacity,” said Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington. “We are now thinking boldly to ensure our region can adequately meet its growing transportation demands in the decades to come.”

“This modernization project in the Third Power Plant will result in higher efficiency and reliability, ensuring another 40 years of service and enabling Reclamation to meet its contractual obligations for power generation,” said Grand Coulee’s Deputy Power Manager Doug Anderson.

In this EA, the Proposed Action and No Action alternative for any potential environmental impacts were analyzed. The Proposed Action — Third Power Plant Units G19 through G21 modernization with potential for full replacement of major unit systems — was selected. The Proposed Action includes a design-build option for the contractor to provide up to a full component replacement of each generating unit if necessary. Construction work is expected to begin as early as 2023.

Constructed in 1914, the Georgia Street Bridge has been an iconic gateway to San Diego’s North Park neighborhood for over a century. Over the years, the structure and its walls had undergone a substantial amount of repairs and modification, including extensive patching and multiple global layers of shotcrete.  Degradation of the concrete and reinforcement was visually apparent despite the placement of many layers of shotcrete.  In addition, the structures had several functional deficiencies including substandard barrier rails and sidewalks, vertical and horizontal bridge clearance, and inadequate to support for modern vehicular live loads.

As the lead consultant and bridge designer, Kleinfelder worked with the City of San Diego (Client/Owner) to develop a full retrofit plan as well as address other rehabilitation efforts for the bridge. The reconstruction plan was developed to alleviate structural deficiencies, seismic vulnerability and extensive deterioration.

Historic preservation of the bridge and retaining walls, as well as public safety, were the dominant factors in determining the retrofit strategy. Several communities and organizations in uptown San Diego that had stressed the importance of maintaining the bridge’s historic integrity were engaged during preliminary engineering, concept approval, environmental clearance, and final design.  Kleinfelder worked with historic architects retained by the City during design development to optimize solutions for maintaining the historic value of the structures.

Squeezing a modern seismic design into the framework of a historic arch bridge, along with working in a confined environment that had to maintain the continuity of traffic flow, was no easy feat. Unique design considerations had to be applied in order to preserve the historic integrity of the bridge while bringing it up to current safety and seismic standards.  To accomplish this, Kleinfelder utilized innovative techniques including integration of existing arch ribs into the final structural system, hydrodemolition of cover concrete, and self-consolidating concrete with reinforcing fibers.  Kleinfelder provided the City with an innovative design that balanced safety, historic preservation, cost, and seismic performance, while accomplishing the goal of revitalizing an iconic structure.

In addition, Kleinfelder continued to be involved throughout the construction process, adjusting the requirements as various issues emerged, as is to be expected when deconstructing and rebuilding a 100-year-old structure.  Working closely with the City and contractor, Kleinfelder ensured that the project requirements were met while balancing the schedule and costs, and ultimately restored the aging landmark to its original glory.

ASCE represents more than 150,000 members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE recognizes historically significant civil engineering projects, structures, and sites all over the world. More than 200 projects have earned the prestigious title for creativity and innovation, and almost all are executed under challenging conditions.

At the time of its completion, the Kaibab Trail Suspension Bridge was the only crossing of the Colorado River in a distance of 754 miles from Moab, Utah to Needles, California. Due to the travel barrier of the Colorado River and its canyons, the bridge is still one of the few Colorado River crossings in the region. Except for a suspension bridge only one-half mile downstream, the Kaibab Trail Suspension Bridge is the only physical crossing of the Colorado River in 340 miles, between Navajo Bridge upstream and Hoover Dam downstream – both of which have previously been designated as National Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks.

“As civil engineers, we take great pride in designing and constructing structures and sites that become legacies of our communities,” said Robin A. Kemper, PE, President, ASCE. “The Kaibab Trail Suspension Bridge is a prime example of engineering innovation. Engineering this bridge at the base of one of the world’s greatest wonders – the Grand Canyon – illustrates the resourcefulness and innovative spirit of the civil engineers responsible for this project.”

Built in 1928 and located within one of the seven natural wonders of the world—the Grand Canyon, the 440-foot single span suspension bridge crossing the Colorado River has fostered backcountry recreation and provides a connection between the North and South Rims of the Grand Canyon. Since its completion, the bridge has served mule-riding tourists, pack trains hauling supplies to Phantom Ranch, hikers, backpackers, Park Service and concessionaire employees. The bridge also provides a pathway that is five feet wide. The structure is suspended from four 550-foot-long suspension cables and stabilized by two wind cables. Unmodified since its original construction, the bridge remains in service today and has an estimated 100,000 crossings a year.

“The ASCE Arizona Section is incredibly grateful for this prestigious landmark designation,” said Ted Smithwick, PE, President, Arizona Section, ASCE. “The Suspension Bridge is a unique part of Arizona history and joins the ranks of iconic projects, such as the Golden Gate Bridge and the Hoover Dam.”

“The Kaibab Trail Suspension Bridge is exemplary of the park’s history and reminds us of the challenges that were required to build the bridge across the Colorado River in such an isolated location, without the benefit of modern transportation methods or technologies that we have today,” said Christine Lehnertz, Superintendent, Grand Canyon National Park. “I am proud to see this bridge recognized today as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.”

The Kaibab Trail Suspension Bridge was nominated by the ASCE Arizona Section to the ASCE History and Heritage Committee in 2016. Other Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks in Arizona include the Navajo Bridge, the Theodore Roosevelt Dam and Salt River Project and the Hohokam Canal System.

For more information about ASCE’s Historic Civil Engineering Landmark Program, visit https://www.asce.org/landmark-program.

New, instream habitat created by the proposed project would support additional spawning, rearing, and overwintering fish habitat, all of which are currently limited in the Boise River fishery. Completion of this project will create 0.35 acres of riparian and wetland habitat, providing new habitat for native wildlife and improving water quality through the capture, filter, and removal of pollutants.

The EA analyzed two actions: No Action Alternative and the Proposed Action, implementing the project as described above. A No Action Alternative was evaluated to provide an appropriate basis by which the other alternative can be compared. Based on the analysis, the Proposed Action was selected.

The final EA and FONSI were prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and are available online at https://www.usbr.gov/pn/programs/ea/idaho/bren/index.html. For more information or to request a copy of the final EA and FONSI, contact Rochelle Ochoa, Natural Resource Specialist, Bureau of Reclamation, Snake River Area Office, 230 Collins Road, Boise, ID 83702 or by email at rochoa@usbr.gov.

For information about the WaterSMART program, go to https://www.usbr.gov/watersmart/cwmp/.

Richland, Wash. — After seeing initial success in developing an ultra high‑performance grout to potentially encapsulate solid secondary waste at the Hanford Site, Washington River Protection Solutions is providing a Washington State University Tri‑Cities professor and his research team with more than $300,000 to further the research.

The WSU Tri‑Cities team, led by civil engineering professor Srinivas Allena, is developing what is known as an ultra high‑performance cementitious composite grout. The team’s final formulation will use industrial byproducts such as coal ash and steel slag that have the potential to reduce costs compared to commercially available and prepackaged high‑performance grouts, while reducing the impact on the environment.

The solid secondary waste it would encapsulate could include items such as used or broken equipment, contaminated tools and equipment that require stabilization and encapsulation prior to disposal.

Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) is the U.S. Department of Energy’s Tank Operations contractor responsible for managing Hanford’s 56 million gallons of highly radioactive waste and preparing it for delivery to the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant. The organization provided the WSU team last year with more than $140,000 to develop a grout to encapsulate solid secondary wastes from tank farms and future Waste Treatment Plant operations, and the team came up with several formulations. Now, the WSU team is further optimizing those formulations to produce a cost‑effective and sustainable grout formulation.

The end formulation has to be able to handle large physical stresses while proving resistant to rapid freezing and thawing cycles, low porosity and long‑term durability.

For one of their formulations, Allena and his team showed success in replacing a typical ingredient in commercially available encapsulation grouts, known as silica fume — a byproduct from the silicon industry — with a substance known as fly ash, which is a remnant product from burning coal in thermal power plants. The fly ash, often a waste product, would serve as a cheaper and locally sourceable option, in addition to reducing the amount of coal‑based ash that is sent to landfills or returned to coal mines for disposal.

For another formulation, the team plans to replace fine sand typically used in encapsulation grouts with locally sourced, larger‑particle sand, which would not require a sieving process. The removal of the sieving process saves on cost and previous results have shown that the large sand‑containing formulation holds the needed strength and low porosity required for an encapsulation grout.

The technique, though promising, is in the proof‑of‑concept phase. Any future use at Hanford would still need to meet disposal criteria for any given waste stream and undergo regulatory approval and any applicable permitting processes.

“We’re repurposing waste products and also reducing the cost, while ensuring and enhancing the durability properties required for an encapsulation grout,” Allena said. “Our initial testing has shown good results.”

The team also plans to partially replace regular cement with blast furnace slag, which is a byproduct powder from steel industries. Using slag would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“Cement industries cause approximately 7‑11 percent of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide,” Allena said. “Cement is made from the burning of limestone and leads to the release of a lot of carbon dioxide. Reducing the demand on cement by using slag will therefore reduce cement production and the associated greenhouse gas emissions.”

Allena said if they are successful with their end formulation, their grout has the potential to be used in a variety of applications, such as bridge construction, and has large commercial potential.

The new Yale Station apartments are ideally located in the heart of Denver close to restaurants, shopping and transportation. The project totals 186,500 square feet including the lobby and underground parking. Due to parking constraints, the site’s stormwater detention vault was split into two parts and connected by pipe. The Ware Malcomb team designed an underdrain system to route water to the detention vault to accommodate the high groundwater levels.

The property offers residents one-and two-bedroom apartment units as well as a host of amenities including a community center, arts and crafts room, picnic area and more.

“It was great to work on this project that provides a unique offering in the market: transit-oriented apartments in an ideal South Denver location,” said Chris Strawn, Principal, Civil Engineering. “We worked closely with the project team to solve any engineering challenges and ensure the vision for Yale Station was executed.”

The General Contractor for the project was Shaw Construction.

“As Zweig Group continues to set the gold standard for M&A advisory services to the AEC industry, it is a unique distinction for our firm to grow ourselves in the same way that we help clients across the nation,” said Jamie Claire Kiser, Zweig Group managing principal & CFO. “We are honored to provide the rocket fuel to boost Jen and Ignite to new heights as we combine forces.”

The acquisition, which further expands Zweig Group’s bench of service offerings, parallels a series of strategic key hires focused on elevating the firm’s capabilities in training, strategy, branding, and traditional marketing consulting services. The two firms will immediately begin operating under the Zweig Group brand, with the newly combined firm continuing its focus on clients in the built environment but with additional capabilities to serve the general construction market.

“Demand for development and training is at an all-time high according to our research,” said Chad Clinehens, PE, Zweig Group president and CEO. “Ignite brings coaching, training, and advisory services that AEC firms need now. Jen’s specialty in marketing and business development is especially attractive to our firm and fits well in our new mission to elevate the industry.”

“It was a natural fit. I have long been an admirer of the Zweig Group and am thrilled to be able to offer my clients the resources of the premier management consulting firm in the AEC,” said Jen Newman, founder of Ignite and a 20+ year veteran of the AEC industry. She added, “There is no greater satisfaction than helping organizations and individuals succeed in achieving their goals and Zweig is positioned to provide everything a firm needs to do so while growing their people and profits. I am honored to be part of a team with a mission to Elevate the Industry.”

The acquisition adds a Salt Lake City location for Zweig Group, and provides the firm access to their growing western U.S. client base.

Speaking about California’s high-speed rail project, he said, “I have nothing but respect for Governor Brown’s and Governor Schwarzenegger’s ambitious vision. I share it. And there’s no doubt that our state’s economy and quality of life depend on improving transportation. But let’s be real. The project, as currently planned, would cost too much and take too long. There’s been too little oversight and not enough transparency.

“Right now, there simply isn’t a path to get from Sacramento to San Diego, let alone from San Francisco to LA. I wish there were. However, we do have the capacity to complete a high-speed rail link between Merced and Bakersfield. I know that some critics will say this is a ‘train to nowhere,’ but that’s wrong and offensive. The people of the Central Valley endure the worst air pollution in America as well as some of the longest commutes. And they have suffered too many years of neglect from policymakers here in Sacramento. They deserve better.

“High-speed rail is much more than a train project. It’s about economic transformation and unlocking the enormous potential of the Valley. We can align our economic and workforce development strategies, anchored by high-speed rail, and pair them with tools like opportunity zones, to form the backbone of a reinvigorated Central Valley economy. Merced, Fresno, Bakersfield, and communities in between are more dynamic than many realize.

“We will continue our regional projects north and south. We’ll finish Phase 1 environmental work. We’ll connect the revitalized Central Valley to other parts of the state and continue to push for more federal funding and private dollars. But let’s just get something done.

“For those who want to walk away from this whole endeavor, I offer you this: Abandoning high-speed rail entirely means we will have wasted billions of dollars with nothing but broken promises and lawsuits to show for it. And by the way, I am not interested in sending $3.5 billion in federal funding that was allocated to this project back to Donald Trump. Nor am I interested in repeating the same old mistakes.

“Today I am ordering new transparency measures. We’re going to hold contractors and consultants accountable to explain how taxpayer dollars are spent – including change orders, cost overruns, even travel expenses. It’s going online, for everybody to see.

“You’re also going to see some governance changes, starting with my pick for the next chair of the High-Speed Rail Authority, Lenny Mendonca, my Economic Development Director. Because, at the end of the day, transportation and economic development must go hand in hand.

Newsom also address water issues in the state:

“We also need a fresh approach when it comes to meeting California’s massive water challenges,” he said. “We have a big state with diverse water needs. Cities that need clean water to drink, farms that need irrigation to keep feeding the world, fragile ecosystems that must be protected.

“Our water supply is becoming less reliable because of climate change. And our population is growing because of a strong economy. That means a lot of demand on an unpredictable supply. There are no easy answers.

“But let me be direct about where I stand: I do not support the Water Fix as currently configured. Meaning, I do not support the twin tunnels. But we can build on the important work that’s already been done. That’s why I do support a single tunnel.

“The status quo is not an option. We need to protect our water supply from earthquakes and rising sea levels, preserve delta fisheries, and meet the needs of cities and farms. We have to get past the old binaries, like farmers versus environmentalists, or North versus South. Our approach can’t be ‘either/or.’ It must be ‘yes/and.’

“And recycling projects like we’re seeing in Southern California’s Met Water District, expanding floodplains in the Central Valley, groundwater recharge, like farmers are doing in Fresno County. We need a portfolio approach to building water infrastructure and meeting long-term demand.

“To help bring this balance, I’m appointing a new chair of the California water board, Joaquin Esquivel.

“Our first task is to cross the finish line on real agreements to save the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta. We must get this done – for the resilience of our mighty rivers, the stability of our agriculture sector, and the millions who depend on this water every day.”

“WateReuse members are leading the way in innovation in water recycling,” said WateReuse Association Executive Director Patricia Sinicropi. “Title XVI is the only federal program that provides funding specifically for water reuse projects in the western states and has become an essential tool in helping our member utilities develop the infrastructure needed to sustain a safe, reliable, and locally controlled water supply.”

Congress authorizes Title XVI Authorized Projects and Reclamation selects them to receive funding for planning, design and/or construction activities through a competitive process. The six projects selected for funding are:

• City of Escondido, Membrane Filtration Reverse Osmosis Facility Project, $5,000,000
• City of San Diego, Pure Water San Diego Program, $9,000,000
• City of San Jose, South Bay Water Recycling Phase 1B Infrastructure Improvements, $2,545,471
• Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, Horsethief Canyon Wastewater Reclamation Facility Expansion and Upgrade Project, $2,693,455
• Hi-Desert Water District, Wastewater Treatment and Reclamation Project, $8,668,500
• Padre Dam Municipal Water District, East County Advanced Water Purification Program. $7,392,351

The Bureau of Reclamation, which operates within the U.S. Department of Interior, provides funding through the Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Program for projects that reuse municipal, industrial, domestic or agricultural wastewater and impaired ground or surface waters. Recycled water is used for a variety of purposes, such as drinking, environmental restoration, fish and wildlife, groundwater recharge, municipal, domestic, industrial, agricultural, power generation or recreation. Since 1992, Congress has appropriated approximately $672 million in federal funding which has been leveraged with non-federal funding to implement more than $3.3 billion in water reuse improvements — a nearly 5:1 leverage ratio.

Berkeley, Calif. — In traditional seismology, researchers studying how the earth moves in the moments before, during, and after an earthquake rely on sensors that cost tens of thousands of dollars to make and install underground. And because of the expense and labor involved, only a few seismic sensors have been installed throughout remote areas of California, making it hard to understand the impacts of future earthquakes as well as small earthquakes occurring on unmapped faults.

Now researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have figured out a way to overcome these hurdles by turning parts of a 13,000-mile-long testbed of “dark fiber,” unused fiber-optic cable, owned by the DOE Energy Sciences Network (ESnet), into a highly sensitive seismic activity sensor that could potentially augment the performance of earthquake early warning systems currently being developed in the western United States. The study detailing the work – the first to employ a large regional network as an earthquake sensor – was published in Nature’s Scientific Reports.

According to Jonathan Ajo-Franklin, a staff scientist in Berkeley Lab’s Earth and Environmental Sciences Area who led the study, there are approximately 10 million kilometers of fiber-optic cable around the world, and about 10 percent of that consists of dark fiber.

The Ajo-Franklin group has been working toward this type of experiment for several years. In a 2017 study, they installed a fiber-optic cable in a shallow trench in Richmond, California, and demonstrated that a new sensing technology called distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) could be used for imaging of the shallow subsurface. DAS is a technology that measures seismic wavefields by shooting short laser pulses across the length of the fiber. In a follow-up study, they and a group of collaborators demonstrated for the first time that fiber-optic cables could be used as sensors for detecting earthquakes.

The current study uses the same DAS technique, but instead of deploying their own fiber-optic cable, the researchers ran their experiments on a 20-mile segment of the 13,000-mile-long ESnet Dark Fiber Testbed that extends from West Sacramento to Woodland, California. “To further verify our results from the 2017 study, we knew we would need to run the DAS tests on an actual dark fiber network,” said Ajo-Franklin, who also heads Berkeley Lab’s Geophysics Department.

“When Jonathan approached me about using our Dark Fiber Testbed, I didn’t even know it was possible” to use a network as a sensor, said Inder Monga, Executive Director of ESnet and director of the Scientific Networking Division at Berkeley Lab. “No one had done this work before. But the possibilities were tremendous, so I said, ‘Sure, let’s do this!”

Chris Tracy from ESnet worked closely with the researchers to figure out the logistics of implementation. Telecommunications company CenturyLink provided fiber installation information.

Because the ESnet Testbed has regional coverage, the researchers were able to monitor seismic activity and environmental noise with finer detail than previous studies.

“The coverage of the ESnet Dark Fiber Testbed provided us with subsurface images at a higher resolution and larger scale than would have been possible with a traditional sensor network,” said co-author Verónica Rodríguez Tribaldos, a postdoctoral researcher in Ajo-Franklin’s lab. “Conventional seismic networks often employ only a few dozen sensors spaced apart by several kilometers to cover an area this large, but with the ESnet Testbed and DAS, we have 10,000 sensors in a line with a two-meter spacing. This means that with just one fiber-optic cable you can gather very detailed information about soil structure over several months.”

After seven months of using DAS to record data through the ESnet Dark Fiber Testbed, the researchers proved that the benefits of using a commercial fiber are manifold. “Just by listening for 40 minutes, this technology has the potential to do about 10 different things at once. We were able to pick up very low frequency waves from distant earthquakes as well as the higher frequencies generated by nearby vehicles,” said Ajo-Franklin. The technology allowed the researchers to tell the difference between a car or moving train versus an earthquake, and to detect both local and distant earthquakes, from Berkeley to Gilroy to Chiapas, Mexico. The technology can also be used to characterize soil quality, provide information on aquifers, and be integrated into geotechnical studies, he added.

With such a detailed picture of the subsurface, the technology has potential for use in time-lapse studies of soil properties, said Rodríguez Tribaldos. For example, in environmental monitoring, this tool could be used to detect long-term groundwater changes, the melting of permafrost, or the hydrological changes involved in landslide hazards.

The current study’s findings also suggest that researchers may no longer have to choose between data quality and cost. “Cell phone sensors are inexpensive and tell us when a large earthquake happens nearby, but they will not be able to record the fine vibrations of the planet,” said co-author Nate Lindsey, a UC Berkeley graduate student who led the field work and earthquake analysis for the 2017 study. “In this study, we showed that inexpensive fiber-optics pick up those small ground motions with surprising quality.”

With 300 terabytes of raw data collected for the study, the researchers have been challenged to find ways to effectively manage and process the “fire hose” of seismic information. Ajo-Franklin expressed hope to one day build a seismology data portal that couples ESnet as a sensor and data transfer mechanism, with analysis and long-term data storage managed by Berkeley Lab’s supercomputing facility, NERSC (National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center).

Monga added that even though the Dark Fiber Testbed will soon be lit for the next generation of ESnet, dubbed “ESnet 6,” there may be sections that could be used for seismology. “Although it was completely unexpected that ESnet – a transatlantic network dedicated for research – could be used as a seismic sensor, it fits perfectly within our mission,” he said. “At ESnet, we want to enable scientific discovery unconstrained by geography.”

The research was funded by Laboratory Directed Research and Development Funding with earlier research supported by the Strategic Environmental Research and Defense Program (SERDP), U.S. Department of Defense.

ESnet, a DOE Office of Science user facility, is a high-performance, unclassified network built to support scientific research. It is managed by Berkeley Lab.

For more information, see “Dark Fiber: Using Sensors Beneath Our Feet to Tell Us About Earthquakes, Water, and Other Geophysical Phenomena” (https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2017/12/05/dark-fiber-using-sensors-beneath-feet-tell-us-earthquakes-water-geophysical-phenomenon/)

Fuscoe Engineering’s values guide the workplace. Fuscoe’s employees take pride in embracing “full circle thinking” in shaping places people enjoy through creative designs with heroic service. Full circle thinking is an underlying approach and fundamental series of truths that guide how the firm operates. Full circle thinking also applies to the care and consideration given to its employees. Fuscoe’s company culture is upbeat, dynamic and innovation-driven. It was one of the first firms to incorporate eco-adaptive bio-swales in engineering design, and is one of the few currently offering UAV drone / geospatial technology, including videos, VR and AI. Fuscoe has a very high employee job satisfaction rating and low turnover – approximately 40% of its staff members have been with the company over 10 years.

Among the many reasons that Fuscoe is so popular with employees is Fuscoe’s ESOP, or Employee Stock Ownership Plan. Every Fuscoe employee is a company owner, so its team members are highly motivated and take great pride in their personal work performance. As owners, each employee has a stake in the firm’s continuing success, which promotes dedication and career satisfaction, with the potential of increased compensation as the company grows. In addition, the company operates with true transparency and accountability to every owner.

Opportunities for growth abound at Fuscoe. Over 65% of its employees have moved up through the ranks, as Fuscoe passionately supports ongoing professional development. Also, the firm said it has a much higher percentage of women in leadership and management roles than almost all other engineering firms.

Fuscoe’s company culture acknowledges the role that “fun” has in the workplace. When people appreciate their jobs and have a pleasant, professional work environment, they work harder and smarter, and feel more united as a group with common goals. Fuscoe’s employees enjoy catered annual events, including Engineers and Surveyors Weeks, July 4th and Halloween, as well as monthly birthday celebrations. Company-wide Quarterly Ownership Lunch Meetings, Holiday Party, random “Game Days,” Wellness Challenges, and much more contribute to the lively energy.

“Fuscoe is a very employee-centric firm and a great place to work.,” stated John Olivier, PE, President of Fuscoe Engineering. “Also, as an ESOP, every Fuscoe employee is a company owner.”

Fuscoe Engineering, Inc. is an award-winning company providing civil engineering for land development and public infrastructure, using an eco-adaptive approach. Specialty practices include survey and mapping, stormwater management, sustainable site design and geospatial technology services. The firm’s project bandwidth spans commercial, retail, hospitality, mixed-use and residential developments, as well as public streets and parks. On-going company objectives include developing leading-edge engineering solutions, while promoting sensitivity to the environment, offering clients a full range of energy efficient sustainable design options in accordance with USGBC guidelines. Fuscoe has offices in Irvine, Los Angeles, San Diego, Ontario, El Centro and San Ramon.

“We have several long-standing clients in Colorado’s mountain community, two right here in Steamboat already. As this particular mountain market continues its growth, we are excited to be able to serve the architects, builders, developers, and homeowners here for their structural design needs,” said Derek Henderson, P.E, a Founder and Principal at Anthem.

Anthem has grown under a strong set of work-life balance-focused principals unique to the engineering industry, since its founding. From expansive paid leave offerings, flexible work options, and limits on overtime hours, Anthem will now be able to offer its growing team a mountain lifestyle option for part time or full-time working.

As a part of this geographic expansion, the firm also brought a new full-time licensed engineer on staff to help lead the office and grow its market presence. Charlie Roos, P.E. joined the firm with more than six years of experience as a licensed structural engineer and Project Manager. He also has several years of experience working in the construction industry, where he was able to study and build structural systems directly. Roos and his family are full time residents of Steamboat Springs.

“I’m truly excited to be helping the Anthem team make this expansion move. Our firm has a tremendous roster of structural engineers and designers with expertise in a wide array of structural systems – most recently strengthening our knowledge base in post-tension engineering in addition to more traditional wood, cast in place concrete, and steel frame design,” said Roos.

Henderson and his family split their time between Boulder and Steamboat Springs, so he too will be a particularly strong presence in the growth of this new satellite office.

Barring any unforeseen difficulties or weather adversity, the fiber is anticipated to go live by October 2019. The work will include the installation of multiple conduits for CDOT as well as current and future partners. This fiber project is the first step in converting US 24 to a Smart Mobility corridor.

“The fiber optics project is part of CDOT’s Smart Mobility Plan, a first of its kind, which is part of a five to 10-year initiative for statewide technology deployment,” said CDOT Region 2 Program Engineer Mark Andrew. “This fiber project is the foundation for increased traffic monitoring, real-time communication to traveling public, and emerging vehicle communication technologies, all of which greatly improve safety and efficiency,” said Andrew.

The project will utilize real-time access to traffic monitoring cameras, variable message signs, and traffic signals which greatly increase the effectiveness of these devices during significant corridor events, such as road work, major accidents, and closures due to extreme weather events. The fiber will also give CDOT a remote connection to the traffic signals in Woodland Park which will greatly improve traffic signal timing; thereby keeping traffic moving.

CDOT has partnered with local agencies Colorado Springs Utilities, El Paso County, City of Manitou Springs and Teller County to provide a path for installing their own fiber lines through this corridor. The fiber optic installation project is one of multiple Ute Pass Projects along US 24 that began in mid-2018 including the recently completed Rockfall Mitigation work and the Montessori Wall repairs, as well as on-going projects at Ridge Road and 31st St. and the Westside Area Action Plan along Manitou and Colorado avenues.

Drought resiliency projects increase the reliability of water supplies, improve water management or provide benefits for fish, wildlife and the environment. Proposed projects that are supported by an existing drought plan are prioritized.

The funding opportunity is available at www.grants.gov by searching for opportunity number BOR-DO-19-F003. Applications are due by March 27, 2019, at 4 p.m. MDT.

Federal funding is available in two funding groups:

• Funding Group I: Up to $300,000 per agreement for a project that can be completed within two years.
• Funding Group II: Up to $750,000 per agreement for a project that can be completed within three years.

Those eligible to apply for funding include states, Indian Tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, or other organizations with water or power delivery authority located in the western United States or United States Territories as identified in the Reclamation Act of June 17, 1902, as amended. Applicants must also provide a 50 percent non-Federal cost-share.

For more than 100 years, Reclamation and its partners have worked to develop a sustainable water and power future for the West. This program is part of the Department of the Interior’s WaterSMART Program, which focuses on improving water conservation and reliability, while helping water resource managers make sound decisions about water use.

To find out more information about Reclamation’s WaterSMART program, visit www.usbr.gov/watersmart, or visit the Drought Response Program at www.usbr.gov/drought.

The California WaterFix program, slated to begin in early 2019, will upgrade outdated and unreliable water infrastructure that is more than 50 years old and dependent on levees that put clean water supply at risk from earthquakes and sea-level rise.

“WaterFix is one of the highest profile infrastructure projects in the nation, essential to secure clean water supplies for 27 million people, area businesses and three million acres of agricultural land,” said Jacobs COO and President of Buildings, Infrastructure and Advanced Facilities Bob Pragada . “Building on our long-term relationship with California water agencies, DCA will tap into our extensive water infrastructure and engineering design experience to begin modernization of California’s water delivery system.”

Jacobs’ initial $93 million contract with DCA will support the preliminary and final engineering design phase of the 15-year program. Major infrastructure components include three water diversion intakes (3,000 cfs each) with state-of-the-art fish screens, two large tunnels (40-foot diameter and 35 miles long), two large pumping stations (4,500 cfs each) and miles of new roads and utility relocations.

Following more than a decade of studies, WaterFix emerged as the most effective solution to address California’s water shortages while also improving environmental conditions in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta – such as reducing the harmful impacts of the existing infrastructure diversions near endangered fish habitats and reinstating more natural river flows.

WaterFix also stands to generate nearly 122,000 jobs for the region and offer greater water security, enhanced disaster preparedness and climate change resilience for millions of California residents, businesses and agriculture that obtain their water from the Delta.

Development Research Partners conducted the study, which was sponsored by the Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation, the West Metro Chamber, the Metro North Chamber of Commerce, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and Denver Water.

With an estimated cost of $600 million, North System Renewal is one of the biggest renovation projects in Denver Water history. Work includes installing an 8.5-mile water pipeline through Jefferson County, building the new Northwater Treatment Plant next to Ralston Reservoir in Golden and modifying the Moffat Treatment Plant in Lakewood. Tunneling activity for the new pipeline began in 2017, and pipeline installation is expected to continue through 2022. Construction of the Northwater Treatment Plant began in 2018, with completion slated for 2024.

“The North System Renewal Project is an investment in the future of Denver Water, our customers and the community. It will upgrade components of our system that have served our customers since the 1930s. Water connects us all in many ways, and we’re proud that our work will benefit our customers and community in Jefferson County and the Denver metro area,” said Bob Mahoney, Denver Water’s chief engineering officer.

Highlights from the report:

• NSR will generate $61.6 million in transactions with construction materials suppliers in metro Denver, including $10.2 million in Jefferson County.
• Soft costs of NSR, including project management, design and engineering will yield $105.8 million in contracts with metro Denver firms, including $25.4 million in Jefferson County.
• Approximately $7 million will be spent by transitory workers for lodging, including $2.8 million in Jefferson County.
• Project construction and associated spending will support an estimated 1,376 workers across the Denver area.

“Water and the necessary infrastructure investment support business development and contribute to economic growth, providing benefits to Jefferson County and metro Denver,” said Kristi Pollard, president and CEO of Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation. “NSR construction not only provides large, short-term benefits, but will positively impact communities by increased spending in construction, retail, dining services, lodging and real estate.

Given construction of the project will affect homes, streets and business in north metro area, it’s good to see our communities will also derive benefit.”

See the complete report at https://www.denverwater.org/sites/default/files/north-system-renewal-economic-benefits.pdf.

Under Metropolitan’s Future Supply Actions Funding Program, 11 Metropolitan member agencies were awarded funding. When combined with matching funds from the member agencies, and other local, state and federal resources, an additional $8 million will be infused into the projects.

“The status quo is never good enough, not when we have the responsibility of ensuring Southern California has access to a reliable water supply today and into the future,” said Metropolitan Chairwoman Gloria Gray. “We are constantly looking for opportunities to develop additional water resources.”

The Future Supply Actions program is part of Metropolitan’s Integrated Resources Plan, a comprehensive roadmap to expand and diversify the region’s water supply portfolio.

In August, Metropolitan invited member agencies to submit proposals requesting up to $500,000 of funding. A panel composed of Metropolitan staff and independent experts evaluated the proposals based on how projects could help increase potential for development of local water supplies and provide regional benefits, in addition to the effectiveness of proposed work plans, schedules and costs.

Selected projects include analyzing an innovative reverse osmosis process in brackish groundwater treatment; testing an EPA-certified pesticide to manage invasive quagga and zebra mussels in stormwater recharge basins; and piloting artificial intelligence technology in the control systems of a water treatment plant.

This is the second round of funding provided through Metropolitan’s FSA program. Under a 2013 pilot, Metropolitan provided about $3 million for 13 technical studies and pilot projects. The program culminated in a conference where participating agencies showcased their projects and results.

Details and reports about those projects are available at https://www.mwdh2o.com/AboutYourWater/fafprogram.

“The FSA program is key to helping us address an uncertain water future,” said Metropolitan General Manager Jeffrey Kightlinger. “By investing in studies by our member agency partners, we’re increasing the knowledge and data available throughout the region, helping us all make more informed decisions about the potential for new water resource programs in Southern California.”

With over 90 years of combined survey experience, Caddis Aerial apply their survey and UAV expertize with LiDAR to tremendous effect. Routescene’s LidarPod is the perfect tool to survey wooded or brush covered areas, to penetrate vegetation and capture the detail of the ground below. The results? Detailed and accurate surveys operable in previously difficult sites, such as hard to reach, hazardous or hostile environments, inaccessible steep slopes or densely vegetated sites.

Their first joint project took place at the end of 2018 at a Native American archaeological site in Sand Canyon, Colo., and exciting new discoveries were found through the vegetation. These dramatic results were due to utilizing Routescene’s rigorous survey workflow starting with survey and project planning, data acquisition, data processing to the final bare earth outputs. The team had immediate and continuous real-time in-flight data quality assurance using Routescene’s QA Monitor web-based software, making sure they left the remote survey site with the data they needed. Using their proprietary software, LidarViewer Pro, and the Bare Earth tool, a bare earth terrain model was extracted which enabled the archeologists to instantly identify artefacts.

Caddis Aerial and Routescene Inc. will operate their service across the Four Corners, focusing on applications where their expertise and technology is most beneficial: including monitoring slope stability through vegetation to prevent mud slides, surveying vegetation encroachment of power lines to prevent fires, to hydrological modeling to prevent flash floods.

Routescene Inc. will be exhibiting at 2019 International LiDAR and Mapping Forum in Denver, January 28-30.

HDR is the project management consultant for this 4.1-mile streetcar line connecting passengers with major activity centers and multimodal transportation services in the cities of Santa Ana and Garden Grove. Residents and visitors are expected to be able to use the new streetcar starting in late 2021.

As the project management consultant, HDR’s services include reviewing all designs for guideway, stations, systems and utilities for the fleet of eight modern, low-floor streetcars expected to carry an estimated 7,300 riders per day. The team is also providing environmental documentation, risk assessment, funding analysis and cost estimating. The HDR team led the fast-tracked development of supporting material for a New Starts grant from the Federal Transit Administration, developing the project’s FTA New Starts evaluation and ratings templates and submitting them in fewer than three months.

“The result that OCTA has achieved relative to the award of this largest ever New Starts commitment for a modern streetcar is another testament to HDR’s leadership and expertise in the federal funding arena, and demonstrates, once again, why clients across North America value HDR as their trusted advisor and partner,” said Tom Waldron, HDR’s global transit director.

“HDR’s work to help OCTA refine the scope, schedule and budget during project development were key to submitting a competitive project as demonstrated by the medium-high rating in the New Starts process,” adds Mark McLaren, HDR’s program manager on the project.

“We are pleased to combine the knowledge, technical expertise and solid experience of these two successful companies,” said Chris Young, PE, CEO of Alan Plummer Associates Inc. “Like Alan Plummer Associates, FEI Engineers has considerable expertise in water and wastewater and also shares our values and our approach to serve clients and retaining and attracting strong talent.”

The acquisition fits Alan Plummer Associates’ strategy to remain privately owned and grow its geographic reach nationally. “We are already known as one of the most technically competent engineering firms in the water and environmental industry,” said Young.  “This expands our reach into the Rocky Mountain region and brings even more expertise to the table for our existing and future clients.”

Alan Plummer Associates specializes in planning, permitting, design, and construction-phase services for water, wastewater, reuse, stormwater and conveyance. FEI’s services also include water conservation, resource planning and wastewater treatment/conveyance. Both Alan Plummer Associates and FEI represent municipalities, water districts, wastewater utilities, government, and private companies.

“With aridification of the western U.S., water utilities and municipalities need creative thinking on water supply, infrastructure, conservation and reuse. We’re positioned to provide engineered solutions for water providers to maximize water efficiencies,” added Young.

The combined staff will bring Alan Plummer Associates to about 150 employees. The company’s 2018 revenues were $23 million. It currently has six offices in Texas and Oklahoma. With annual revenues of $2.2 million, FEI Engineers will retain its staff and offices in Denver and Durango, CO. Patrick O’Brien, PE, PMP, President and Principal at FEI Engineers, will become the Area Leader of Alan Plummer Associates’ Mountain West Area.

“With both firms specializing in water related work, joining the Alan Plummer Associates team presented a strong opportunity to grow our business in Colorado, New Mexico and the Rocky Mountain West, pursue larger projects and clients, and expand the expertise and services we can offer our existing clients,” said O’Brien.

FEBRUARY 23, 2018

Congratulations to Spiracle Media/Aerial Buzz for being the 2018 winner of the first annual Engineering Drone Video of the Year Award. The Atherton Mil… READ MORE…

MASS TIMBER MILESTONE

MARCH 1, 2018

Oregon rightfully earned its place as one of the greenest regions in the world years ago. A leader in architectural innovation and sustainability, Portland has… READ MORE…

2018 RISING STARS IN CIVIL + STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

MAY 1, 2018

This seventh annual Rising Stars in Civil Engineering and Rising Stars in Structural Engineering recognizes 26 professionals, 40 years old or younger working in… READ MORE…

DESIGN-BUILD

JUNE 1, 2018

The delivery method is gaining market share in both the public and private sectors, but design-bid-build will remain. Design-bid-build. It now seems almost qua… READ MORE…

CROSS-LAMINATED TIMBER

JUNE 8, 2018

A conversation with Nabholz Corp. Watch Civil + Structural Engineer’s latest FREE webinar while earning your PDH! You will hear from the ex… READ MORE…

GEORGIA DOT SELECTS APPARENT PROPOSER FOR 1-16 AT 1-95 DESIGN-BUILD PROJECTS

JUNE 25, 2018

The Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) announced Savannah Mobility Contractors Joint Venture as the apparent best-value proposer for the I-16 at I-95 Interchange and I-16 Widening from I-95 to I-516 projects. Georgia DOT used a best-value procurement method for the design-build project, which evaluates both price and technical proposals… READ MORE…

SOM DESIGNS 27-FOOT-LONG MORPHING PAVILION FOR LOS ANGELES EXHIBITION

AUGUST 24, 2018

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) partnered with the MAK Center for Art and Architecture on an exhibition that explores the intersection of art, engineering, and architecture. A SOM-designed, portable, 27-foot-long, kinematic outdoor pavilion made of hinged wood panels is one of the centerpieces of the exhibition… READ MORE…

ENTER THE 2019 ENGINEERING DRONE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

OCTOBER 23, 2018

Civil + Structural Engineer magazine is now accepting video submissions for the 2019 Engineering Drone Video of the Year Contest… READ MORE…

AEC VETERANS

NOVEMBER 1, 2018

Tested in combat, those who served the country are proven leaders in the engineering field. By Richard Massey U.S. Army Reserve Col. Jack A. Otteson, P.E., kn…. READ MORE…

BEGLEY, CORN NAMED WINNERS OF GANNETT FLEMING’S INNOVATION CHALLENGE

DECEMBER 10, 2018

Gannett Fleming’s Collaborative Research & Innovation Center (CRIC) Working Group selected Jeremy Begley and Aimee Corn as winners of the 2018 Gannett Fleming Innovation Challenge: The Fourth Industrial Revolution… READ MORE…

The settlement agreement focuses on providing benefits to the Globeville, Elyria and Swansea communities, including a community health study, air monitoring, landscaping, and community outreach. These commitments are in addition to those already made by CDOT through the course of developing the Central 70 Project.

“This agreement is very much in keeping with the same principles that led CDOT to improve homes and the school in Elyria-Swansea, to provide funding for affordable housing and fresh food, and to construct a 4-acre park over the completed interstate” said Keith Stefanik, CDOT Central 70 project director. “We appreciate the opportunity to resolve these issues and keep this important project on the path toward delivering a safer, less congested I-70 for the community and the hundreds of thousands of Coloradans who travel it every day.”

As part of the agreement, CDOT will contribute $550,000 for a health study that will provide a greater understanding of public health outcomes in the Globeville, Elyria and Swansea neighborhoods. The health study will be conducted by an independent expert and will be overseen by the plaintiffs, state and local public health agencies, and another independent expert. The study will build on a 2014 Health Impact Assessment conducted by the City of Denver, which stated that Globeville, Elyria, and Swansea residents experience higher incidence of chronic health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and asthma than other Denver neighborhoods.

“After years of advocacy by hundreds of neighborhood residents and other volunteers to address health disparities faced by north Denver residents, we are pleased with the outcome of this settlement,” said Drew Dutcher, president of the Elyria and Swansea Neighborhood Association.  “The Community Health Assessment, which will take a serious look at the disproportionate health hazards our neighborhoods experience, will provide the information needed to ensure that our leaders are able to protect our communities from future adverse impacts.”

“The settlement with CDOT on the Central 70 project is a first step toward identifying and addressing the causes of the serious health disparities between our community and others across Colorado and building a commitment to establishing public health equity,” said Ean Tafoya, treasurer of the Colorado Latino Forum. “We believe that future infrastructure projects have to take community health into account.”

“The Community Health Assessment established in this settlement will be the most comprehensive government-funded study ever conducted on the health status of north Denver residents who live near I-70,” said Lloyd Burton, environmental justice team leader, Colorado Sierra Club. “This settlement provides an independent, credible assessment of the cumulative health impacts of all pollutant sources in the area. It will be a milestone in documenting the environmental health challenges faced by the residents of this community that EPA has recognized as an environmental justice community. Neighborhood advocates, public health professionals, government agencies, and policy makers will now have crucial new data for assessing the impacts of future decisions on north Denver residents’ health and well-being.”

“The settlement with CDOT takes important steps toward addressing the community’s concerns about health, safety and livability in the midst of the I-70 construction project,” said Lucas Merrigan, treasurer of the Chaffee Park Neighborhood Association. “This process demonstrates the importance of working closely with the neighborhoods that will be affected by major construction projects to ensure that risks are minimized and families are safe in their homes.”

Other commitments in the settlement include funding for additional trees and vines along the highway’s lowered section and within the Elyria, Swansea and Globeville neighborhoods, monitoring for construction dust (PM10), and deploying best practices for construction oversight and community notification.

No party has admitted any wrongdoing or liability.

Operational since 1934 and serving the communities of Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Stanford University, and the East Palo Alto Sanitary District, the RWQCP with 39 million gallons per day (MGD) design capacity treats wastewater before it is recycled or discharged to the San Francisco Bay. Upgrades are viewed as a key driver in the city achieving long-term utility performance and value as it manages population growth-driven capacity constraints, heightened effluent quality regulations, and aging infrastructure challenges. Having undergone several expansions and improvements, primarily occurring in the 1970s and 1980s, many assets are now in need of rehabilitation and replacement.

“This is another critical project that we are undertaking to upgrade this facility to meet anticipated nutrient limitations, while also replacing equipment, that in some cases, is beyond its useful life,” said Tom Kapushinski, City of Palo Alto Public Works project manager.

Brown and Caldwell will provide engineering services during all phases of the $31 million project from preliminary design, design, bid period services, engineering services during construction, and support during commissioning and start-up.

The four-year project will be conceptualized through energy-saving design principles with the goal of achieving energy use reduction throughout the plant. Innovations within Brown and Caldwell’s design include improved aeration and pumping systems and reconfiguration of the treatment process to provide higher quality, energy-efficient wastewater treatment.

“We’re at a crossroads with aging infrastructure challenges, population growth, and anticipated nutrient regulations. Embarking on this project is a critical step for us to proactively and cost-effectively address these issues for our community and continue our mission to protect San Francisco Bay,” said Jamie Allen, RWQCP manager.

The contract marks a continuation of Brown and Caldwell’s legacy of conceptualizing and designing numerous secondary treatment projects nationwide.

“Our rich history of proven treatment solutions puts the city in an excellent position to adapt and thrive as it updates its infrastructure to serve a growing population,” said Jeff Kivett, Brown and Caldwell vice president. “We look forward to a collaborative partnership with the city to achieve their financial, environmental, and public health objectives.”

Following an 18-month design phase, construction activities are expected to commence in 2020 with the upgraded facility fully operational by spring 2022.

“Since Friday’s earthquake, DOT&PF employees and Alaska contractors have worked tirelessly to re-establish essential transportation links,” said Gov. Dunleavy. “Regardless of the challenges, they have committed to finding solutions in record time.”

The Friday 7.0 earthquake struck at 8:29 a.m. and caused property and infrastructure damage. The Glenn Highway Mirror Lake site was particularly difficult to repair because it was a set of two large sink holes that encroached into the northbound and southbound lanes. Subsequent aftershocks expanded the sloughing well into both lanes. DOT&PF is confident that the temporary repairs have been completed will ensure the safety of the traveling public.

Winter construction is particularly difficult, soils are frozen, and paving and painting is challenging. Additionally, these repairs are focused on restoring travel, and are not expected to have a 20-year life cycle, which is what the state expects from typical highway construction.

While the current focus of the repair work is to restore essential travel; the department will pursue permanent repairs next summer. Typical summer construction has longer life cycles, including paint, paving and guardrails. The department will continue identifying damage sites, make repairs and plan for permanent fixes.

“Thanks to the quick response from the president and Federal Highway Administration, we were able to make repairs in record time.” Said DOT&PF Commissioner John MacKinnon. “We look forward to working with FHWA on more robust restoration of our infrastructure this summer.”

“The change in ownership will not affect the company’s current management team, nor its current operations,” said George J. Pierson, who has served as Kleinfelder’s CEO since late 2016. As CEO, Pierson and his team have focused on strengthening the management team and implementing a culture of authority, responsibility and accountability across the business to achieve significant growth in profitability across its operations.

“This partnership with Wind Point will help remove the final obstacle of an unsustainable capital structure and allow Kleinfelder, and the professional men and women of Kleinfelder, to achieve their full potential. With Wind Point as a partner, we expect to see significant growth and opportunity for all our employees, while continuing to provide superior service to our clients,” said Pierson.

“We are excited about the opportunities to work in collaboration with George and the Kleinfelder leadership team to take the company to the next level,” said Nathan Brown, a Managing Director at Wind Point Partners.

Upon shareholder approval, it is expected that the acquisition will close at the end of November.

Houlihan Lokey Capital, Inc. is acting as financial advisor to Kleinfelder and Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP is acting as legal advisor to Kleinfelder.

IECA said its exhibit floor is one of the largest tradeshows in the industry, featuring the latest technology and innovation in the world of construction, engineering, erosion and sediment control, stormwater management and more.

Kenneth A. Mackenzie, P.E., Executive Director of the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District, will present the opening keynote, Make a Difference by Loving What You Do. Closing keynote speaker Janet Kieler, P.E., Director of Environmental Programs at Denver International Airport, will present, Do I Really Own This? Perspectives of a Large Project Owner. She will focus on unique erosion control challenges faced at the United States’ largest airport by area.

“IECA’s Annual Conference and Expo is the most beneficial event in the country for those involved in or concerned about soil and erosion control or stormwater management. Attending IECA’s annual conference offers the opportunity to meet and network with leaders in the industry while earning professional development hours. This is truly a conference you cannot afford to miss,” said Joanna Fetherolf, Education Director, IECA.

For more information and to register, visit www.ieca.org/Annual19.

DOWL and OBEC share similar employee-owned business models, overlapping geographies, complementary skill sets, and core values that shape their quality- and integrity-driven cultures. Together, they will bring their mix of public and private clients an expanded range of services and a deeper bench of expertise over a broader geographic area. The merger also creates expanded career opportunities for employees.

“Both firms bring 50-plus years of experience to their respective markets,” said Stewart Osgood, president of DOWL. “Our clients will continue to work with the project managers they count on but can expect to see expanded service offerings.”

The combined organization totals approximately 450 people in 27 offices across Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. DOWL provides environmental and land development, water/water resources, transportation, civil engineering, and geo-construction services. OBEC anticipates an active role for their transportation, inspection, survey, and environmental services, and their bridge and marine services will form a transformative new practice area for the combined company.

“This is a true success story,” said Larry Fox, President of OBEC. “We started as a bridge engineering firm more than 50 years ago. Since then we’ve evolved to help public agencies solve a wide range of challenges they face. This is an exciting step in bringing our expertise to a broader region.”

Welcoming local leaders and representatives of state and federal agencies, Mayor Brand said, “I am proud of our city for successfully delivering our largest-ever infrastructure program on-time and on-budget. With the Southeast Surface Water Treatment Facility and major pipeline projects now up and running, our community has a secure, drought-proof water supply.”

The treatment facility is the cornerstone project of the Recharge Fresno, the city’s program to improve the pipelines and water system facilities that will capture, treat and deliver water to Fresno homes and businesses, including surface water from the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The facility currently produces 54 million gallons per day of drinking water for delivery to Fresno homes and businesses, and ultimately will produce 80 million gallons per day, meeting approximately half of the city’s future water demands.

The major projects in the Recharge Fresno Program were collectively under construction for approximately two and a half years and involved more than 180 consulting firms, engineering companies and contractors.

“You often hear of watershed moments,” said Carbajal. “Quite literally, for Fresno, today marks a milestone for our watershed. But a watershed moment is also defined as a turning point, or historic moment. I’m not sure that this moment could be anything but that, given the benefits this program will bring for generations to come.”

Carbajal also recognized the California State Water Resources Control Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for their efforts to secure $340 million in low-interest State Revolving Fund loans to help fund the program, saving ratepayers approximately $250 million in financing cost.

“Investing in water infrastructure with our state and local partners is a priority for the EPA,” said Kristin Gullatt, Deputy Water Division Director for EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. “Federal and state funding for this project will help the City of Fresno alleviate groundwater depletion while diversifying municipal water supplies and providing high quality, safe drinking water for the community.”

The Recharge Fresno Program is managed by the city’s Department of Public Utilities. For more information, visit www.RechargeFresno.com.

Water and energy efficiency grants focus on projects that conserve and use water more efficiently. Projects may also lessen the risk of future water conflicts and provide other benefits that contribute to water supply reliability in the western United States. Other projects complement on-farm improvements that can be carried out with the assistance of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service to accomplish coordinated water conservation improvements.

Funding is provided in two groups. Funding Group I projects receive up to $300,000 and can be completed within two years. Funding Group II projects may receive up to $1 million for a phased project up to three years.

The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes near Pocatello, Idaho, will receive $888,818 to replace a 1,500-horsepower pump on the Portneuf River and install a new variable frequency drive pump. It will also line one mile of earthen canal to reduce water losses due to seepage. The project is expected to result in a water savings of 5,628 acre-feet per year which will increase tribal water supply and improve drought resiliency.

The Mapleton Irrigation District and Company near Provo, Utah, will replace three miles of existing open canals and a box culvert in Hobble Creek Canyon with a pressurized pipeline that will eliminate water losses due to seepage, evaporation and ditch failure. They will receive $300,000 towards the $1.2 million project. It is expected to result in an annual water savings of 1,685 acre-feet each year.

The City of Bakersfield will receive $743,300 to install monitoring devices with telemetry at 20 locations along the Kern River and a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system to accurately and remotely measure Kern River diversions. The $1.6 million project will result in an annual water savings of 4,592 acre-feet that will be used to replenish the local groundwater and make more water available to users, helping to reduce the potential for water-related conflicts in the area.

The complete list of projects is available at https://www.usbr.gov/watersmart/weeg/. Projects were selected through a competitive process and must provide a minimum of a 50-percent cost-share.

Visit https://www.usbr.gov/watersmart for additional information about the WaterSMART program.

“J3 Engineering is excited to join the Dewberry Team. We believe this will provide better service to our clients in the marketplace, while maintaining our commitment to our staff, clients, and partners to exceed expectations,” says Jason Monforton, founding principal of J3 Engineering. “We look forward to offering expanded services to our current and new clients, while upholding the standards we have set over the past 15 years.”

“J3 Engineering has a great reputation within the building community and among local municipalities. They bring strong leadership, project management, and delivery skillsets to Dewberry,” says Donald E. Stone, Jr., Dewberry CEO. Dan Pleasant, Dewberry COO adds: “We believe their capabilities and client-focus will complement our culture and Denver-based practice, and we look forward to their contribution to our Colorado and Western region growth.”

“As we’ve teamed with J3 Engineering and spent time getting to know their employees, we’re confident that the combined strength of Dewberry and J3 Engineering will provide great service to both firms’ existing client base,” says Darren Conner, president of Dewberry Engineers Inc.

As Dewberry | J3, the firm will continue to deliver engineering analysis and design, land development, water resources, due diligence, entitlements, engineering inspection, floodplain management, urban planning, and project management services to local government and commercial clients.

Dewberry currently has an office of 45 employees in Denver, with specializations including complex water and wastewater treatment, water and wastewater infrastructure to include conveyance and pumping, resilience solutions, and building energy optimization.

Dewberry also announced that Darren Conner, P.E., has been promoted to president of Dewberry Engineers Inc., the firm’s nationwide engineering practice. Conner will oversee operations within more than 50 offices from coast to coast, with services that include environmental, site/civil, structural, mechanical/electrical, energy, and transportation engineering.

A civil engineer who has been with Dewberry for 33 years, Conner previously held the position of president of the firm’s southeast division, directing approximately 500 personnel in 24 offices. He succeeds Dan M. Pleasant, P..E, in the new role. Pleasant will continue as chief operating officer of Dewberry.

Conner has been instrumental to the firm’s growth through the years. He led the company’s corporate accounts initiative, which has resulted in a significant increase in the firm’s private-sector business. Over the last five years, he also led the acquisition and integration of two Florida engineering firms, adding nearly 250 employees to the firm.

In 2017, the Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) and the CEE Alumni Board appointed Conner as a member of the 2017 Academy of Distinguished Alumni at Virginia Tech. He is a member of the State Board for Community Colleges and past chair of Danville Community College’s Educational Foundation board of directors. A lifelong resident of Callands, Virginia, Conner earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Virginia Tech and an associate’s degree in pre-engineering from Danville Community College. He is a professional engineer in a dozen states.

“We know that it is only a matter of time until we experience another major earthquake, and our critical infrastructure needs to be ready,” said Mayor London N. Breed. “This important improvement project at the Calaveras Reservoir will make sure that our water systems are seismically resilient, and our local water supply is secure when the next big one strikes.”

With the earth and rock fill dam now built to its full height of 220 feet, the dam construction portion of the project is finished. Crews still need to construct access roads, automate instrumentation and controls, restore the site, and place rock slope protection before the construction of the overall project is complete, which is slated to happen in spring of next year.

Since 2001, reservoir levels behind the 93-year-old Calaveras Dam have been reduced to 40 percent of capacity due to seismic concerns. Calaveras Reservoir, located on the border between Santa Clara and Alameda counties, is the largest of the SFPUC’s five Bay Area reservoirs, capable of storing 31 billion gallons of water at full capacity. With the dam now at full height, the SFPUC will begin refilling the reservoir this winter.

While the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in the Sierra Nevada Mountains supplies 85 percent of the drinking water to the SFPUC’s 2.7 million customers, the remaining 15 percent is delivered through the SFPUC’s five water supply reservoirs in the Bay Area. Restoring the Calaveras Reservoir to full capacity is key to ensuring a reliable water supply for SFPUC customers in four Bay Area counties.

“Customers across the Bay Area depend on us for clean, safe and reliable drinking water and we take that responsibility seriously,” said Harlan L. Kelly, Jr. “The Calaveras Reservoir is a critical resource for our local water supply and a major example of how we work every day to plan for our system’s future. It is the largest of our five reservoirs and with it at full capacity, we will maximize water reliability for our customers. Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is the backbone of our water system, but it is nearly 200 miles away. With our local reservoirs at full capacity, we will be able to completely deliver our services, even in the unfortunate scenario where we cannot access the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir.”

The new dam is composed of seven zones of different materials, with the majority of the earth, rock, sand and clay used for the structure being sourced from onsite. Constructed like a seven-layer cake turned on its side, the dam took two years to construct. The new dam is located directly adjacent to the old dam and has been built to withstand a 7.25 magnitude earthquake on the nearby Calaveras Fault. Earlier this month, a 3.4 magnitude temblor shook the area, and no damage occurred to the new dam or its accompanying structures.

Under the State of California Department of Water Resources, the Division of Safety of Dams (DSOD) provides oversight to the design, construction, and maintenance to nearly 1,250 dams in California, including the Calaveras Dam.

“Given California’s complex geology and tectonic regime, many of the dams in California, such as the Calaveras Dam, are located near major faults and can be subject to severe loading conditions,” said DSOD Division Chief Sharon K. Tapia. Ensuring the seismic stability of the dams in California is paramount for public safety. As one of California’s largest seismic retrofit projects, the Calaveras Dam Replacement Project is a model project in its robust design features and construction standards.”

The Calaveras Dam Replacement Project is the largest project of the $4.8 billion Water System Improvement Program (WSIP) to repair, replace, and seismically upgrade key components of the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System. The SFPUC, together with its 26 wholesale customers, launched the WSIP in 2002. One of the largest water infrastructure projects in the country, the WSIP is now more than 96 percent complete.

“Completion of this huge new reservoir is very good news for the 1.8 million residents, 40,000 businesses including those in Silicon Valley, and thousands of community agencies in Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties, who will receive reliable, high-quality water from it,” said Nicole M. Sandkulla Chief Executive Officer/General Manager of BAWSCA. “Calaveras will provide major new water-supply protection for these vitally important customers, whose interests BAWSCA represents under state law, AB 2058. I want to congratulate the highly skilled men and women and their union representatives, who built this magnificent dam. And I applaud the leaders of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, who designed and will operate it.”

Crews working on the Calaveras Dam Replacement Project moved about 12 million cubic yards of earth and rock to construct the new dam. Of that total, roughly four million cubic yards of material was used for the new dam, while the remainder was placed in other areas on site. The Project has moved enough rock and soil to fill Levi’s Stadium from top to bottom four times.

Construction on the Calaveras Dam Replacement Project began in 2011. It is scheduled to conclude in spring 2019. To date, more than 1,400 workers have contributed 1.4 million total craft hours to construct this project. The total cost of the project is $823 million. Funding for the project came from a bond measure that was approved by San Francisco voters in November 2002 and paid for by both retail customers in San Francisco and 26 wholesale customers that serve Alameda, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.

All transit operators will temporarily provide bus service out of the nearby Temporary Transbay Terminal at Howard and Main streets until all inspections are complete. The closure was effective immediately.

“The safety of everyone who visits the Salesforce Transit Center is our obligation and highest priority,” said Mark Zabaneh, Executive Director of the Transbay Joint Powers Authority. “While this appears to be a localized issue and we have no information that suggests it is widespread, it is our duty to confirm this before we allow public access to the facility.”

“Public health and safety [are] the bureau’s top priority,” said PWB’s program director David Peters. “This transformational opportunity for the city will further protect and improve our primary source of drinking water for the long-term benefit of our customers.”

To aid the transition to a filtered supply, Brown and Caldwell will lead pilot testing and project definition work to determine and optimize the preferred treatment system. As program manager, the firm will also provide permitting; management and control of budget, schedule, and risk; and management and review of the work of design engineers and contractors to be retained by PWB in 2019.

The Brown and Caldwell team includes Confluence Engineering Group, who will provide specialized knowledge in water quality throughout the pilot process as well as during distribution system flushing in preparation for the filtered water. Barney & Worth will bring expertise in strategic communications and public involvement. Further, the team includes 20 Oregon-certified disadvantaged, minority-owned, woman-owned, and emerging small business firms, supporting Portland’s commitment to equity and inclusion.

“We are honored to help the city of Portland responsibly deliver a water filtration system to reliably and sustainably serve generations to come,” said Brown and Caldwell program manager Jon Holland. “We look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with PWB for this landmark project for the region.”

Following successful pilot testing and design, construction will likely commence in late 2022 with the new facility operational by Sept. 30, 2027, in accordance with the city’s agreement with OHA.

The federal government has been studying the idea of raising the dam and enlarging Shasta Reservoir on and off since the 1980s.

The current Shasta Dam and Reservoir Enlargement Project envisions raising the existing dam by 18.5 feet, providing an additional 630,000 acre-feet of stored water for the environment and for water users. Enlarging the reservoir will improve water supply reliability for agricultural, municipal and industrial, and environmental uses; reduce flood damage; and improve water temperatures and water quality in the Sacramento River below the dam for anadromous fish survival.

The project is currently in the preconstruction and design phase following Congressional approval of $20 million in Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act funding last March.

Other pre-construction activities ongoing or to be scheduled include: consultations and coordination with tribal interests, land-owners, government and non-government agencies; real estate planning; and arranging for a non-federal cost share partner.

Reclamation expects to issue the first construction contract for the dam raise by December 2019. The total cost of the project is estimated at $1.4 billion (in 2014 dollars).

For more information, visit https://www.usbr.gov/mp/ncao/shasta-enlargement.html.

Blake Calvert, Principal, President & CEO of CORE, accepted the award for the company. “We started CORE to rethink everything we had learned over 20+ years in the consulting industry,” said Calvert, “and challenging that norm has led to exponential growth and success. Hats off to all our outstanding employees for getting CORE to the top!”

The Top New Venture Award comes at the heels of a number of local and national recognitions for the Colorado start-up. In June, CORE was ranked as one of Zweig’s 2018 Best Firms to Work For (#29) and Denver Business Journal’s Best Places to Work (#8 – Medium Company). In August, CORE was ranked #878 on the prestigious Inc. 5000. CORE has also been named as a finalist for Denver Business Journal’s Fast 50 — the 50 fastest growing Denver-area companies, which will be honored in October.

According to Josh Kuper, Project Manager at Reynolds Construction, this section of the project consisted of five tunnel installations in addition to approximately 5,494 linear feet of 84-inch-diameter pipe. The tunnels crossed Hwy 93, the BNSF Main Line Railroad Track, a BNSF Railroad Spur Track north of Highway 58, Highway 58, and I-70 and Applewood in Denver. “Due to TerraFirma’s successful dewatering, crews were able to move forward quickly with the open cut portion of this complex project,” Kuper said.

David Giles, President of TerraFirma, explained the dewatering method: “We installed vacuum wellpoints for a large section of the shallower, open cut portion of the project, which is a lesser-utilized method in the Denver area due to the higher elevation; however, under the right circumstances vacuum wellpoints are the best option for the unique geology in Denver.

“Lowering the groundwater table to below the excavation meant dropping the groundwater table as close as possible to the confining bedrock. Deepwell (sump) dewatering wells would have had to be placed so close together, it would have been cost prohibitive. Even then, supplemental sumping within the excavation would have been required, adding more cost, and further slowing down production.”

Giles further described the advantage of sonic drilling methods. “Denver’s unusual geology is consistently water-bearing alluvial soils over shallow bedrock. We teamed with MW Drilling to operate the sonic drilling rig. Sonic drilling methods make it possible to efficiently drill a wide range of soil types, particularly the sand-gravel-cobble typical to Denver. While it appears to be more costly up front, it is less expensive over time, and gets the job done right.”

Ryan Haas, Denver Water’s Project Manager for the Conduit 16 replacement, added,

“Denver soils are full of cobbles and boulders – some up to 3.5 ft. in diameter. The sonic drilling method used by TerraFirma made the drilling within these difficult soil conditions much more efficient.”

“Brightline is changing transportation in our country by connecting heavily trafficked corridors that are too long to drive and too short to fly,” said Wes Edens, co-founder and co-chief executive officer of Fortress Investment Group. “Our experience in Florida is proving that private-sector investment has a meaningful role to play in developing transportation infrastructure. We’re excited to bring Brightline’s world-class and convenient travel experience to Southern California and Las Vegas.”

“The introduction of high-speed rail between Las Vegas to Southern California will bring significant economic and environmental benefits to our state and support increased tourism,” said Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval.  “Brightline has built a proven model for privately funded high-speed rail service in Florida and we are excited to welcome them to Nevada.”

Brightline will link one of the most traveled routes in the country, connecting more than 22 million people living in Southern California with Las Vegas, one of the most visited cities in the U.S. According to ridership studies, travelers make more than 50 million annual trips between Las Vegas and Southern California.  Today those travelers are limited to traveling by air or car, and Brightline expects to offer a convenient alternative that will make the trip in less than two hours.

As a result of the XpressWest acquisition, Brightline will take over the development, construction and operation of the project and work with federal and local transportation officials to connect Las Vegas with Victorville, Calif., with future plans to expand into the Los Angeles area.

The first phase of the corridor is expected to be built on a right of way within and adjacent to Interstate 15, traversing 185 miles with no at-grade or pedestrian crossings. Construction is expected to begin next year and Brightline is planning to begin initial service in 2022.

“Brightline’s model is setting a new standard for train travel in America,” said Patrick Goddard, president of Brightline. “Today’s announcement is an important milestone for our company as we reimagine transportation between these major metropolitan areas. We look forward to working with the region’s stakeholders to make this vision a reality.”

“The XpressWest team has done an incredible job bringing this project together and we’re confident that Brightline will fulfill our mission and promise to the region,” said Tony Marnell, founder and chief executive officer of Marnell Companies. “We’ve been impressed with what Brightline has accomplished in Florida and are excited to be part of the team that is working to deliver privately funded high-speed rail to improve mobility in America.”

The planned Las Vegas Station is expected to be located within the resort corridor and will be a major intermodal hub with access to taxis, buses, shuttles, and limousines.  As part of the project, Brightline is acquiring approximately 38 acres of land adjacent to the Las Vegas strip for construction of the station and mixed-used development.

The first planned Southern California station is expected to be located in Victorville within a 30- to 45-minute drive of the approximately four to five million people who live in the Inland Empire and eastern Los Angeles County, and within close proximity to Southern California’s remaining 17 to 18 million residents. Planning for additional stations and connectivity to California Metrolink and eventually California High-Speed Rail is underway.

“California has a vision for a modernized rail network that is fast, clean, and convenient for travelers, and the introduction of Brightline service linking Southern California to Las Vegas will help us achieve that vision” said California State Transportation Agency Secretary Brian Annis. “Brightline will be beneficial for our economy and our transportation system.”

Similar to Brightline’s operations in Florida, the corridor between Southern California and Las Vegas is expected to generate major regional economic benefits, including construction and permanent job opportunities and local and state tax revenue.

In addition to Brightline’s Florida development and operations and its anticipated development and operations between Las Vegas and Southern California, Brightline continues to explore intercity rail opportunities across North America.

The Los Angeles River Bike Path Gap Closure Project entails design and construction of a bike path along an eight-mile stretch of the Los Angeles River (River) from Elysian Valley through Downtown Los Angeles to the City of Vernon, closing the longest remaining continuous gap in the Los Angeles River Bike Path.

The project will enhance mobility, provide commute options and access to employment hubs and high-quality transit lines, and provide a safer, more comfortable environment for people biking and walking. When completed, the LA River Path will offer a 32-mile continuous active transportation corridor connecting Long Beach to the San Fernando Valley. It is scheduled to break ground in 2023 and complete in 2027.

“The way we treat stormwater, especially in California, is broken. We think of it as a pollutant, but we should be thinking about it as a solution,” said Joseph Charbonnet, a graduate student in civil and environmental engineering at UC Berkeley. “We have developed a technology that can remove contamination before we put it in our drinking water in a passive, low-cost, non-invasive way using naturally-occurring minerals.”

As rain water rushes over our roofs, lawns and streets, it can pick up a slew of nasty chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides, toxic metals, car oil and even dog poop. Excess stormwater can also overwhelm sewer systems and flood streets and basements. Not surprisingly, cities often discharge this polluted water into neighboring rivers and streams as quickly as possible.

Directing stormwater through sand into underground aquifers may be an ideal solution for gathering water in cities with Mediterranean climates like Los Angeles, Charbonnet said. Like giant rain barrels, aquifers can be filled during periods of intense rainfall and then store water until it is needed in the dry season.

Cities are already using stormwater reclamation on smaller scales through constructs such as bioswales and rain gardens, which funnel storm water through sand or mulch to remove debris and prevent surface runoff. In the Sun Valley neighborhood of Los Angeles, Charbonnet and his adviser, David Sedlak, are working with the local community to transform a 46-acre gravel pit into a wetland and water infiltration system for stormwater.

“Before we built the buildings, roads and parking lots that comprise our cities, rainwater would percolate into the ground and recharge groundwater aquifers,” said Sedlak, professor of civil and environmental engineering at UC Berkeley and co-director of the Berkeley Water Center. “As utilities in water stressed regions try to figure out how to get urban stormwater back into the ground, the issue of water quality has become a major concern. Our coated sands represent an inexpensive, new approach that can remove many of the contaminants that pose risks to groundwater systems where storm water is being infiltrated.”

Although the coated sand doesn’t remove all types of contaminants, it may be used in conjunction with other water purification systems to remove many of the contaminants that water picks up, Sedlak said.

The team details the finding Aug. 30 in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

Borrowing chemistry from the soil

To create the coated sand, Charbonnet mixed plain sand with two forms of manganese that react to form manganese oxide. This harmless mineral binds to organic chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides, and the endocrine-disrupting bisphenol-A (BPA) and breaks them down into smaller pieces that are usually less toxic and more biodegradable.

“Manganese oxides are something that soil scientists identified 30 or 40 years ago as having these really interesting properties, but we are one of the first groups to use it in engineered ways to help unlock this water source,” Charbonnet said.

The manganese oxide-coated sand, which is a dull brown color, is safe and environmentally friendly. “I guarantee that you have some manganese oxide on your shoe right now because it is ubiquitous in the soil,” Charbonnet said.

Charbonnet tested the sand by percolating simulated stormwater, which contained a low concentration of BPA, through columns of the material. The coated sand initially removed nearly all of the BPA, but lost its effectiveness over time. However, the manganese oxide could be “recharged” by bathing the sand in a solution containing a low concentration of chlorine. Recharging the sand restored all of the manganese oxide’s initial reactivity.

“If you have to come in every year or two and dig up this sand and replace it, that is incredibly labor intensive, so in order to make this useful for community stakeholders it’s really important that this stuff can be regenerated in place,” Charbonnet said.

Charbonnet estimates that it would take about two days to recharge a half-meter-deep layer of sand using 25 parts per million of chlorine in water, the concentration used to treat wastewater.

In the next phase of the experiment, the team is performing field tests in Sonoma County using stormwater from a local creek.

Co-authors of the paper are Yanghua Duan from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Case M. van Genuchten from the Department of Earth Sciences, Geochemistry, and Faculty of Geosciences at Utrecht University.

The research was supported by the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation’s Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt) and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.

“When considering an acquisition, Gannett Fleming leadership first looks at a company’s culture. Are employees valued and encouraged to continually learn? Do they contribute to improving their community? Are they committed to amazing their clients with innovative solutions? KEH checked all of those boxes and more,” said Bob Scaer, PE, Gannett Fleming chairman and CEO. “We will now be able to provide California water clients access to specialized, local expertise backed by the resources of a global infrastructure firm.”

KEH is known for its comprehensive water, wastewater, and recycled water portfolio, particularly in large pump station and pipeline design, treatment facility design, operations support, and program management services. They are recognized for their innate understanding of water reclamation and reuse, developing public sector programs that help ensure safe, clean, and reliable water supplies. All KEH employees have been retained.

“Our current and future clients from California and the surrounding states can now benefit from Gannett Fleming’s full range of engineering, construction management, and program management services,” said Ken Hume, PE, former president of KEH and newly appointed West Region Water Business Line leader at Gannett Fleming. “We will continue to focus on client needs and the unwavering commitment to service excellence that is the foundation of both firms.”

KEH, with offices in San Diego and Ventura counties, has successfully undertaken assignments for many public sector clients in Southern California. Their project portfolio includes the City of San Diego’s Morena Sewer Pump Station and Alvarado Trunk Sewer Projects; Wastewater Operations Support Services for the City of Oxnard; Water Replenishment District of Southern California’s Groundwater Reliability Improvement Program; and the Orange County Water District’s Groundwater Replenishment System startup and commissioning.

By JoAnne Castagna, Ed.D.

Last fall in northern California, blazing wildfires turned lush wine valleys and home developments into debris and ash. Soon after, make-shift tents started rising on the charred landscape.

“Residents didn’t want to leave their property,” said Marzena Ellis, an hydraulic engineer with the New York District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The residents were holding onto the lives they had before the wildfires and Ellis was there to help them rebuild those lives. Ellis is one of almost 900 Army Corps volunteers who deployed to California from various Army Corps Districts and Divisions to help with the recovery efforts. Ellis’s role was to create maps using GIS to help with the massive debris-removal process.

In October 2017, numerous, fast-moving wildfires erupted and burned throughout Northern California, including Napa, Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma, Solano, Yuba, and Butte Counties. More than 245,000 acres of land were burned, there were 43 casualties, and more than 10,000 structures were destroyed or damaged.

This created the largest debris cleanup in California’s history since the 1906 San Francisco 7.9 earthquake that struck the coast of Northern California. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) called on the Army Corps to execute the massive debris-removal mission.

The Army Corps worked under the direction of FEMA and in partnership with California’s Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, as well as other federal, state, and local agencies. The debris clean up mission was performed in two phases:

• Phase 1 — The California Environmental Protection Agency and the California Department of Toxic Substance Control moved in to remove household hazardous waste.
• Phase 2 — The Army Corps and California’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), cleared property of ash and fire-related debris.

As of June 2018, 2.2 million tons of debris had been removed from more than 4,500 properties. This is equal to the weight of more than two Golden Gate Bridges, which combined equals 1,774,000 tons.

To assist with the debris-removal process, Ellis created maps and performed critical analysis using GIS. She performed this work in collaboration with Arcadis U.S., Inc., a global design, engineering, and management consulting company. This information was used by decision makers in every stage of the mission to perform environmental assessments, debris hauling, and the final cleanup.

This is not the first time the Army Corps’ GIS expertise has been tapped for major missions. Other missions include the 2007 California wildfires; in Manhattan, New York City in 2001 following 9/11; and currently to help bring back power to Puerto Rico, which was devastated by Hurricane Maria.

Using GIS, Ellis created a wide variety of maps that aided in the cleanup of hundreds of private properties, whose owners signed up for the Consolidated Debris Removal Program. The maps were used for debris-hauling routes, safety awareness, and mission status.

Debris-hauling route maps were created that provided the Army Corps and CalRecycle with the most efficient and safest routes around difficult terrain to navigate dumpster trucks and excavators. Wildfire debris — such as downed trees — created narrow, unsafe roads and steep terrain.

Safety awareness maps were created that highlighted properties that had special circumstances noted during the debris-removal process. These maps were used by the field and supervisory staff for decision making and safety awareness.

Mission status maps were created that showed decision makers the affected properties and various stages of debris removal. To create these maps and perform analysis, Arcadis crews collected data from the field throughout the life cycle of the mission.

This data included property site assessment data that included counting the number of buildings on the site, noting any hazardous materials and situations on the site, taking air monitoring measurements, and determining the best routes to transport debris.

During the debris-hauling process, the total quantity of debris and asbestos was determined.

In addition, Arcadis collected soil samples for testing to ensure the soil was safe for rebuilding. If the site was safe, then erosion control was installed on the property before releasing the land back to the owners.

Ryan Miller, a GIS analyst with Arcadis, said, “By combining our various GIS skillsets and working in collaboration, we were able to quickly formulate action plans and deliver the GIS results requested by crews in the field, including Arcadis field crews and CalRecycle.”

Todd Thalhamer, operations chief, CalRecycle, said, “The GIS system used by the Army Corps was critical in planning the incident and determining resource allocation. Our team worked with the Army Corps to identify where the burned structures were located in each county, the proximity to environmental receptors, location of schools, and to develop an overall plan for the deployment of resources. In a disaster of this size — over three counties — it was critical to have the most current intel on where the impacted structures where located.”

Miller added that because of the large number of entities working on this mission, sharing information and having the latest data was important. “It was a common sight throughout the weeks to see supervisors from CalRecycle, FEMA, Arcadis, and private debris hauling contractors all reviewing the maps we created during their discussions of planning and decision making,” he said. “By providing these benefits to the project, we helped to move it forward and meet the rapid response timeline, so that the residents and communities affected by the wildfire could begin rebuilding.”

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 contacted at joanne.castagna@usace.army.mil.

Within the environment category, two water projects were deemed best-in-class:

• More than $75 million: Chambers Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion (Pierce County Planning & Public Works)
• $5 million, but less than $25 million: Dixie Drain Phosphorus Removal Facility (City of Boise Public Works Department)

Treating 130 million gallons of water daily (mgd), the $21 million Dixie Drain Phosphorus Removal Facility is the first of its kind in the U.S. and considered a model facility in watershed-based approaches to meeting total maximum daily load limits.

Located 34 miles downstream from Boise’s primary water renewal facilities, the facility collects ground and surface water from agricultural operations in the lower Boise River watershed, removing 140 pounds of phosphorus per day (10 tons annually). The facility yields significant environmental benefits as it collects 50 percent more phosphorus downstream from the Boise River. For every pound not removed at an upstream water renewal facility, 1.5 pounds are removed downstream. The result is a better quality of water flowing through the Boise and Snake rivers.

Conceptualized and designed by Brown and Caldwell and J-U-B Engineers (the former led jar/pilot testing), the facility is no stranger to the engineering excellence spotlight. The APWA award marks a continuation of the facility’s recognition by industry peers having received a 2017 Grand Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies.

Supporting Pierce County’s future growth and economic development, the $342 million Chambers Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion Project increased capacity at the plant from 28.7 mgd to 45 mgd. Brown and Caldwell led a team including Kennedy/Jenks to design and manage construction of the upgrades, including the installation of an innovative sidestream treatment process. Pierce County was one of the first utilities in North America to pilot the method. De-ammonification, or DEMON for short, uses a naturally occurring bacteria (anammox) to strip nitrogen from wastewater, reducing chemical use by 50 percent and oxygen (energy) demands by 25 percent. The upgrades will save the county $7 million in life-cycle costs, in addition to the $30 million saved by efficiently repurposing existing structures rather than constructing new facilities.

Further upgrades include increased biogas utilization capacity to generate heat for the treatment process and occupied spaces. The addition of a reclaimed water production and distribution system provides Class A reclaimed water for in-plant use, therefore reducing effluent discharges to Puget Sound.

The upgraded plant will serve a population projected to double to 361,000 by 2040.

“These exemplary projects set a precedent for innovation in water quality treatment approaches,” said Brown and Caldwell CEO Rich D’Amato. “We applaud the City of Boise and Pierce County for their commitment to improving public health in a sustainable, environmentally-friendly way. Brown and Caldwell is proud to have played a role in enhancing the health of these communities now, and well into the future.”

A SOM-designed pavilion is one of the centerpieces of the exhibition. It’s a one-of-a-kind, portable, 27-foot-long, kinematic outdoor pavilion made of hinged wood panels. SOM engineer Toby Mitchell came up with the idea for the structure after reviewing research Professor Tomohiro Tachi of the University of Tokyo is doing into “rigid origami.” The idea — implemented by a team from multiple SOM offices in the U.S. and internationally — was to create a structure that can be transformed into various configurations with minimal human effort and without deforming the individual panels.

“My work on this pavilion has been very outside of the box,” said Dan Koroski, a structural engineering professional with SOM who led the team in constructing the pavilion. “It’s a large-scale, ‘rigid origami’ structure that’s dynamic and able to move under certain conditions and human control. It blends cutting-edge theoretical research, real-life application, and constructability. It’s a different take on what architects and engineers can achieve when they work together.”

The pavilion is made of 99 flat, high-grade plywood panels with contoured stiffeners that are attached perpendicularly. Each panel is connected to adjacent ones with customized stainless steel door hinges. The pavilion hangs from aluminum truss frames above, which are supported by shallow foundations on each side of the structure. The result is a surface that can be moved and flexed into various shapes of its original geometry with the application of minimal pressure or load. The structure remains rigid throughout its pattern of movement.

SOM’s research and design process included designing the geometric form, conducting structural analysis to understand the behavior of the movable structure, materials testing, and constructing small- and large-scale models to investigate the design for strength, serviceability, and constructability.

Once the design and preliminary testing phase was complete, the team constructed the pavilion at its Chicago office for final full-scale testing. It was then dismantled, trucked across the country, and built again by the firm’s staff in the outdoor garden of the Schindler House in West Hollywood. Since then, visitors from all over the world have experienced the pavilion as part of the larger Poetic Structure exhibition.

Research, collaboration, and innovation are important parts of SOM’s practice. The process and findings of projects like this are carefully documented and published for potential use in future building projects, academic purposes, and to help advance the design profession.

The Industry Forum will be held Aug. 28, 2018 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority Administration Building (Third Floor, Board Room), 3225 North Harbor Drive, San Diego.

Provided that state and federal environmental review processes are completed successfully, and the Airport Authority chooses to proceed with the project, Phase 1 of the Airport Development Plan would be divided into four separate procurements of varying size, each beginning with a Request for Qualifications (RFQ).

Terminal and Roadways — Phased construction of a new 30-gate terminal building; new entry, circulation, arrival, and departure roadways; pedestrian bridges, demolition of buildings; surface features and utilities; new and relocated utilities; storm drainage collection, storage, and transmission facilities; and a central utility plant upgrade.

Administration Building — New administration building for the Airport Authority.

Airfield Pavement — Terminal apron, taxiways, and overnight aircraft parking with associated lighting, signage and utilities.

Structured Parking — Should the Airport Authority determine there is enough parking demand, a multi-story parking structure to serve Terminal 1 may proceed.

The Airport Authority expects that team compositions may change for each procurement.

The Airport Authority’s expected timeline for moving forward with the four procurement packages is as follows:

• Issue Design-Build RFQ for Terminal and Roadways: September 2018
• Award Terminal and Roadways: Spring 2019
• Issue Design-Build RFQ for Administration Building: Early 2019
• Award Administration Building: Summer 2019
• Issue Design-Build RFQ for Airfield Pavement: Spring 2019
• Award Airfield Pavement: Fall 2019
• Issue Design-Build RFQ for Structured Parking, dependent on parking demand: Late 2019 or early 2020

The forum is intended for prime design-builders along with the lead architects, structural engineers, and civil engineers who will comprise the core design-build teams to which the Terminal and Roadways procurement package will be restricted.

Other team components and disciplines will be added after an award has been made to a core design-build team.  The Airport Authority will work collaboratively with the selected contractors to maximize outreach and opportunities for construction subcontractors and for other design disciplines.

The Airport Authority is committed to creating a level playing field that attracts businesses of all sizes, and that provides opportunities for workers of all genders and ethnicities.

For more information about the Industry Forum, contact Rebecca Bloomfield at rbloomfi@san.org. For more information about the Terminal 1 replacement and Airport Development Plan visit www.san.org/plan.

Walnut Creek, Calif. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded a $699 million low-interest loan to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) to help finance its Southeast Treatment Plant Biosolids Digester Facilities Project. Under the EPA’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA), a program offering as much as $5.5 billion in loans, SFPUC received the largest amount issued to date to fund approximately half of the $1.2 billion biosolids and resource recovery project.

Led by environmental engineering and construction firm Brown and Caldwell, the project involves upgrading critical components of San Francisco’s aging sewer system infrastructure to support the city’s sustainability goals. With the loan, SFPUC will replace its outdated biosolids digester facilities with modern, efficient technology to transform wastewater solids into high-quality biosolids and biogas. The updated infrastructure is designed to maximize energy recovery, reduce emissions, minimize potable water use through recycling, and produce reusable Class A biosolids. Additionally, the new digesters will be located farther away from existing residences, feature advanced odor control, and will be more resilient to earthquakes.

“I am thrilled the EPA has chosen to partner with SFPUC by investing in their infrastructure and the local economy,” said Jay Patil, Brown and Caldwell senior vice president and director of sales, strategy, and marketing. “It speaks volumes about SFPUC’s visionary leadership and culture of environmental and community inclusivity that they received the largest WIFIA loan thus far.”

As the prime firm, Brown and Caldwell leads a team comprising Black & Veatch, CH2M (Jacobs), SRT, STRUCTUS, AEW, and Geotechnical Consultants for engineering; Saylor Consulting Group for estimating; MWA Architects, MEI Architects, Fluidity Design Consultants, and Endrestudio for architecture; and Katz & Assoc., Alfred Williams Consultancy, and BAYCAT for outreach.

Brown and Caldwell assisted the city in its letter of interest for the loan and provided technical documents in support of the application. The SFPUC project was the largest in a pool of 43 letters of interest submitted, and one of 12 projects selected by the EPA to apply for and negotiate a loan.

“SFPUC did an extraordinary job in securing this alternative funding, and our team is proud to have been part of the process,” said Tracy Stigers, Brown and Caldwell vice president and project manager. “Throughout the project, SFPUC and the consultant team have striven for cost savings and efficiencies with the ratepayer in mind. It is a great feeling to be part of an effort that will save ratepayers more than $200 million in financing.”

Located in Bayview-Hunters Point, the Southeast Treatment Plant is the city’s largest wastewater facility. When complete, the modern resource recovery facility will be an aesthetically pleasing community asset that helps protect the health of the community and the environment. The project also brings added employment and education opportunities through more than 3,000 local jobs and career training opportunities.

Project construction is expected to begin in early 2019 with facilities operational by 2025.

The Administrator of the State Building Codes Division issued SAM No. 18-01, providing a prescriptive path for utilization in Oregon of the code requirements developed by the International Code Council (ICC) Tall Wood Building Ad Hoc Committee over the past two years. The comprehensive requirements also received a favorable recommendation during the April 2018 ICC Code Action Hearings, which was the first step of the process to include them in the 2021 International Codes.

“We congratulate the State of Oregon on becoming the first state to provide building code recognition for construction of tall, mass timber buildings,” said American Wood Council (AWC) President & CEO Robert Glowinski. “Mass timber is a new category of wood products that will revolutionize how America builds and we’ve seen interest in it continue to grow over the last several years. This action by the Codes Division Administrator helps code officials in Oregon by making provisions consistent throughout the state. In adopting this new method, Oregon has also recognized the significant environmental benefits that accrue from greater wood product use.”

Since the current 2014 Oregon Structural Specialty Code is based on the 2012 International Building Code (IBC), this SAM is also correlated to incorporate code changes to the 2015 and 2018 IBC allowing cross-laminated timber (CLT) and structural composite lumber. It is also consistent with the use of prior SAM No. 15-01 issued in January of 2015 allowing use of CLT.

Concrete will be transported by an 85-foot-long and 16-foot-wide conveyor belt with a clearance of 18 feet. There will be a 4-foot guardrail on either side of the conveyor belt for the safety of workers and the traveling public. The conveyor system will eliminate 20 minutes of drive time from the batch site to the work zone, reduce the number of necessary road closures for paving, and enhance safety for the traveling public and crew members.

“Using this system will eliminate more than 6,000 truckloads of concrete from entering and exiting the median, and will also help cut down on emissions and fuel consumption” said Mike Keleman, C-470 Express Lanes project director. “Safety is CDOT’s number one priority, which is one of the many reasons we decided to move forward with a conveyor system. Cutting down on the amount of trucks entering and exiting the highway will help alleviate slowdowns on C-470, and will actually help accelerate this portion of the project.”

Parts of the structure will be assembled off-site and placed into position during nighttime freeway closures. The concrete will be mixed at the current concrete batch plant off Lucent Boulevard. Then it will be loaded onto the conveyor and conveyed across C-470 and loaded onto trucks in the median that will then move the concrete to its destination along the corridor.

Typical hours of operation will be 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and in some cases, operations will occur at night. This process will save project time and costs.

Project info

The $276 million C-470 Express Lanes project will increase mobility and user choice along 12.5 miles of the highway, between I-25 and Wadsworth Boulevard. On westbound C-470, crews will build two additional Express Lanes from I-25 to Colorado Boulevard, and one additional Express Lane from Colorado Boulevard to Wadsworth. On eastbound C-470, they will build one additional Express Lane between I-25 and Wadsworth Boulevard.

The project also includes full reconstruction of existing pavement, the addition of auxiliary lanes at selected locations, on- and off-ramp improvements, realignment of substandard curves, widening of existing bridges, replacing the bridges over the South Platte River, the installation of tolling equipment, and new C-470 trail underpasses at Colorado and Quebec.

When complete, motorists may use the Express Lanes on C-470 for a faster, more reliable commute in exchange for paying a toll, or drive the general-purpose lanes for free.

The Commission approved conditional funding amounts for the projects, which range from expanding existing reservoirs to boosting groundwater storage to building 21st century surface storage facilities. Applicants must complete remaining Proposition 1 requirements, including final permits, environmental documents and commitments for non-Proposition 1 funding, by Jan. 1, 2022, to receive a final funding award from the Commission.

“Today marks a major milestone for the Commission and project applicants,” Commission Chair Armando Quintero said. “After an intensive process, the Commission has concluded that these eight storage projects will ensure the strongest return on the public’s investment. We applaud the applicants for their hard work to get to this point, and we are confident they will use this momentum to do the remaining work needed to secure these crucial investments in California’s water future.”

The Commission also approved requests from three applicants to receive a portion of their funding early to help complete permits and environmental documents. The three projects are Sites Reservoir, Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion, and Pacheco Reservoir Expansion. Proposition 1 allows applicants to receive up to 5 percent of their Commission-approved conditional funding amount as early funding.

Moving forward, the Commission will continue meeting with applicants, state agencies and stakeholders to review the status of each project. Once an applicant has obtained all necessary permits, contracts, and documents, the Commission will hold a final funding hearing.

Proposition 1, approved by 67 percent of California voters in 2014, created a competitive process for funding projects based on their public benefit aspects. The projects were evaluated and ranked on criteria established in the Water Storage Investment Program regulations.

Proposition 1 dedicated $2.7 billion for the Water Storage Investment Program. As noted at the beginning of the application process, 2 percent of that amount is set aside for bond financing and 2.5 percent is set aside for state administrative costs over the life of the program, so the total funding available is $2.582 billion.

The Central 70 Project — led by CDOT and the Colorado High Performance Transportation Enterprise (HPTE) — will:

• reconstruct 10 miles of I-70 between Brighton Boulevard and Chambers Road;
• add one new Express Lane in each direction;
• remove the aging 54-year-old viaduct;
• lower the interstate between Brighton and Colorado boulevards; and
• place a 4-acre park over a portion of the lowered interstate.

Central 70 is the first of three Express Lanes projects expected to break ground this summer. The other two — I-25 South: Monument to Castle Rock; and I-25 North: Johnstown to Fort Collins — will break ground within the next couple months.

“Today’s groundbreaking reflects our commitment to have our infrastructure meet the needs demanded by the country’s number one economy,” Hickenlooper said. “This corridor of Interstate 70 has served the state well, but it’s time to no longer depend on a 54-year-old stretch of interstate to handle the demands of a growing and mobile state.”

The governor and other speakers noted that Central 70 serves one of the state’s fastest-growing corridors, which is projected to grow at a faster pace than the region as a whole over the next decade. Today, I-70 carries upwards of 200,000 vehicles per day, including commercial and shipping traffic, as well as commuter and tourist vehicles.

“This groundbreaking is a great milestone for the Mile High City. It brings together relief for thousands of Denver-area commuters, cutting-edge technology that prepares Colorado for the future, and a beautiful new green space for local residents,” said Deputy Federal Highway Administrator Brandye Hendrickson.

The $1.2 billion Central 70 Project will create an estimated $17.8 billion in economic impacts and will create an estimated 5,000 Colorado jobs. It will also provide a significant economic boost to the communities most impacted by its construction. CDOT has directed Kiewit Meridiam Partners (KMP) to hire 20 percent of its workforce from zip codes adjacent to the highway.

Additionally, the Central 70 Project has created new workforce development and job training programs to train and support metro Denver workers in construction industry trades, and has facilitated opportunities for local small and disadvantaged business to participate.

“Investments in transportation contribute to the economic vitality of the state of Colorado,” said Mike Lewis, CDOT executive director. “We saw this with T-REX in south Denver, and the Central 70 Project will be no exception.”

With construction anticipated to stretch through 2022, the Central 70 Project and KMP have pledged to minimize impacts to the adjacent communities and the traveling public. The project will be built in phases, and all lanes on the interstate must be kept open during daytime hours.

During the nearly 15-year planning process, CDOT worked closely with the community to determine the best solution for the congested and deteriorating highway. The Central 70 Project received final federal approval through the Record of Decision (ROD) in January 2017, and selected KMP as the P3 developer to design/build/finance/operate and maintain the project in August 2017. Construction is anticipated to be completed in 2022.

For more information on the Central 70 Project, visit https://codot.gov/projects/i70east.

San Francisco — In late July, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a $699 million loan to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission to help finance its innovative Southeast Treatment Plant Biosolids Digester Facilities Project. This is the largest loan issued under EPA’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program to date.

“Today’s nearly $700 million WIFIA water infrastructure loan reflects a core Administration priority: accelerating investment in America’s water infrastructure in a way that delivers a cleaner, healthier environment and supports a thriving economy,” said EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “This WIFIA loan will enable San Francisco to modernize its wastewater treatment facilities while creating valuable jobs in the community.”

“This water infrastructure loan will help San Francisco make needed upgrades and create more than 3,000 local jobs and job-training opportunities,” said Mike Stoker, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “EPA is proud to partner with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission on this important project and looks forward to seeing the environmental, public health, and economic benefits it will provide.”

With EPA’s WIFIA loan, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission will replace its outdated biosolids digester facilities with modern, efficient technology. The new facilities will transform wastewater solids into high-quality biosolids and biogas. Additionally, the new digesters will be located farther away from existing residences, feature advanced odor control, and will be built to be more resilient to earthquakes.

“Rebuilding our biosolids digester facilities is crucial to realizing our vision to transform San Francisco’s largest wastewater treatment plant into a modern resource recovery facility. With the federal government’s low-cost loan program, we can realize significant savings for our ratepayers and create high quality employment and contracting opportunities in parts of the City that need it most,” said SFPUC General Manager Harlan L. Kelly, Jr.

The project is estimated to cost $1.43 billion and EPA’s WIFIA loan will help finance nearly half that amount — up to $699 million. According to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s estimates, EPA’s loan is expected to save the commission up to $398 million through the WIFIA program’s low interest rates. Project construction is expected to begin in late 2018 and be completed in 2025.

Established by the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014, the WIFIA program is a new federal loan and guarantee program at EPA that aims to accelerate investment in the nation’s water infrastructure by providing long-term, low-cost supplemental credit assistance for regionally and nationally significant projects.

In April 2018, EPA announced the availability of additional WIFIA funding that could provide as much as $5.5 billion in loans, which could leverage over $11 billion in water infrastructure projects. The 2018 WIFIA Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) highlights the importance of protecting public health including reducing exposure to lead and other contaminants in drinking water systems and updating the nation’s aging infrastructure. Prospective borrowers responding to the 2018 NOFA must submit a letter of interest by July 31, 2018. EPA will evaluate submitted letters of interest from prospective borrowers in response to the 2018 WIFIA notice. Through this competitive process, EPA will select projects it intends to finance and invite them to continue the application process this fall.

According to EPA’s estimate of national drinking water and wastewater needs, over $743 billion is needed for water infrastructure improvements. The WIFIA program plays an important part in fulfilling this need and in the President’s Infrastructure Plan, which calls for increasing the program’s funding authorization and expanding project eligibility.

For more information about the WIFIA program and the Southeast Treatment Plant Biosolids Digester Facilities Project, visit: https://www.epa.gov/wifia.

“The Jacobs/Alta team brings a track record of delivery excellence, sustainability and innovation to support Metro in the undertaking of one of the largest active transportation projects in the country,” said Jacobs Buildings, Infrastructure and Advanced Facilities Americas Executive Vice President and General Manager Greg McIntyre. “The project will provide significant network connectivity between communities, destinations and public transit.”

One of the “Twenty-Eight by ’28” projects Metro is undertaking ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Los Angeles River (LA River) Bike Path Gap Closure Project will enhance mobility, provide commute options and connectivity to employment hubs and high-quality transit lines and provide a safer, more comfortable environment for people biking and walking. The team will provide project management and specialized technical expertise to deliver this high-priority project.

“Alta’s depth of experience has been raising the bar on what trail projects can become for communities both nationally and internationally,” said Alta PLA CEO George Hudson. “The Jacobs/Alta team brings a depth of experience in delivering landmark trail projects and looks forward to collaborating to develop a solution that serves the needs of Metro, the communities along the route and creates a compelling place to experience the outdoors.”

The project will provide a bicycle and pedestrian path along an eight-mile stretch of the LA River from the neighborhood of Elysian Valley to the City of Vernon, improving access to treasured city resources by closing the longest remaining continuous gap in the LA River Bike Path project. When completed, the path will offer a 32-mile continuous active transportation corridor connecting Long Beach to the San Fernando Valley. Metro allocated $365 million in funding from the Measure M sales tax measure approved by Los Angeles County voters in 2016. The project is scheduled to break ground in 2023 and be completed in 2027.

For decades, community groups and agencies have studied and planned for a future river that involves restoration, recreation, active transportation and development projects. In completing this project, the Los Angeles County region will have an iconic, pre-eminent, and functional pathway for walking and biking that serves as a catalyst and foundation for active transportation for the entire region.

Los Angeles — Cal State LA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Los Angeles District signed an agreement to work together to enhance educational and career opportunities for students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The memorandum of understanding signed by representatives of Cal State LA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provides a framework for cooperative educational, research and professional collaborations.

“This is obviously a great opportunity for our students,” said Emily Allen, dean of the University’s College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology. “Our students are from the L.A. region and they want to stay in the L.A. region. They want to make L.A. a better place to live.”

As part of the agreement, Cal State LA will inform students about the Army Corps of Engineers and the professional opportunities offered through its Pathways Program. The Army Corps of Engineers will establish a list of volunteer professionals who are available to serve as mentors, participate in training workshops for students, offer guest lectures on STEM subjects and conduct site visits to USACE facilities.

The University and the Army Corps of Engineers recognize the increasing need for a diverse workforce that possesses STEM skills.

“We need engineers,” said Col. Kirk E. Gibbs, commander of the Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District. “Our ability to bring in talent is even more important than ever. I thank you all for stepping forward to enter into this memorandum with us.”

As a student, Roberto Garcia served as an intern with the Army Corps of Engineers. Today, the Cal State LA alumnus works as a civil engineer in the U.S. Army hydrology and hydraulics branch.

“We’ll direct more exceptional students like Roberto to the Army Corps of Engineers,” said Jose A. Gomez, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Cal State LA. “This is a tremendous partnership and pathway for our students. We hope to expand the partnership and extend opportunities to students in other disciplines.”

Several representatives of the Army Corps of Engineers attended the signing, including David Van Dorpe, deputy district engineer for project management, Steve Dwyer, chief of the navigations branch, Jennie Ayala, outreach coordinator, and Jessie Meadows, equal employment officer. Representatives from Great Minds in STEM also attended the event.

Zweig Group, a full-service AEC consulting firm based in Fayetteville, AR., represented Blueline in the transaction.

“This strategic union underscores Blueline’s long-standing commitment to being the best land development consultant available,” said Jamie Claire Kiser, Zweig Group’s director of consulting. “Adding a new location in the Puget Sound area allows the Blueline team to forge deeper relationships with clients by adding The LA Studio’s expertise, and by making it more convenient than ever for clients in one of the fastest growing regions in the country to utilize that expertise.”

Blueline, a civil engineering, land use planning, and landscape architecture firm, gains The LA Studio’s expertise in landscape architecture, land planning, and land entitlement.

“Our partnership with The LA Studio complements our current disciplines and broadens our landscape architecture services to better serve the needs of our private and public-sector clients in the Puget Sound region,” said Brian Darrow, PE, President and CEO of Blueline.

The LA Studio provides consistent and quality design for a broad mix of project types ranging from unique and detail-oriented residential design, to more complex and demanding hospitality, urban and mixed-use development, to large-scale community and master planning.

As Blueline has expanded its services to include landscape architecture, it has not lost sight of its goal to be the best land development consultant available. With the additional services and talent brought forth from the partnership with The LA Studio, Blueline can create more outdoor spaces that are imaginative, functional, cost effective and sustainable.

San Diego — Ware Malcomb announced that three of the firm’s recent projects won awards at the San Diego Business Journal’s 2018 Best Real Estate Deals awards ceremony. Brokers, developers, architects, contractors and others in San Diego’s real estate development community recently gathered to attend the annual awards program held April 18, 2018 at The Westin Gaslamp Quarter. Finalists and winners in 16 categories were recognized.

The award for Best New Office Lease went to Nortek at Atlas in Carlsbad. Ware Malcomb provided interior architecture and design services for Nortek’s 85,000 square foot facility including office, electronic R&D space, showroom and support spaces. Cushman & Wakefield in San Diego served as broker.

Ware Malcomb collaborated with another architect to transform the existing 260,000 square foot building into two separate buildings totaling 235,000 square feet of office and R&D space. The beams of the original building were kept intact to allow the transfer of lateral loads from the new offices to the warehouse building and diaphragm. The office building utilized metal stud framing while the warehouse employed a concrete tilt-up design. Moment frames were also used in the office building to create large openings into the Paseo.

The award for Best Industrial Purchase went to Exeter Industrial Park in Escondido. Ware Malcomb provided architecture and interior design services for the 212,000 SF industrial building. Exeter Property Group served as the project developer, and Badiee Development served as construction manager.

The award for Best Real Estate Deal in the New Retail category went to The Shops at One Paseo in the Del Mar Heights community of San Diego. Ware Malcomb provided master planning and architectural design services for the retail portion of a large scale mixed-use project. The developer was Kilroy Realty, and CBRE served as broker.

In addition to providing master planning services for the retail project, Ware Malcomb designed the 12 single story restaurant and high-end retail buildings totaling approximately 95,000 square feet located within the new residential and office development. The craftsman-style retail buildings featured primarily wood frame construction, intricate details and various finish materials to create a community-oriented environment.

“We are so excited for these projects to be recognized among the Best Real Estate Deals in the vibrant San Diego market,” said Tiffany English, Principal of Ware Malcomb’s San Diego offices. “Our client-centric approach ensures every project is designed to meet our client’s immediate needs, while also planning for the future and maximizing the long-term real estate value of the property.”

Ware Malcomb has two offices in San Diego serving commercial real estate and corporate clients.

Denver — The Denver International Airport (DEN) is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the construction of its Pedestrian Bridge, one of only two of its kind that are built in the world today. The bridge connects the Main Terminal with Concourse A, with a security portal on its lower deck and international customs accessed on its upper level. Constructed in 1993 in an effort to offer a pedestrian alternative to the new airport’s inter-terminal train system, the bridge was a widely acclaimed design feat for its time.

“This project was incredibly sophisticated. This was the first time a passenger structure had been built in the world large enough to allow for planes to travel underneath. And at a length of 365 feet, we designed it so two planes could pass under it side-by-side,” said Luis O. Acosta, the Architect of Record who led the project’s design.

Built as its own freestanding structure, the 40-foot wide, 365-foot long passenger bridge was designed by LOA Architecture (previously Luis O. Acosta Architects). Other design team members included the structural engineer and prime consultant LONCO (now operating as Benesch), mechanical engineer Behrent Engineering, and electrical engineer Roos/Szynskie. The bridge was built by M.A. Mortenson Company. The project’s construction took less than 12 months, and at the time the bridge was built, it is still currently the longest free-span airport bridge in the U.S.

The bridge, not originally included in the airport’s master plan, was added after the main Terminal and Concourse A had already been constructed. Since the two buildings did not align at the same height, and were not designed to connect, the architects were tasked with the further challenge of creating an arc that would be both structurally sound and visually appealing. A further challenge to the project, of course, were FAA restrictions that required a clearance distances from the top of the runway to the underside of the bridge as well as consideration for the bridge’s deflection under various loading conditions.

Further challenges the team had to address included creating a structure that did not allow icicles to form, which could cause damage to planes passing underneath, and supporting the massive, two-level bridge when the underground passenger train ran directly underneath causing regular vibrations.

An all-glass curtain wall system encloses the bridge providing a panoramic view of Colorado’s diverse environments with the Rocky Mountains visible to the West and the plains to the East.

“This team did a wonderful job of creating something never before built, in a condensed timeframe to support Denver’s globally-renowned airport. That the project has remained virtually un-touched since its construction is a real testament to the talent that brought this project to life,” said Brian Holland, with Mortenson Construction.

The solution involved connecting the Kaneohe Wastewater Pre-Treatment Facility (KWWPTF) to the Kailua Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant (KRWWTP) via a three-mile long, 10-foot-diameter gravity sewer tunnel, increasing the region’s wastewater conveyance and storage capacity while reducing overflows. The tunnel conveys wastewater by gravity flow, sloping from a depth of 39 feet below ground level at the KWWPTF down toward the KRWWTP, ending at 77 feet below ground level. Traveling under Oneawa Hills was the preferred tunnel route, rather than placing a force main through Kaneohe Bay, therefore avoiding potential catastrophic sewage overflows into the environmentally sensitive public resource.

To lift the wastewater to the surface for treatment, a 45 million-gallons-per-day (mgd) Tunnel Influent Pump Station was designed by Brown and Caldwell and constructed at the KRWWTP. The project also includes a new 15 mgd replacement for the existing Kailua Influent Pump Station, generator and headworks buildings, and odor control facilities.

“This first-of-its-kind project in Hawaii is one the entire community can be proud of,” said Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell. “Our team has created a world-class sanitation facility that will last for generations, while also protecting the environment that’s so important to our island lifestyle.”

A significant benefit of the project is reduced energy consumption paired with improved environmental protection. Wastewater conveyance via the new tunnel system occurs through gravity flow rather than pressure, eliminating three upstream pump stations and a three-mile long force main, all considered potential community overflow points.

“Our goal was to help the city construct and deliver an important asset to protect community health and wellbeing while not adversely affecting the environment,” said Brown and Caldwell Pacific Area Leader Ray Matasci. “I feel privileged to be part of an engineered solution that protects and sustains Hawaii’s cherished landscape.”