Public Works articles from December 2000

Public Works archives from December 2000

GIS stars in the show.
December 1, 2000... Public works people are no strangers to the myriad applications of GIS technology, but now prime-time television is acquainted with what GIS can do. The new CBS crime drama, The District, "stars" COMSAT, a real-world system used by law...

Winter maintenance research pays.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 1, 2000... The Salt Institute (Alexandria, Virginia) reports, "With the investment of $45 million over 20 years, a 25-page Federal Highway Administration study titled, 'Summary of SHRP Research and Economic Benefits of Snow and Ice Control (found at...

When walking may be hazardous to your health.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... A recent report from the Surface Transportation Policy Project, "Mean Streets 2000" (available at www.transact.org), paints a scary picture of pedestrian safety in some of our major cities. According to federal records, pedestrians in Tampa,...

Using paint to cool cities.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... A NASA-EPA study (www.ghcc.msfc.nasa.gov/urban/) reports that white roofs, lighter-colored pavement, and trees that shade parking lots and paved areas can reduce heat and pollution in cities that may otherwise be two to eight degrees warmer...

No Y2K this year.
December 1, 2000... It's hard to believe that the benchmark year 2000 is already coming to an end. For all those people who maintain that January 1, 2001 is the "true" millenium, here it is at last. And we can expect that it will be welcomed with a little less...

The Transportation Department has approved grants totaling $93.9 million for 92 projects in its Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) program.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The projects are in 41 states and the District of Columbia. ITS projects use computer and communications technology to maximize the use and the performance of the nation's transportation infrastructure. DOE said ITS improves safety and...

In early November President Clinton signed the Estuaries and Clean Waters Act of 2000.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The law reauthorizes the National Estuary Program, the Chesapeake Bay Program, the Long Island Sound Program, and the Clean Lakes Program. It sets a goal of restoring one million acres of estuary habitat by 2010 and authorizes $275 million over...

The EPA is issuing grants to help ten communities clean abandoned underground storage tanks (USTs) leaking petroleum.(Environmental Protection Agency)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The program places special emphasis on communities with environmental problems caused by the gasoline additive methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE). Modeled after EPA's "Brown-fields" toxic waste clean-up program, the "USTfields," program...

The EPA has issued a final rule to ban the discharge of up to 700,000 lb/year of toxic chemicals into the Great Lakes.(Environmental Protection Agency)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... It said the chemicals including mercury, dioxin, PCBs, and pesticides, accumulate in fish and wildlife. Mercury discharges alone will be reduced by up to 90 percent. The action specifically bans the discharge of the most toxic chemicals through...

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was preparing to issue a revised draft of its controversial ergonomics rule.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... Unless OSHA acted first, Congress was expected to intervene in the issue during its "lame duck" post-election session. OSHA wants to issue the final rule, which would reduce repetitive motion injuries in American workplaces, so it would be...

DESIGN/BUILD/OPERATE: A Contract Solution for Tampa Bay Water.(Tampa Bay, Florida)
December 1, 2000... Tampa Bay Water is a state agency, created by interlocal agreement among Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, Pasco County, New Port Richey, St. Petersburg, and Tampa. It is a wholesale water provider and owns 12 regional groundwater...

BRIDGE REHABILITATION SOLVES Water Seepage Problems.
December 1, 2000... In 1992, Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. (GPI) was named by the Massachusetts Highway Department (MHD) to undertake the renovation of the Hanover-Pembroke Bridge, a two-lane bridge carrying traffic traveling on Route 53 across the North River. The...

PREPARING FOR PUBLIC SCRUTINY DURING Bridge Lead Paint Removal.
December 1, 2000... If you're a bridge owner, consultant, or contractor performing bridge lead paint rehabilitation in an urban environment and you have a strange feeling someone is lurking in the shadows watching your every move-don't be afraid, you're not alone....

OHIO COUNTY IMPLEMENTS Coordinated Bridge Design Policy.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... Franklin County's policy on bridge aesthetics simply states that the aesthetic character of the bridge must stem from the structural nature of the bridge and that all elements are functional. There can be no false facades or non-functioning...

DESIGN/BUILD APPROACH A SUCCESS FOR Bridging the Salt River.
December 1, 2000... As the fourth largest county in the United States--and an area with seemingly no limit to its phenomenal growth--the Maricopa County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) faces numerous transportation challenges. One of these challenges was...

OREGON COUNTIES PULL TOGETHER FOR Improved Pavement Maintenance.
December 1, 2000... From the day the first wagon set out on the Oregon Trail in spring 1841, the road network of Oregon has been ever evolving. From that first trail to the modern day total of 85,259 miles, preventive maintenance has been a constantly under-funded...

GRADE CONTROL GUIDELINES FOR Smooth HMA Pavements.
December 1, 2000... Smoothness requirements are equally important to the satisfactory completion of a project as any other construction item. Studies show that smooth pavements are less costly to maintain and result in higher motor vehicle efficiency. Motorists...

FLORIDA'S VEGETATIVE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM A Roadside Attraction.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... To capture the state's natural beauty while reducing vegetative pests on highway rights-of-why, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) relies on a truly integrated vegetation control plan that includes a wildflower planting program....

GUIDELINES FOR Safe Mowing Practices.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... Road and street maintenance workers do three general types of mowing, including safety mowing, transition mowing, and selective mowing. Safety mowing makes sure signs and other traffic control devices, guardrails, and other safety features...

RELATING THE ADA TO Public Works Facilities.
December 1, 2000... You may have heard that changes to the Americans with Disabilities Act will occur soon. Clarification and explanation are finally on the way, due to an outcry from employers, employees, lawyers, lawmakers, design professionals, and the public...

RECENT RESTORATION MAKES Yankee Doodle Dandy.
December 1, 2000... The recent restoration of the Yankee Doodle Ground Storage Reservoir, located in Eagan, Minnesota, was unique in several respects. Usually there are fewer unknowns going into a project and that tends to limit project stakeholders to the owner,...

How three cities handle equipment budgeting.(Denver, Colorado)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The Fleet Maintenance Division at Denver's Public Works Department had a problem. A number of the city's 15 barrel-loader trash trucks seemed to be breaking down too often, at just three years old. And they weren't minor breakdowns. "We...

Phoenix, Arizona.(How three cities handle equipment budgeting, part 2)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... For the city of Phoenix, the three factors that govern equipment replacement are "age, mileage or utilization, and cost of operation," says Andy Andrews, fleet control manager for the Equipment Management Division of the city's Department of...

Des Plaines emphasizes long-term planning.(How three cities handle equipment budgeting, part 3)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... In Des Plaines, Illinois, the Department of Public Works maintains what it calls a Capital Equipment Replacement Fund (CERF). What is CERF? "We project out our equipment needs for 20 years," says Howard Killian, the city's director of public...

Regarding the October 2000 article, "Determining Wastewater Utility Charges: Budgeting and Rate Reviews".(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... Gentlemen: The October 2000 issue of Public Works' article, "Budgeting and Rate Reviews" by Brian Roth, P.E., should be in the file of every public works official and all consultants that design and/or recommend rates. The building of...

Please note the following announcement.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... Rental Service Corporation announces: "While Rental Service Corporation (RSC) may not have the largest rental fleet, we do have one of the largest. We would like to apologize for any confusion due to this statement made in a previous ad."

Cities are surveyed on roadside and turf maintenance equipment needs.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... Over 8,200 cities in the U.S. and Canada were recently surveyed as part of the Public Works 2000 City Engineering Survey. Cities were queried on purchase plans for roadside and turf maintenance equipment and chemical needs. Forty-nine percent...

Membrane wastewater plant under construction.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... CDM Engineers & Constructors Inc. (CDM E&C), the design/build, general contracting, and equipment fabrication subsidiary of Camp Dresser & McKee Inc. (Cambridge, Massachusetts), has begun construction of a new wastewater treatment facility for...

Bridge replacements are planned.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... Horner & Shifrin, Inc., Engineers/Architects/Planners (St. Louis, Missouri), is providing final design plans for replacement of the McKinley and Salisbury bridges over 1-70 in north St. Louis for the Missouri Department of Transportation. ...

General engineering consultant named for Katy Freeway.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The Houston District of the Texas Department of Transportation has selected the Houston office of Parsons Brincker-hoff (PB) to serve as general engineering consultant for the reconstruction and expansion of a 20-mile portion of IH-10 in...

Highway design contract awarded.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has awarded a $16-million contract to Michael Baker Jr., Inc. (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) to provide preliminary engineering, final design, and consultation services during construction of...

Los Angeles river project to become part of national record.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The Los Angeles, California Department of Public Works Bureau of Engineering is working on a project to restore, preserve, and document 15 local historic landmark bridges for the national archives of the Library of Congress. Working in...

City turns to software to manage various city functions.(Las Vegas, Nevada)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... Las Vegas, Nevada has chosen Hansen Information Technologies (Sacramento, California) to provide an enterprise-wide, municipal management software system. Las Vegas will be using Hansen solutions to manage the infrastructure, utility billing,...

Water reclamation facility to expand.(Orange County, Florida)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... Orange County Utilities has chosen the design/build joint venture of CDM Engineers & Constructors Inc. and Sverdrup Civil, Inc. to expand the South Water Reclamation Facility, part of Orange County, Florida's nationally recognized wastewater...

University to upgrade its engineering program.(Purdue University)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, is greeting the new millennium with a long-term, $200-million plan to upgrade its Schools of Engineering facilities and expand them by almost 60 percent. The first step in the plan is the construction...

Monument is installed made of dredged sediments.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... Eco-Set[TM], a fastsetting single component liquid additive that hardens numerous forms of minerals such as sand into a hard waterproof polymer cement, was used to form a monument for the U.S. Army's Norfolk, Virginia district. The monument is...

Metropolitan District Commission implements seamless SAP R/3 and GIS solution.(Hartford, Connecticut)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) of Hartford, Connecticut has successfully implemented a spatially enabled SAP R/3 system integrated with GIS technology from ESRI (Redlands, California). The system went online last fall, providing MDC...

Islander II with Key Option.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The Islander II system now has an option for a smart key reader similar to the company's popular FleetKey. The key has read/write capability giving fleet operators transportable odometers and user selectable PINs. A Mag card/smart key...

Fuel Management System.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The RNI 2000 fuel management system is a fully automated "hands free" system offering 24-hour unattended, self-service vehicle refueling. The RNI 2000 eliminates human errors and unauthorized fueling. It features automatic mileage and engine...

Electronic Fuel Access.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... With the Phoenix FL6 turnkey fuel control system, you know where every drop of fuel goes no matter when it is pumped, 24 hours a day. Pump access is controlled with cards or the rugged DuraKey [TM.] By virtually eliminating manual record...

Fuel Island Terminal.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... This firm says fleet managers will benefit from the advanced technology and the many unique, standard features of its C/OPT fuel island terminal. Besides proprietary cards, the C/OPT is compatible with a wide selection of commercial fueling...

Fuel Control Terminal.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The Fuel Control Terminal (FCT) standalone unit stores transaction data, and driver and vehicle records, including fuel restriction information. The remote-mounted FCT is a specialized computer that interfaces to existing gasoline, diesel, CNG,...

Protects Against Rebar Corrosion.(Zinc-Hydrogel Anode 4727)(Product Information)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... Zinc-Hydrogel Anode 4727 consists of a zinc foil coated with a pressure sensitive hydrogel adhesive that can conduct ionic current. After covering the surface of the concrete with the product, installers wire it through the concrete to the...

Rotary Cutters.(MX rotary cutters)(Product Information)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The "Double Decker" design of the MX rotary cutters includes two welded decks, each up to 0.138 in. thick, that form the upper and lower surface of the rotary cutter frame. This design, along with internal stiffeners, provides extra rigidity...

Sludge Level Detector.(Sludge Gun)(Product Information)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The portable Sludge Gun [R] quickly locates the sludge beds in clarifiers and settling tanks. A probe is lowered into the liquid, and bursts of infrared light travel from an LED across the probe gap to a photo transistor, and a solid-state...

Front Loader Plastic Container.(4-yd waste container)(Product Information)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
December 1, 2000... This company's new heavy-duty 4-yd waste container for use with front loaders is made from 100 percent recycled plastic. Equipped with rustproof hardware, it will never rust and is easily cleaned and maintained. Heavy-duty rubber skids on the...

Flexible Storm Sewer Connectors.(Product Information)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... Flexible connectors are increasingly being used on storm sewer projects instead of brick and mortar joints. With flexible connectors, the pipe is placed into the structure. That's it. Minor backfill settlement will not affect the flexible...

New Tool Carrier.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The Model LW130TC integrated tool carrier wheel loader boasts the breakout force needed for digging operations and it can run a variety of work tools. It is specifically suited to working with loads, such as pallets, that need to be kept level...

Truck Vibrator.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The Model DC-3500 "Big Bertha" dump truck vibrator reduces downtime and maintenance costs on tailgates, clutches, and brakes, by eliminating slamming brakes, banging tailgates, and jerking hoists to empty the load. A 12-volt heavy-duty DC motor...

Portable Valve Turner.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The Pow-R-Drive portable hand-held valve operator can turn valves from 4 to 60 in. Choose among hydraulic, electric, or pneumatic models. The Pow-R-Arm supports the Pow-R-Drive valve operator, taking away the need to balance or lift during...

Catch Basin Cleaner.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The Model Vac/All LV16-C catch basin cleaner can perform a variety of tasks with a single operator. A 16,500-cfm blower vacuums up muck, debris, rocks, bottles, and large volumes of water from packed-solid catch basins through a large tube. A...

9-Ft Tub Grinder.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The HD-9 tub grinder is said to be the first 9-ft machine available. The HD-9's tub tilts hydraulically to 90[degrees] for easy, unobstructed access to the hammermill. The unit is available with a 275-hp electronically-governed-John Deere...

Bantam Paint Striper.(Bantam XL paint striper)(Product Information)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The Bantam XL paint striper features 4-hp Honda overhead valve engine, automatic spray gun, universal gun mount, 10.2-cfm twin-cylinder compressor, all welded steel construction, 2.5- or 5-gal paint tank, 10-in, pneumatic wheels, disposable...

Filter Bed Underdrain System.(Scuba water and wastewater filter bed underdrain system)(Product Information)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The Scuba [TM] water and wastewater filter bed underdrain system for retrofits and plant expansions supports dual or mixed media without a gravel layer, allowing filters to operate at up to 30 percent higher flow rates, providing increased...

Welcome Skateboarders.(Skateboard Bench for parks designed to deter skateboarders)(Product Information)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... Yes, says this company, you can welcome skateboarders and in-line skaters into your parks without fear of having your benches damaged by over-zealous enthusiasts using them as launching pads. The new Skateboard Bench has a cross-bar in the...

Composite Light Poles.(SRC composite poles)(Product Information)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... Non-conductive SRC composite poles come in 3 different finishes: the economical and attractive Spiral finish; the Preferred finish, a sanded product with an exterior resin layer to enhance the smooth appearance and protect against abrasives;...

Water Depth Recorder.(Model 8007WDP submersible water depth recorder)(Product Information)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The Model 8007WDP submersible water depth recorder provides a precision digitally-corrected pressure transducer and fully-programmable data logger integrated into a stainless steel housing. A Kevlar [TM] reinforced cable with integral vent tube...

Aboveground Fuel Tanks.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... Fire-Hoppers [TM] are low-profile, secondarily contained, fire-protected aboveground fuel storage tanks. The UL-2085 listed Fire-Hopper is a double-walled steel tank with lightweight porous insulating material between the two walls, providing...

Property values not determined by potential rezoning.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The North Carolina Court of Appeals heard the case of Department of Transportation vs. Curtis D. Mahaffey and Margaret W. Mahaffey. Defendants appealed the entry of an order denying their motion for a judgment notwithstanding the verdict and in...

Performance First, Inc.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... Performance First, Inc. (Remus, Michigan) is offering the following safety update kits free of charge to all Brush Bandit chippers (Bandit Industries, Inc., Remus, Michigan) not already equipped with the devices: weldon infeed extension pan,...

BG Technology, Inc.(settles case with Miller Pipeline Corp.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... BG Technology, Inc. (U.S. subsidiary of BG Group plc, formerly British Gas plc) and Miller Pipeline Corporation (Indianapolis, Indiana) announce that they have settled their litigation involving the BG pipebursting patents for the method of...

The University of Wisconsin-Madison.
December 1, 2000... The University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dept. of Engineering Professional Development, will offer a seminar, Upgrading Your Sanitary Sewer Maintenance Program, February 5 to 7, 2001 in Madison, Wisconsin. Attendees will learn about: preventive...

Doug Wilson, E.I.T.(hired by Reid Middleton Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... Doug Wilson, E.I.T. has joined Reid Middleton, Inc.'s (Everett, Washington) Structural Engineering Group as a design engineer.

A new welding robot.(Leach Company Inc. adds robot to assembly line)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... A new welding robot being integrated into the Leach Company's (Oshkosh, Wisconsin) manufacturing assembly line is expected to double work station welding production. The robot will weld tailgate sides for Leach's 2RII rear loaders. Two...

Joining Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson.(Johnson, Mirmiran and Thompson)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... Joining Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson (Baltimore, Maryland) are Charles R. Olsen, P.E. as vice president and division Manager, and stephen H. Beck as senior associate and manager.

CarteGraph.(CarteGraph Systems Inc. award)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... CarteGraph (Dubuque, Iowa) announces that Riley County, Kansas is the recipient of its annual Excellence in Asset Management Award, which was presented at the company's recent Users Conference. Riley County has used the company's software...

The John Deere Worldwide Commercial & Consumer Equipment Division.(John Deere Worldwide Commercial and Consumer Equipment Division builds new headquarters)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... The John Deere Worldwide Commercial & Consumer Equipment Division recently broke ground on its new headquarters in Cary, North Carolina. The 156,000-sq ft, four-story building is expected to be the first of several buildings to be built on a...

BRICKBuilder software from ADDCO, Inc.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
December 1, 2000... BRICKBuilder software from ADDCO, Inc. (St. Paul, Minnesota) for designing and configuring the company's BRICK (R) modular message signs to meet your requirements can be downloaded for free at www.addcoinc.com.

James T. Stievater.(Executive Changes)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... James T. Stievater has been named a senior vice president at PB Constructors Inc., the design/build construction subsidiary of Parsons Brinckerhoff (New York, New York).

M. Denise Carter, P.E.(Greenman-Pedersen Inc. branch manager)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... M. Denise Carter, P.E., has been named branch manager for the Babylon, New York office of Greenman-Pedersen, Inc.

HDR Engineering, Inc.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2000... HDR Engineering, Inc. (Omaha, Nebraska) has named Cindy Cornelius a senior vice president.

Water Treatment Buyers' Guide.
December 1, 2000... [TABLE HAS BEEN CLIPPED]