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Merrick, Main join ITD management makeover

Karen Merrick and Carl Main became the latest additions to the ITD Headquarters' facelift, accepting promotions to the top spots in Construction/Materials and Design/Traffic April 28.

Merrick, the new Materials/Construction engineer for the Division of Engineering Services, has worked in various engineering fields since graduating from Northern Arizona University in 2001. She has experience in land development, transportation and environmental fields. Merrick joined ITD in 2008 as the Pavement Management engineer. She helped implement the TAMS system in 2010 and became the Right-of-Way manager in 2013.

She brings pavement knowledge, materials knowledge, and technical-writing skills to the position and said she is eager to get started and strengthen ITD's relationships with AGC and bring new ideas and innovations back to ITD.

"This is such a great opportunity," Karen said. "I am really excited to support the districts and their work with contractors."

Main is the new Design/Traffic engineer. He will be responsible for providing solutions, technical support, standards and specifications for the districts to use as they design projects. While the Traffic assignment is a continuation of some of his existing responsibilities, the Design, Hydraulics and Geometrics areas will be new interests and opportunities to serve.

Main earned a degree in civil engineering from the University of Idaho in 1983. He began working for ITD in 1988 after a short stint with the Oregon Department of Transportation. Since starting as an EIT in District 3, he has worked as a designer in Bridge, an associate in Contract Administration, a project engineer in a Residency, a project manager in Design, the assistant state Traffic engineer, the state Maintenance Services engineer and the state Traffic Services engineer.

Some of Main's accomplishments include working with the Legislature on traffic issues, coordinating the Traffic Working Group, creating the Work Zone Safety and Mobility programs, awarding the telecommunications installations on Interstate 84 and Interstate 90, and designing the Wye Interchange, still one of the most traffic-critical and successful projects in state history.

"I see this reorganization in headquarters as an exciting time," Main said. "We have the opportunity to take a look into the future and decide how we will adjust."

"Both Carl and Karen bring valuable experience to their new positions, along with a positive vision for the future," explained Blake Rindlisbacher, Engineering Services Division administrator, in announcing the new positions.