Projects, individuals honored for transportation excellence

ITD presented awards for project design and development, public participation and professional contributions last week at the Idaho Transportation Board meeting in Boise. The Excellence in Transportation Awards are given annually to recognize exceptional achievements in the development, planning and implementation of transportation projects throughout the state.

Award categories include transportation planning, small design projects, large design projects, construction and public participation. Two individual honors also are presented -- the ITD Career Achievement Award and the ITD Professional of the Year.

They are announced at the bi-annual design and development conference (held on odd calendar years) and during a transportation board meeting on alternate years.

2012 Excellence in Transportation Awards

Transportation
Planning
A project that utilized modeling and technology application, promoted land use integration, encouraged partnerships and collaborations and broadened public participation.
Project
State Street Transit & Traffic Operational Plan

Submitting Firm: Kittelson & Associates, Inc.

Ada County Highway District, City of Boise and Valley Regional Transit partnered to lead the State Street Transit and Traffic Operational Plan to develop an integration transportation and land use plan for the corridor, identify and prioritize roadway, transit and land use improvements and provide local agencies, stakeholders and the public with steps to achieve an integrated corridor vision.

A complex model evaluated five traffic alternatives in a three-tier process.

Public participation was enhanced using both community and technical committee input for public open house meetings.

Contributing agencies Ada County Highway District
City of Boise
Valley Regional Transit
Key personnel John Cullerton, URS
Rosemary Curtin, RBCI
Fred Kitchener, McFarland Management
Don Matson, COMPASS
Donald Newlands, Newlands & Company
Chris Zahas, Leland Consulting Group

Design: Small Project A project with a construction budget of less than $2 million that exhibited innovative solutions to design challenges, provided proper public outreach, built collaborative partnerships to the betterment of the user quality of the transportation system.

Project: I-84, New York Canal Modeling & Mitigation

Submitting firm: Horrocks Engineers, Inc.

I-84 bridge modifications that span the New York canal induced wave oscillations at the newly installed bridge piers and erosion along the eastern canal bank. Horrocks Engineers led a collaborative team, which included the Utah State University Water Research Laboratory, Boise Project Board of Control and ITD hydraulics resources to model the observed wave oscillations, the canal erosion impact and develop erosion solutions.

A scale physical model precisely simulated the wave phenomena. An innovative, nose-cone shape was added to the bridge pier leading edge, which completely eliminated the oscillation and the canal erosion.

This $600,000 solution was well below budget and exceeded client expectations.

Contributing agencies Utah St. Univ. Water Research Laboratory
Boise Project Board of Control
ITD Resource Center
Key personnel Bryan Foote, P.E., Horrocks Engineers
Daris Bruce, P.E., ITD - D3
Tim Page, Boise Project Board of Control
Tom Points, P.E., ITD - D3
Dr. William Rahmeyer, Utah St. Research Lab.
Lotwick Reese, P.E., ITD Resource Center


Design: Large Project A project with a construction budget of more than $2 million that exhibited innovative solutions to design challenges, provided proper public outreach, built collaborative partnerships to the betterment of the user quality of the transportation system.

Project: I-84, Ten Mile Interchange

Submitting Firm: H.W. Lochner, Inc.

H.W. Lochner, ITD and the City of Meridian worked together to integrate the project design with the City’s comprehensive plan, exiting residencies, increasing land use values and stakeholders expectations. Lochner accelerated the right-of-way acquisition, environmental review approval and final design.

Lochner analyzed six interchange types to determine the best value design to meet stakeholder expectations.

The innovative Single-point Urban Interchange reduced the footprint, minimized right-of-way impacts, and environmental considerations, while improving traffic efficiency.

Contributing agency City of Meridian
Key personnel Ted Bush, P.E., HDR Inc.
Robert Cleere, P.E., H.W. Lochner
Stan Crawforth, P.E., American Geotechnics
Rosemary Curtin, RBCI
Cortney Gibbs, P.E., H. W. Lochner
Lew Venard, P.E., H.W Lochner

Construction A project that used innovative construction approaches, formed partnerships, enhanced the overall transportation experience and met the project scope, schedule and budget goals.
Project: Topaz Bridge Submitting Agency: District 5— ITD

This project spanned many sensitive areas, it utilized flexibility and innovative design techniques to accomplish the project with minimal disturbance.

Major project challenges consist of simultaneously maintaining the mainline railroad, US-30 highway traffic and the Marsh Valley canal using construction phases, while constructing bridge approaches over unstable ground prone to differential settlement and soil liquefaction.

An innovative use of geo-foam achieved a net-zero loading, which formed an economical bridge approach foundation.

Contributingf firms JUB Engineers, Inc.
Terracon
Key personnel Dr. John Horvath, Heller & Johnson
Joe Pihlaja, P.E., ITD - D5
Jim Porter, P.E., JUB Engineers
Mike Stoddart, ITD - D5
Tim Swenson, P.E., ITD - D5 (in memoriam)
Clair Waite, P.E., Terracon

Public Participation Efforts that incorporated creative visual displays, utilized innovative communication techniques, engaged the media and broadened public participation in the transportation planning process.

Project: Eagle Road Improvement Project

Submitting firm: RBCI

RBCI and ITD produced the Department’s first “online” public meeting with a live question and answer session. Several creative techniques to engage the public include using QR codes to communicate information electronically.
Eagle Road project exemplifies RBCI and ITD’s joined ability to successfully gather input and conduct community education about Eagle Road’s safety improvement needs.

RBCI’s efforts during the development of the Eagle Road improvements has set the Department up for a positive transition into construction.

Contributing agencies ITD - D3
Key personnel Wade Christiansen, ITD - D3
Rosemary Curtin, RBCI
Reed Hollinshead, ITD Office of Communications
Kate Nice, RBCI
Adam Rush, ITD Office of Communications
Dave Tuttle, ITD Office of Communications

 

Public Participation Efforts that incorporated creative visual displays, utilized innovative communication techniques, engaged the media and broadened public participation in the transportation planning process.

Project: Eagle Road Improvement Project

Submitting firm: RBCI

RBCI and ITD produced the Department’s first “online” public meeting with a live question and answer session. Several creative techniques to engage the public include using QR codes to communicate information electronically.
Eagle Road project exemplifies RBCI and ITD’s joined ability to successfully gather input and conduct community education about Eagle Road’s safety improvement needs.

RBCI’s efforts during the development of the Eagle Road improvements has set the Department up for a positive transition into construction.

Contributing agencies ITD - D3
Key personnel Wade Christiansen, ITD - D3
Rosemary Curtin, RBCI
Reed Hollinshead, ITD Office of Communications
Kate Nice, RBCI
Adam Rush, ITD Office of Communications
Dave Tuttle, ITD Office of Communications

 

ITD Career Achievement An ITD employee with 20+ years of service who has made many significant contributions and has shown extraordinary dedication to the organization and his/her peers.
David R. Amick,
Manager of Transportation Investments

Dave began his career with ITD more than 32 years ago. He started in Personnel and then was promoted to Office of Highway Safety and eventually promoted to Manager of Highway Programming in December of 1993. This move afforded him many opportunities to be innovative in adapting to the changing needs of the Department while promoting and mentoring those under his tutelage. Some of Dave’s career achievements include:
Implementation of the State Transportation Investment Program (STIP) and necessary update processes including the creation of the IPA and ITIP programs used by the Districts.

  • Implementation of Project Tracking taking it from a mainframe server to a relational server in Access. This was an important step in tracking all statewide project funding, critical to ensuring all funding was expended.
  • Committed to the development of his staff by providing training opportunities (formal and informal) relating to Federal Highway funding and legislative changes.
  • Exemplary communications skills that enabled Dave to gain consensus within parties that often have diverse perspectives and conflicting views.
  • Dave has been an asset to the department and his expertise and familiar face will be greatly missed!

ITD Professional of the Year
A professional who shows unwavering commitment to the goals and growth of their department through technical excellence or the leadership/managerial roles they assume.
Mary Harker
Chief Human Resource Officer

Mary’s career with ITD began over 30 years ago in the area of Human Resources. Some examples of her leadership and commitment to the department include:

  • Serving as the chairperson of the AASHTO Subcommittee on Personnel and Human Resources from 2006 to present, providing ITD the conduit to develop and share state best practices.
  • Mission of continuous improvement of human resource (HR) programs and services to ensure that HR supports the strategic direction of ITD of being the best, and that services provide customers with value-added consultation and advice. A by-product from this mission has been national awards for several HR-related efforts.
  • Representing Idaho as chairperson on the Transportation Research Board NCHRP PROJECT 20-72 PANEL—Workforce Toolkit and contributor of numerous other national committees
  • Mary is dedicated to her professional growth and that of her staff. She earned a micro MBA and many certifications within a variety of human resource disciplines. She mentors staff and provides them the opportunity and security to learn, make mistakes, and grow within their own careers.

The Excellence in Transportation Awards recognize exceptional achievements in the development, planning, and implementation of transportation projects throughout Idaho. Award recipients were selected in a statewide competition, based on their outstanding accomplishments. Additional projects nominated include:

Transportation Planning
Greater Idaho Falls Alternatives Transportation Study,
DKS Associates

Downtown Nampa Traffic Alternatives Analysis, URS

Design: Large Project
SH-162, Four corners to M.P. 13.1, ITD District 2

Driggs Main Street Improvements, ITD District 6

More’s Creek Bridge Repair and Retrofit, HDR Engineering

Construction
More’s Creek Bridge Repair and Retrofit, ITD District 3

Menan Lorenzo Interchange, US-20, ITD District 6

Public participation
I-way Planning and Coordination Process, CTAI

I-84, West, Garrity to Franklin, Langdon Group

Greater Idaho Falls Transportation Alternatives, DKS Associates

The awards program also recognizes nominations for exceptional contributions made by individuals

Career Achievement
Wade Christiansen, ITD Project Manager
Dave Couch, P.E., D2 Traffic Engineer
Mary Harker, ITD CHRO

ITD Professional of the Year
Vicky Jewell Guerra, HQ Environmental Planner, Sr.

Published 6-22-2012