POTOMAC SECTION – THE DELINEATOR – WINTER 2013-14 AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HIGHWAY ENGINEERS 1 President’s Message Last year the Virginia General Assembly passed the largest transportation funding package in the history of the Commonwealth. Virginia is now counting on those of us in the transportation industry to staff up in order to get this work underway and on the streets. They are also counting on us to meet the taxpayers’ expectations, the Clients’ expectations, and the commuters’ expectations. In other words… to be On-Time, On-Budget, With Quality. – Keep your foot on the pedal. The Virginia Department of Transportation, the District of Columbia Department of Transportation, and our local governments are counting on our Industry to know both their programs and policies, to understand their needs, and to deliver a quality product. – Keep your foot on the pedal. There is no greater time than now to be associated with the transportation industry. This is the time to grow young engineers into experienced engineers and to challenge experienced engineers to deliver more complex projects. This is the time to think outside the box with design strategies that reduce cost and increase quality and to construct transportation projects more quickly with minimal impacts on the user and the environment. – Keep your foot on the pedal. As our region continues to grow, there is a need for improved transportation facilities to increase the capacity of our transportation system including roads, bridges, and transit. Therefore, as an Industry, we must not relax our efforts to communicate the need for continued, sustainable transportation funding. – Keep your foot on the pedal. ASHE is a wonderful way to support your Industry. ASHE provides the vehicle for you to grow professionally by networking with your peers and clients and to learn what the current transportation needs are regionally. – Keep your foot on the pedal. I am happy to report that our Section continues to grow in members and that our members are getting more involved through our meetings, field trips, golf outings, and outside-ASHE functions, such as our technical seminars. – Keep your foot on the pedal. I encourage you all to invite others to become ASHE members during this exciting time in the transportation industry. I look forward to seeing you at our next ASHE dinner meeting and remember… Keep your foot on the pedal. Board Members President Dennis Morrison, P.E. Volkert, Inc. 1st Vice President David Hieber, P.E. Dewberry 2nd Vice President Peter Vigliotti, P.E. VDOT Past President & Regional Rep Anand Patel, P.E. RK&K Engineers Secretary Tim Belcher, P.E. Dewberry Treasurer David Palfrey McDonough Bolyard Peck, Inc. Director 2013-14 Phil Lohr, P.E., PTOE Volkert, Inc. Director 2013-14 Adam Welschenbach, P.E., PTOE Rinker Design Associates, P.C. Director 2012-15 Leonard Coleman, P.E., CMIT Prince William County DOT Director 2012-15 Mark Warden So-Deep, Inc. Director 2013-16 Wayne Ma, P.E. DMY Engineering Consultants Director 2013-16 Carolyn Witzig, P.E., PTOE Rinker Design Associates, P.C. Young Member Coordinator Robert Cade, P.E. Parsons Brinckerhoff The ASHE Potomac Section Newsletter Winter 2013-14 THE DELINEATOR DENNIS MORRISON, P.E.
Transcript
POTOMAC SECTION – THE DELINEATOR – WINTER 2013-14 AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HIGHWAY ENGINEERS 1
Pres ident ’s Message
Last year the Virginia General Assembly passed the largest transportation funding package in the history of the Commonwealth. Virginia is now counting on those of us in the transportation industry to staff up in order to get this work underway and on the streets. They are also counting on us to meet the taxpayers’ expectations, the Clients’ expectations, and the commuters’ expectations. In other words… to be On-Time, On-Budget, With Quality. – Keep your foot on the pedal.
The Virginia Department of Transportation, the District of Columbia Department of Transportation, and our local governments are counting on our Industry to know both their programs and policies, to understand their needs, and to deliver a quality product. – Keep your foot on the pedal.
There is no greater time than now to be associated with the transportation industry. This is the time to grow young engineers into experienced engineers and to challenge experienced engineers to deliver more complex projects. This is the time to think outside the box with design strategies that reduce cost and increase quality and to construct transportation projects more quickly with minimal impacts on the user and the environment. – Keep your foot on the pedal.
As our region continues to grow, there is a need for improved transportation facilities to increase the capacity of our transportation system including roads, bridges, and transit. Therefore, as an Industry, we must not relax our efforts to communicate the need for continued, sustainable transportation funding. – Keep your foot on the pedal.
ASHE is a wonderful way to support your Industry. ASHE provides the vehicle for you to grow professionally by networking with your peers and clients and to learn what the current transportation needs are regionally. – Keep your foot on the pedal.
I am happy to report that our Section continues to grow in members and that our members are getting more involved through our meetings, field trips, golf outings, and outside-ASHE functions, such as our technical seminars. – Keep your foot on the pedal.
I encourage you all to invite others to become ASHE members during this exciting time in the transportation industry. I look forward to seeing you at our next ASHE dinner meeting and remember… Keep your foot on the pedal.
Board Members
President Dennis Morrison, P.E.
Volkert, Inc.
1st Vice President David Hieber, P.E.
Dewberry
2nd Vice President Peter Vigliotti, P.E.
VDOT
Past President & Regional Rep Anand Patel, P.E. RK&K Engineers
Secretary
Tim Belcher, P.E. Dewberry
Treasurer
David Palfrey McDonough Bolyard Peck, Inc.
Director 2013-14
Phil Lohr, P.E., PTOE Volkert, Inc.
Director 2013-14
Adam Welschenbach, P.E., PTOE Rinker Design Associates, P.C.
Director 2012-15
Leonard Coleman, P.E., CMIT Prince William County DOT
Director 2012-15 Mark Warden
So-Deep, Inc.
Director 2013-16 Wayne Ma, P.E.
DMY Engineering Consultants
Director 2013-16 Carolyn Witzig, P.E., PTOE
Rinker Design Associates, P.C.
Young Member Coordinator Robert Cade, P.E.
Parsons Brinckerhoff
The ASHE Potomac Section Newsletter Winter 2013-14
THE DELINEATOR
DENNIS MORRISON, P.E.
POTOMAC SECTION – THE DELINEATOR – WINTER 2013-14 AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HIGHWAY ENGINEERS 2
D ewberry’s David Hieber, PE, has recently accepted an
academic position at George Mason University (GMU) as an adjunct professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering. As a senior bridge engineer in Dewberry's Fairfax, Virginia, office, this opportunity will allow him to pursue his passion for teaching while continuing to develop his career at Dewberry.
Hieber views the opportunity as a way to get back to the fundamentals of engineering, help students grow, and be part of the energy that e m a n a t e s f r o m a c o l l e g e atmosphere.
“A college campus is a unique environment,” Hieber said. “I appreciate the focus on thoughts, creation, art, and growth associated with academia.”
Hieber has 15 years of experience in the analysis, design, management, and preparation of highway bridges, pedestrian bridges, box culverts, retaining walls, and other associated highway structures. He holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from Virginia Tech and the University of Washington, respectively. He is first vice president of the American Society of Highway Engineers (ASHE) – Potomac Section and serves on the American Concrete Institute’s Committees 341, Earthquake-Resistant Concrete Bridges, and 343, Concrete Bridge Design.
DAVID HIEBER, P.E.
SPOTLIGHT DAVID HIEBER ACCEPTS ADJUNCT PROFESSOR
POSITION AT GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
Dewberry is a leading professional
services firm with a proven history of
providing architecture, engineering, and
management and consulting services to
a wide variety of public- and private-
sector clients. Recognized for combining
unsurpassed commitment to client
service with deep subject matter
expertise, Dewberry is dedicated to
solving clients’ most complex challenges
and transforming their communities.
Established in 1956, Dewberry is
headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, with
more than 40 locations and 1,800+
professionals nationwide. To learn
more, visit www.dewberry.com.
THE STEPHEN M. EVANS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS
FOR 2014
All applications must be submitted to Peter Vigliotti at [email protected] or at 11775 Stratford House Place, No. 305, Reston, Virginia 20190.
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must be undergraduate students planning to enter their junior or senior year in an ABET-accredited engineering program majoring in Civil Engineering for the Fall 2014 semester. Applicants must have a minimum overall GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale, and a minimum 3.0 GPA in their engineering-related course work.
SUBMISSION
Essay, Transcript, Résumé
ESSAY
Applicants must prepare a typed and double-spaced essay of at least 500 words describing the following: How the applicant became
interested in engineering. The applicant's personal goals as
they pertain to Transportation Engineering.
The contributions the applicant hopes to make to the transportation industry.
Do you have fr iends , fami ly members , or coworkers current ly pursuing an undergraduate degree in c iv i l eng ineer ing?
$5,000 in Scholarsh ips wi l l be ava i lab le th is Apr i l for students pursuing transportat ion eng ineer ing and re lated f ie lds .
APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY MARCH 17TH, 2014. Members of ASHE Potomac will perform the initial candidate screening based on the essay and transcript. The most suitable applications will be presented to the Potomac Section Board of Directors no later than April 7th, 2014 for the final selection.
POTOMAC SECTION – THE DELINEATOR – WINTER 2013-14 AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HIGHWAY ENGINEERS 3
A nyone who has ever traveled the I-95 corridor south of the Capital Beltway knows the meaning of
congested traffic. On the tails of the successfully completed I-495 Express Lanes (previously called HOT Lanes), Fluor-Lane 95 LLC, a joint venture comprised of Fluor Enterprises Inc. (Fluor) and The Lane Construction Corporation (Lane), is the design-builder of the more than $700 million I-95 Express Lanes project heading south from the Capital Beltway. This project in Northern Virginia will create approximately 29 miles of Express Lanes on I-95 from Alexandria, VA on the northern terminus, to Stafford, VA at the southern terminus to relieve some of the most congested traffic in the country.
There will be a seamless connectivity from the I-95 Express Lanes to the I-495 Express Lanes upon completion of this project.
The I-95 Express Lanes will add much-needed capacity to the existing HOV Lanes from just north of Edsall Road to Prince William Parkway and improves the two existing HOV lanes for six miles from Prince William Parkway to Route 234 in Prince William County. A new 9-mile reversible, two-lane extension of the existing HOV lanes from Dumfries to Garrisonville Road in Stafford County will alleviate the worst traffic bottleneck in the region.
Similar to the Capital Beltway Express Lanes project, this ‘extension’ of the Express Lanes System includes extensive ITS, tolling, and communication systems that will integrate with existing megaproject systems on the I-495 Express Lanes. Sound walls, asphalt mill and overlay, along with shoulder reconstruction, structural bridge work, and an 8.3-mile roadway extension consisting of major clearing, earthwork, and bridge flyovers are all part of the civil works of the 95 Express Lanes project. Extensive utility relocation efforts including past identification and data gathering, review of design concepts against existing utilities (pavement, structures, and signs), determination of mitigation measures, and ongoing coordination with numerous utility companies for both aerial and underground facilities took place during the first year of the project.
I-95 Express Lanes, a Design Build-Finance-Operations-Maintenance (DBFOM) Public-Private Partnership (P3) project, is one of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) Megaprojects with private partners of Transurban and Fluor. Construction began in
POTOMAC SECTION – THE DELINEATOR – WINTER 2013-14 AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HIGHWAY ENGINEERS 4
August 2012 with a substantial completion slated for late 2014 and final contract acceptance in March 2015.
Key challenges and achievements accomplished: I-95 Express Lanes involves an expeditious design schedule and challenging construction environment: Comprehensive Safety Plan and Traffic Management Plan developed to
create a safe work place for employees and the traveling public Over 2,000,000 safe work hours recorded without a lost time incident The Flour-Lane 95 joint venture contracted two design leads (HNTB and
HDR) to fast track the design to meet schedule deliverables Team collaboration amongst all stakeholders to produce a quality design
expeditiously to commence construction Fast track design started in March 2012 and measurable construction
commenced August 2012, just slightly over four months Dedicated and significant construction resources available to work day,
night shift, and weekends Significant small business and DBE participation—combined total 29%
Maintenance of Traffic: This project presents numerous site entrance and egress challenges and very tight work areas due to the heavy traffic conditions—particularly during morning and afternoon rush hours. The I-95/I-395 project corridor carries average daily traffic volumes of nearly 250,000 vehicles per day. Fluor-Lane 95 have helped mitigate this challenge by working closely with the designers and VDOT to establish Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) plans and have developed an extensive orientation and training program for supervisors and workers to assist in the implementation of these MOT programs.
Construction requires lane closures for bridge construction, ramp widening, barrier placement, sound wall construction, and
As always, check the VDOT website prior
to traveling in work zones and know what
to expect, where they are located, and how
you are expected to drive through these
work spaces. Before leaving, get the latest
information on traffic and road conditions by
calling 511, VDOT’s 24-hour interactive
telephone service. Or sign up to receive
personalized traffic alerts by e-mail or text
messages, at www.511virginia.org. Motorists
can also see real-time traffic camera images
on the 511 website.
Extensive public and
stakeholder involvement Railroad coordination
Environmental mitigation
Workforce development
Design management,
construction, and construction management of infrastructure aspects including: Roadwork Traffic signalization and ITS Significant bridge
structures include rehabbing 29 bridges and flyovers and construction of 9 new structures
Installation of over 400 sign structures along the corridor
Relocation of aerial and underground utility facilities
Analyses of safety, reliability,
and availability conducted during design and construction
Lifecycle optimization actions
taken during design and construction
I-95 EXPRESS LANES PROJECT UPDATE — CONTINUED
Flyover ramp foundation work and new
sound walls taking shape on I-395 north
near Edsall Road and Duke Street as part
of the I-95 Express Lanes Project. Aerial
photo provided by VDOT.
POTOMAC SECTION – THE DELINEATOR – WINTER 2013-14 AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HIGHWAY ENGINEERS 5
installation of new signage and toll gantries. Daytime lane closures will continue, and occasional full stoppages of traffic on I-95 during the overnight hours are being implemented to expedite construction. Motorists are advised to drive with caution through the 29-mile construction zone as several lane shifts are in place. Since the project began construction in August 2012, the HOV lanes have been closed on a nightly basis; this will continue until the construction is completed in late 2014.
Environmental Management: Beginning in January 2013, Fluor-Lane 95 led the efforts to restore Swan's Creek—a tributary to the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay—by installing erosion and sediment controls, placing stone along the creek bed, and micro-grading to allow for habitats and improvements to the overall water quality. The stream, which was identified more than seven years ago by Prince William County officials, had been severely eroded and degraded. With the completed restoration, the stream is now feeding higher-quality water into the region's waterways. In addition, nearly 7,500 new trees and shrubs were planted near Swan's Creek as part of the stream restoration effort. Project leaders worked with Prince William County to determine the highest stream improvement priority, resulting in the restoration of Swan's Creek.
Environmental Initiatives: Lane seeks opportunities on every project for environmental advantages, including Green initiatives. Below are some additional examples of Lane’s environmental ‘Green’ initiatives on this project: RAP in all asphalt mix designs Lime stabilization of the acid producing highly weathered rock, limestone lining of rock cut slopes,
eliminated the pH impact of the natural soils on project streams Recycling of project scrap metals, demolished signs, wire, guardrail Optimization of earthwork balance to minimize offsite export and import of material to project, reduced
trucking required for project, reduced the carbon footprint Warm Mix asphalt, reduced BTUs necessary for plant production of bituminous concrete and reduced
carbon footprint Lime stabilization of wet soils, reduced the need for site trucking, and reduced carbon footprint No burning was allowed on the project for clearing debris. All clearing debris was logged, mulched, and
recycled.
I-95 EXPRESS LANES PROJECT UPDATE — CONTINUED
I-95 Express Lanes work near the U.S.
Route 1 Interchange. Crews are adding a
new entry point into the median Express
Lanes. Aerial photo provided by VDOT.
Swan’s Creek Stream
Restoration in Prince
William County, VA.
I-95 Express Lanes bridge work over
Aquia Creek in Stafford County.
Aerial photo provided by VDOT.
POTOMAC SECTION – THE DELINEATOR – WINTER 2013-14 AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HIGHWAY ENGINEERS 6
Reversible Express Lanes Coming to I-95: When completed, buses and vehicles with three or more occupants will be able to ride in the lanes for free with an E-Z Pass Flex. Vehicles with one or two occupants will have the option to use the lanes by paying an electronic toll. By partnering with the private sector, the Commonwealth of Virginia will leverage nearly $1 billion in transportation improvements that will: Add capacity to I-95 to manage congestion; Provide travelers an option for a faster or more predictable trip; Expand the regional HOV/transit network by providing:
HOV in Stafford County Direct connectivity between 95 Express Lanes, 495 Express Lanes, I-66
HOV, and Dulles Toll Road HOV; Construct new access points to serve Virginia-based destinations, including
Tysons Corner and major military sites; Fix the major traffic bottleneck where HOV currently ends at Dumfries; Enhance enforcement and safety by funding more State Troopers, providing
dedicated incident-response crews and improved incident response; Improve performance of HOV system for faster, more predictable trips; Support nearly 8,000 jobs and generate $2 billion in economic activity.
I-95 EXPRESS LANES PROJECT UPDATE — CONTINUED
I-95 Express Lanes work near the U.S. Route 1
Interchange. Crews are adding a new entry point into the
median Express Lanes. Aerial photo provided by VDOT.
To learn more about the
I-95 Express Lanes, visit:
www.95expresslanes.com
To contribute an article for the next DELINEATOR, please contact Carolyn Witzig at [email protected].
POTOMAC SECTION – THE DELINEATOR – WINTER 2013-14 AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HIGHWAY ENGINEERS 7
Nick Nicholson, Deputy Director and Chief Engineer for DDOT, spoke at the February 18th meeting. Mr. Nicholson provided an overview of many of the District’s projects that are currently in design or construction and also identified a number of project opportunities that are currently available or that already have selected shortlists. A few major projects planned are: South Capitol Street Improvements—Expected to cost $608 million, Phase 1 of this two-phase project consists of a new Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, demolition of the existing bridge, and reconstruction of the I-295/Suitland Parkway interchange. Phase 2 will include a new interchange at Suitland Parkway/Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, reconstruction of South Capitol Street, and New Jersey Avenue streetscape improvements at a cost of $300 million. The shortlist for Phase 1 was released on January 31st. Integrated Premium Transit—This program combines streetcar and bus services within the District. DDOT plans to deliver IPT via a DBOM (Design-Build-Operate-Maintain) Contract and Pre-Development Agreement. The Contract will include a 22-mile Priority System for streetcars and will turn over control of DC Circulator Bus services with the potential for expansion to include other non-regional bus services. DDOT Managed Lanes—This project will analyze the feasability and then implement a Managed Lanes Network within the District. The proposed network of three independent corridors will be linked to provide access through DC while separating “thru-traffic” from local traffic. Single occupancy vehicle travel will be reduced by promoting multi-modal and high occupancy vehicle use. Similar to VDOT’s Express Lanes, tolling will be dynamic and all electronic while allowing free access to HOV-3+, transit buses, and motorcycles.
The January 15th meeting featured a presentation by Dr. Jose Gomez, Director of Research for VCTIR in Charlottesville, Virginia. Dr. Gomez spoke about the role VCTIR plays in bringing innovation to transportation in Virginia through VDOT’s research program. The core functions of VCTIR are to develop and deliver an applied research program that supports the VDOT mission, provide expert consultation to VDOT operations, provide post-research implementation support, provide technical oversight of university contract research, and provide educational opportunities for future professionals through graduate assistantship programs. Dr. Gomez went on to describe a number of the innovations currently being investigated at VCTIR. A few of these are:
Warm Mix Asphalt (when compared with standard Hot Mix Asphalt) has been shown to have improved compaction and density and a longer material life while allowing for a longer paving season, reduced emissions, and lower material costs.
Lightweight High Performance Concrete (LWHPC) can provide strength and durability with a reduced structure weight. The reduced dead load of LWHPC results in longer spans which reduces the number or size of necessary piers while easing transport and construction of the components.
Adaptive Traffic Signal Control provides automated retiming of signals to allow for seasonal variations in traffic flow, such as shopping or recreational traffic, as well as unexpected changes like crashes or special events. Adaptive traffic signals use advanced computing to optimize signals on the fly at individual intersections or along a route.
Jose Gomez, Ph.D. , P.E. Director of Research Virg in ia Center for Transportat ion Innovat ion and Research (VCTIR)
FEBRUARY MEETING
Ronaldo T. “Nick” Nicholson, P.E .
Deputy Director & Chie f Eng ineer for the Distr ict Department of
Transportat ion (DDOT)
JANUARY MEETING
ROUTE 33 OVER THE MATTAPONI RIVER
This bridge was constructed using
Lightweight High Performance
Concrete.
POTOMAC SECTION – THE DELINEATOR – WINTER 2013-14 AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HIGHWAY ENGINEERS 8
DECEMBER HOLIDAY PARTY
The Holiday Party took place on December 11th and was well-attended and enjoyed by the Potomac Section! During the extended happy hour, members and their spouses could take part in wine tasting provided by Paradise Springs Winery in Clifton and a chocolate fountain with many delicious items for dipping. During dinner, each table worked as a team to complete the trivia quiz, and after the results were tallied, the winning table walked away with prizes! Cornbread the Comic entertained everyone during dessert, eliciting guffaws and the occasional groan with his mix of engineering and West Virginia humor. Best of all, thanks to the donations of toys, clothes, and cash, the Potomac Section was able to cover all the “needs” and almost every “want” on the lists for the six children sponsored for the Salvation Army Angel Tree! In addition, we were able to provide a Macy’s gift card in the amount of $125 for each child to complete his or her wishlist. Thanks to everyone who attended and to all those who made Angel Tree donations!
POTOMAC SECTION – THE DELINEATOR – WINTER 2013-14 AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HIGHWAY ENGINEERS 9
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Registration begins at 12:00 noon with a box lunch
Driving Range available prior to the event
Four person/captain’s choice modified shotgun at 1:00 p.m.
Awards dinner following the tournament
Prizes will be awarded for closest to the pin and longest
drive, and to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place teams
Raffle tickets will be sold for great prizes!
Cost: $85 per golfer; $340 per foursome
(Includes green fees, cart, range balls, a box lunch,
refreshments and dinner)
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NEXT UP
Bull Run Golf Club 3520 James Madison Highway, Haymarket, VA 20169
S ign Up & Get More Info at : www.potomac .ashe .pro/events
TUESDAY, APRIL 8th, 2014
Golf Tournament To Benefit the Stephen M. Evans
Memorial Scholarship Fund
Save the dates !
Rain or
Shine! Register by Apri l 1st !
Note the special date:
the 4TH THURSDAY!
Mid-Atlantic Region Technical
Conference in Williamsburg
POTOMAC SECTION – THE DELINEATOR – WINTER 2013-14 AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HIGHWAY ENGINEERS 10
CONTRIBUTIONS & COMMENTS WELCOME! Visit the NEW website:
www.potomac.ashe.pro
The mission of the American Society of Highway Engineers is to provide a forum for members and partners of the highway industry to promote a safe, efficient and sustainable highway system through education, innovation and fellowship.
Thank you to our 2013-2014
Go ld Sponso rs
Do you have transportation projects, research, or educational activities that you think other members would like to hear about? We are always looking
for guest writers and article ideas for inclusion in the next DELINEATOR. Please contact Carolyn Witzig at [email protected].
Your company can become a Go ld Sponso r here: www.potomac .ashe .pro/sponsorship
