Latest News
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Teaching the next generation
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December 16, 2008
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As this tumultuous year comes to a close, we have an opportunity to reflect on the past and anticipate what the future may bring. We hope that the year was busy enough that a vacation is a welcome relief. As the economic reports indicate, more than a few may find themselves on permanent vacation regardless of everyone’s best hopes. I took the opportunity to look back at several exchanges during the last two years and noticed an interesting trend. While I have addressed a range of topics in this space—from project management to business strategy to communication—one subject stood out as attracting the most lively responses: education of the next generation of engineers....
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MBA-style training for transportation design professionals
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December 16, 2008
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In early 2009, the American Road & Transportation Builders Association Transportation Development Foundation will offer Transportation Builder Institute’s Management Crucible. The program targets transportation design and construction industry executives who don’t have a formal MBA education but want to learn more about general business issues....
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Registration opens for Geosynthetics 2009
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December 16, 2008
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Under the conference theme Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Geosynthetics 2009, Feb. 25-27, 2009, in Salt Lake City, will explore important issues affecting water resources, mining, construction, and regulatory communities in the U.S., Canadian, and Mexican markets....
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IECA announces 2009 directors
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December 16, 2008
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The International Erosion Control Association’s membership re-elected Becky Gauthier to the 2009 Board of Directors. Joining Gauthier are new board members Phil Handley, REM, CPESC, and Rick Morse, CPESC, CPSS, CEnvP....
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Website for civil engineers interested in BIM
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December 10, 2008
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CHICAGO — CE News has launched a new online resource about building information modeling (BIM) for civil engineers on its website, www.cenews.com/bimchannel. The Building Information Modeling Channel is a microsite where visitors can find feature articles, industry news, links to CE News content, and links to various events and other online resources relating to the topic of BIM for civil engineers....
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Firms on the move
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December 2, 2008
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Stantec, AMEC, Ko & Associates, Merrick & Company, Sam Schwartz Engineering, Terracon, and other firms announce mergers and acquisitions, new offices, new names, and leadership transitions....
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EPA proposes construction site regulations
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December 2, 2008
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is seeking comments on its proposed guidelines to control the discharge of pollutants from construction sites. The proposal would require all construction sites to implement erosion and sediment control best management practices to reduce pollutants in stormwater discharges. In addition, for certain large sites located in areas of the country with high rainfall intensity and soils with a high clay content, stormwater discharges from a construction site would be required to meet a numeric limit on the allowable level of turbidity....
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Concrete technology publications
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December 2, 2008
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The American Concrete Institute announces the availability of new publications and CD-ROMs to educate and inform industry professionals on the newest concrete-related information and technology....
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Impacts of climate change
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December 2, 2008
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The Water Environment Research Foundation is seeking proposals for research that assesses the impact of climate change on clean water utility—wastewater, stormwater, and collection system—services. The research will review the risk of climate change and provide an estimate of the magnitude of that risk. Research results will be used by clean water utility personnel and their consultants....
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2009 Environmental Industry Summit
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December 2, 2008
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Environmental Business Journal’s Environmental Industry Summit VII will be held Feb. 18-20, 2009, at the Coronado Island Marriott in Coronado, California. Now in its seventh year, this annual networking and learning event offers attendees an opportunity to gain a current perspective on today’s environmental industry and its prospects in these challenging times....
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Innovative Lidar Solutions conference
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December 2, 2008
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Optech, Inc., announced that its first Innovative Lidar Solutions Conference will be held in Toronto on June 24-26, 2009. The company issued an initial call for papers....
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Voters approve $71 Billion for transportation funding
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November 30, 2008
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WASHINGTON, D.C.—On Nov. 4, voters across the country approved tax measures that would generate more than $71 billion in new revenue for transportation infrastructure work, according to a post-election report by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA). ARTBA tracked 37 state and local transportation funding-related ballot initiatives in 17 states. Of the 37 measures, 32 (86 percent) asked voters to initiate, extend, or increase taxes, or approve bonds to fund transportation improvements. Twenty-five (78 percent of the bond and tax measures) were approved by an average majority vote of 63 percent....
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PBS&J markets credits for largest wetlands bank in Texas
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November 30, 2008
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TYLER, TEXAS—PBS&J is marketing credits and conducting oversight for the Pineywoods Mitigation Bank, recently launched by The Conservation Fund, a national non-profit. Private, industrial, and government developers whose projects impact wetlands in the Neches River basin and select surrounding watersheds can purchase credits necessary for these projects, as determined by a standardized assessment based on calculated functional loss at the impact site....
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More A/E firm leaders turning to overseas outsourcing
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November 30, 2008
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CHICAGO, ILL.— Outsourcing of project work offshore is rapidly becoming a common operational strategy for many A/E industry firms. According to a new ZweigWhite survey of firm leaders, 42 percent of companies polled have outsourced some of their services offshore. A similar ZweigWhite study conducted in 2006 found only 19 percent of firms reporting offshore outsourcing experience....
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Florida DOT awards 35-year highway concession
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November 30, 2008
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MADRID, SPAIN—The Florida Department of Transportation awarded an approximate $1.26 billion contract to ACS Infrastructure Development, the North American division of Grupo ACS, to finance, design, construct, operate, and maintain Interstate 595 for the next 35 years. The construction period is estimated to take five years, leaving 30 years of operation, which means that ACS will be operating the highway until 2044....
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NTSB cites design errors for I-35W bridge collapse
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November 18, 2008
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The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of the collapse of the I-35W Bridge in Minneapolis was inadequate load capacity because of a design error by Sverdrup & Parcel and Associates, Inc. (now part of Jacobs Engineering Group), of the gusset plates at the U10 nodes. The plates failed under a combination of substantial increases in the weight of the bridge that resulted from previous modifications, and traffic and concentrated construction loads on the bridge on the day of the accident....
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EPA targets stormwater from impervious surfaces
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November 18, 2008
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a targeted effort to apply more stringent controls on stormwater pollution in the Charles River watershed in Eastern Massachusetts, where stormwater containing high levels of phosphorus is a chief culprit in dramatic algae blooms—including toxic cyanobacteria—that have plagued the river in recent years. The EPA action will require certain industrial, commercial, and residential facilities in the towns of Milford, Franklin, and Bellingham, Mass., with two or more acres of impervious area (parking lots, roofs, roadways, et cetera) to operate under a Clean Water Act permit....
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Database of nature-inspired design strategies
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November 18, 2008
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Naturalist Janine Benyus and design software firm Autodesk launched what they claim is the world’s first database of design ideas inspired by nature—AskNature.org. The free database is a public-domain online library where architects, designers, and engineers can search for and study nature’s solutions to design challenges, for example, how organisms filter air and water, gather solar energy, and create non-toxic dyes and glues. This nature-inspired design intelligence is being shared with companies around the world who are using biomimicry strategies to create the next generation of sustainable, efficient buildings, products, and designs....
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UDOT postpones RFQ for $2.6 billion project
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November 18, 2008
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The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) postponed its release of a request for proposals (RFP) on the $2.6 billion I-15 CORE project slated for Dec. 3. In addition, the industry outreach webinar that was scheduled for Dec. 2 is also postponed until further notice....
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Innovations in low impact development
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November 18, 2008
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National experts will convene in Concord, N.H., Dec. 3-4, 2008, to present the latest innovations on low impact development methods—methods for developing land in ways that allow stormwater to be retained, infiltrated, or reused on site. The conference, co-sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will be held at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord and is open to the public....
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Register for 2009 TRB Annual Meeting
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November 18, 2008
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Advance registration ends Nov. 30, 2008, for the Transportation Research Board 88th Annual Meeting, which is expected to draw more than 10,000 transportation policy makers, administrators, practitioners, researchers, and representatives of government, industry, and academic institutions to Washington, D.C., for the Jan. 11-15, 2009, conference....
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Free webinar highlights HDPE pipe
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November 13, 2008
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The Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI) offers a free, live, one-hour webinar on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2008, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. CST, providing information about the organization and the types of information it can share about high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe material and installation techniques....
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Economy impacts state road and bridge programs
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November 3, 2008
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Reacting to a weak economy, the Florida Department of Transportation is accelerating more than 179 road and bridge projects totaling $1.4 billion. Meanwhile, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission directed the Missouri Department of Transportation to revise its five-year Safe & Sound Bridge Improvement Program....
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Associations urge federal infrastructure investment
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November 3, 2008
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At separate events in October, both the Associated General Contractors of America and the American Road & Transportation Builders Association urged members of the U.S. House of Representatives to use infrastructure investments as part of any economic stimulus plan. Boosting highway, rail, airport, and water infrastructure construction will quickly create jobs and spur economic recovery, the groups said....
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ACET premieres anti-corruption program
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November 3, 2008
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The Global Anti-Corruption Education & Training (ACET) project—a collaborative effort led by a worldwide team of educators, engineering professionals, and communicators—developed Ethicana, a dramatic film and education program. The 41-minute film promotes ethical decision-making among engineers and other professionals in design and construction, as well as portrays how to avoid falling prey to corruption and how to have the moral courage to expose it. Ethicana premieres Nov. 6, 2008, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. during the American Society of Civil Engineers’ 138th annual conference in Pittsburgh....
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ESRI seeks papers for Survey & Engineering GIS Summit
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November 3, 2008
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ESRI invites surveyors and engineers to participate in the next Survey & Engineering GIS Summit, July 11—14, 2009, in San Diego, by submitting an abstract for possible presentation as a user paper at the conference....
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Primavera holds 25th Annual Conference
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November 3, 2008
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Primavera’s 25th Annual Conference will take place Nov. 16-19, 2008, at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The conference provides a forum for project managers, program managers, and technology professionals to learn about the latest techniques, strategies, and technologies for project, resource, program, and portfolio management....
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Houston firm recovers from hurricane damage
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October 31, 2008
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HOUSTON—In the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, Houston-based LJA Engineering & Surveying, Inc. (LJA) survived devastating damage to its corporate headquarters, but is conducting business as usual from a temporary location. On late Thursday, Sept. 11, LJA closed its local offices to let employees prepare for Hurricane Ike. The company fully expected to reopen on Monday, Sept. 15, at its West Houston headquarters. The corporate office, however, was severely impacted by Ike, and suffered extensive water damage to portions of every floor LJA occupied, forcing the company to seek temporary office space....
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New York DOT encourages green designs
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October 31, 2008
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ALBANY, N.Y.—The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) announced a first-in-the-nation initiative to encourage designers of department projects to minimize impacts to the environment and promote sustainability in public transportation design. The new design program—Green Leadership In Transportation and Environmental Sustainability (Green LITES)—calls for the department to certify transportation project designs based on the extent to which they incorporate sustainable environmental choices. The initiative, which formalizes internal directives and implements a recognition program, started in September with the review of all project designs completed after Sept. 25, 2008....
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APWA develops Certified Stormwater Manager program
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October 31, 2008
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KANSAS CITY, MO. — The American Public Works Association (APWA) developed a new certification program for stormwater managers. The purpose of the program is to promote excellence in the profession by advancing knowledge and practices in stormwater management. According to APWA, a Certified Stormwater Manager will have understanding and experience in the administration of a stormwater program, use of best practices, hydrology, maintenance, and other related areas....
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Getting a Piece of the Renewable Energy Market
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) 2010 Energy outlook, the United States can expect moderate growth in energy consumption, a greater use of renewables, and reduced oil and natural gas imports. Renewable energy refers to wind power; solar energy; geothermal energy; hydropower and ocean power; biomass energy, fuels, and products; and waste-to-energy.
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