Public Works articles from February 2006

Public Works archives from February 2006

Large or small.(Editorial)
February 1, 2006... My home is on a dirt road about a mile outside of the tiny town of Lyons, Colo. My "neighbors" are an independent bunch who raise goats and build their own homes. Typical of people who live in the country, far from cities and towns, they are...

EPA sets new incinerator standards.(News & Views)
February 1, 2006... The U.S. EPA has issued new standards for other solid waste incinerators (OSWI) to help reduce air pollutants. The standards will reduce approximately 1900 tons per year of air pollution from an estimated 248 OSWIs, which consist of very small...

Training promotes water security.(News & Views)
February 1, 2006... A new training program, developed by the American Water Works Association, Water Environment Federation, and American Society of Civil Engineers, has been released to help water and wastewater utilities enhance security at their facilities. The...

Groundwater system wins award.(News & Views)
February 1, 2006... The Groundwater Replenishment System--the largest water purification project of its kind and a joint project of the Orange County Water District and Orange County Sanitation District--received the 2005 Governor's Environmental and Economic...

Bridge group recognizes design excellence.(AWARDS)
February 1, 2006... The National Steel Bridge Alliance (NSBA) has announced the winners of its 2005 Prize Bridge Awards. Winning designs were recognized during the 2005 World Steel Bridge Symposium, held Nov. 29 to Dec. 2 in Orlando, Fla. [ILLUSTRATION...

Biological phosphorus study.(News & Views)
February 1, 2006... The Water Environment Research Federation has published results of a study completed by Omaha, Neb.-based HDR Inc. that examines the reliability of enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) in reducing phosphorus to low levels in wastewater...

Transportation award entries sought.(News & Views)
February 1, 2006... The American Road & Transportation Builders Association Transportation Development Foundation is seeking nominations for its seventh annual "PRIDE Awards," which honor excellence in community relations and public education that enhance the...

Great Lakes Town Hall seeks input.(COMMUNITY)
February 1, 2006... The Madison, Wis.-based Biodiversity Project has announced a project seeking input from residents in the Great Lakes region to discuss conservation, pollution, and other factors affecting the area. The Great Lakes Town Hall is a Web-based...

Asphalt demand increasing.(DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION)
February 1, 2006... World demand for asphalt products is projected to increase 2.3% per year to 114 million metric tons in 2009, according to a report by The Freedonia Group, Cleveland. North America is the largest regional market for asphalt, accounting for...

Missouri city to build bioreactor landfill.(News & Views)
February 1, 2006... Officials in Columbia, Mo., have agreed to construct a bioreactor for the city's Columbia Sanitary Landfill, an effort that could increase the landfill's life by five years. Construction on the bioreactor is expected to begin this year and cost...

Hoist elected IRTBA president.(News & Views)
February 1, 2006... Kathleen Holst, regional vice president of traffic safety for Chicago-based NES Rental Holdings, has been elected president of the Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association for 2006-2007. Holst's appointment marks the first time a...

Highway project lands award.(AWARDS)
February 1, 2006... St. Louis-based consulting firm Horner & Shifrin Inc. received a Merit Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois for its Phase I study of solutions to eliminate flooding on Interstate 55, 10 miles south of...

House introduces Clean Water Trust Act.(RULES & REGULATIONS)
February 1, 2006... A bill that could allot $7.5 billion annually to improve the quality of America's waters was introduced into Congress on Dec. 16. Introduced by the chairman of the House Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee, Rep. John J. Duncan Jr....

Alaska utility steps up customer service.(OPERATIONS)
February 1, 2006... The Anchorage Water & Wastewater Utility--seeking to streamline customer service and billing operations--has implemented a new customer information system to serve its 55,000 clients. Atlanta-based Indus International Inc. provided the...

Drinking water rules finalized.(News & Views)
February 1, 2006... The U.S. EPA has finalized two related drinking water protection rules. The Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule is designed to reduce the risk of disease-causing microorganisms from entering water supplies, and the Stage 2...

Policy to improve wastewater treatment.(News & Views)
February 1, 2006... The U.S. EPA has proposed a policy for addressing peak wet weather discharges at wastewater treatment plants. The policy encourages public participation via the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit process, and provides for...

Tree of the year announced.(ASSOCIATIONS)
February 1, 2006... The Society of Municipal Arborists (SMA) has chosen the Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus) as its Urban Tree of the Year. The tree was selected for its ability to adapt to a variety of harsh urban conditions and its strong ornamental...

No limits on many contaminants.(RULES & REGULATIONS)
February 1, 2006... The first nationwide compilation of tap water testing results from drinking water utilities reflects widespread contamination of drinking water with scores of contaminants for which there are no enforceable health standards. Over a...

Tools aid in arsenic control.(News & Views)
February 1, 2006... The U.S. EPA has released a set of user-friendly multimedia products to help small drinking-water utilities meet revised regulations to control arsenic. The tools will provide owners and operators with information to guide them in making...

Hydraulics standards released on CD-ROM.(News & Views)
February 1, 2006... The Hydraulic Institute has released its newest version of ANSI/HI Pump Standards on CD-ROM. ANSI/HI Pump Standards on CD-ROM, Version 2.0, contains the full text of all ANSI/HI Standards, and features several enhanced search and navigation...

San Diego dedicates new reservoir.(DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION)
February 1, 2006... San Diego mayor Jerry Sanders and councilmember Jim Madaffer recently helped the San Diego Water Department dedicate the new Earl Thomas Reservoir at the Alvarado Water Treatment Plant. The reservoir is the largest, pre-stressed concrete...

Entries sought for awards program.(AWARDS)
February 1, 2006... This magazine's Public Works Department of the Year program is now seeking entries for its 2006 competition. This annual awards competition recognizes the best public works department or division of a public works department that combines all...

Small, medium, or large: how do small towns size up to large cities?(Special report)(Cover story)
February 1, 2006... David versus Goliath. Efficient versus ineffective. Weak versus strong. This is how many people may compare small towns to large cities. Small towns' public works departments have small staffs, less red tape, and fewer political problems while...

Safety at a crossroads: problem intersections meet with creative solutions.(Transportation safety)
February 1, 2006... A lot of action occurs at an intersection. Cars and trucks speed in from all directions, stopping, turning, changing lanes. Introducing other variables--such as poor visibility, bad weather, inadequate signage, and human error--to these hubs of...

Sewer systems inventoried: city turns to GIS to update utility maps.(Surveying & mapping)
February 1, 2006... The historic city of Alexandria, Va., is abandoning its outdated hard-copy utility maps in favor of up-to-date sanitary, storm, and combined sewer geographic information system (GIS) maps created in the field, in real time. Engineers in...

A tale of two water utilities: community uses integration to streamline operations and maximize efficiency.(Privatization)
February 1, 2006... With the push to be competitive, public works managers are finding themselves debating whether privatization is the way to efficiency and accountability--while responding to growing service demands. Common to just about every utility manager is...

Pond potential: Florida retention pond arrests erosion.(Erosion control)
February 1, 2006... Many areas within Florida's Orange County contain secondary outfalls that discharge into landlocked lakes. The county has no easement agreement or right of way (ROW) for these outfalls, which historically conveyed floodwater from upstream areas...

Green waste warriors: organic waste is being increasingly diverted to compost.(Solid waste collection & disposal)
February 1, 2006... Waste diversion is a buzzword across the country, and we're not just talking plastic and glass anymore. Green waste is being composted and re-used in increasing amounts in many municipalities, and many are doing it as part of their normal waste...

Pipe walk inspires more than talk.(Products Solving Problems)
February 1, 2006... Crawling through several hundred feet of an active storm sewer pipe can help make up your mind about approving it. When Jeff Martin, P.E., materials engineer for the Kansas City, Mo. (KCMO), public works department, got a look at high-density...

Hoist market lifts public works users.(Featuring: Truck-mounted hoists)
February 1, 2006... Truck-mounted hoists account for a healthy portion of the American truck accessory market. According to Stephen Latin-Kasper, director of market data and research for the National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA), an estimated $75 million to...

Roll-off truck.(Featuring: Truck-mounted hoists)
February 1, 2006... The company offers custom-designed roll-off trucks to meet the requirements of a wide range of applications. For example, it crafted a configuration, based on a Terex platform, for use in a municipal landfill. The product enables the off-road...

Dual-height rotating hook.(Featuring: Truck-mounted hoists)
February 1, 2006... The SL-180 dual-height rotating hook enables users to pick up bodies or containers with a hook height of 36 or 54 inches. Designed for use on light- to medium-duty chassis, the product is suitable for landscapers, material haulers, and...

Underbody hoists.(Featuring: Truck-mounted hoists)
February 1, 2006... This line of underbody hoists features single- and twin-cylinder configurations, designed to fit on 60- to 108-inch cabs to trunnion trucks. The design accommodates bodies from 8 to 14 feet in length. Features include a massive unitized...

Subframe hoist.(Featuring: Truck-mounted hoists)
February 1, 2006... The LL-650S subframe hoist is available on truck bodies measuring 9 to 16 feet. The double-acting hoist offers a range of pump options. The high-pressure hydraulics are rated at 3300 psi. It offers a dump angle of 50 degrees. Its capacity...

Standard- and low-profile hoists.(Featuring: Truck-mounted hoists)
February 1, 2006... The company offers hoists with two different profiles. The standard-profile hoists mount above the chassis frame. The low-profile units feature a drop-hinge design that lowers the rear hoist frame pivot points to reduce the mounting height...

Scissor hoists.(Featuring: Truck-mounted hoists)
February 1, 2006... The BullDog line of heavy-duty scissor hoists is designed for use in construction, landscaping, agriculture, and other applications. Each of the products offers easy-mounting, adjustable frames with rugged construction. Models offer dumping...

Telescopic hoists.(Featuring: Truck-mounted hoists)
February 1, 2006... The Olympic Series telescopic hoists offer stabilized twin-cylinder configurations. The high-capacity products are designed to handle off-center loads and non-level dumping conditions. The hoist components are made of high-strength steel, and...

65,000-capacity hooklifts.(Featuring: Truck-mounted hoists)
February 1, 2006... The Hooklift System offers lift capacities from 3000 to 65,000 pounds, with an assortment of available body configurations. Each model in the line can load, unload, and dump with bodies ranging from 8 to 21 1/2 feet. It permits multiple bed...

Front-drive axle option.(Featuring: Work trucks & accessories)
February 1, 2006... The company's M2 106 and 106V business-class trucks now offer factory-installed Meritor front-drive axles for all-wheel drive (AWD) performance. The option is ideal for municipal service, snowplow, and utility applications. The AWD option can...

Heavy-duty pickup.(Featuring: Work trucks & accessories)
February 1, 2006... The RXT is the latest in the company's line of heavy pickups. It has a payload capacity of up to 6 tons, can tow up to 7 3/4 tons in a variety of tow configurations, and has a drivetrain up to 300 hp. The truck has a 4x2 crew cab, 8-foot pickup...

Multi-purpose dump body.(Featuring: Work trucks & accessories)
February 1, 2006... The Flo' N Dump II is a second-generation, multi-purpose dump body. Its electrically actuated hopper has sides that open over a conveyor and convert the body into a self-cleaning hopper spreader. The hopper sides close down over the conveyor to...

Vehicle-mounted lighting.(Featuring: Work trucks & accessories)
February 1, 2006... The durable, dual-lamphead StarBeam lighting fixture offers remote control capability. The upgraded product has corrosion-resistant, stainless-steel shafts; redesigned mounting with simplified adjustment hardware; and tighter overall fit and...

Slide-out tray.(Featuring: Work trucks & accessories)
February 1, 2006... The Gorilla Slide gives users an easy way to load and unload heavy items in work vehicles, diminishing the risk of injury. The heavy-duty product glides on sealed roller bearings on a galvanized steel track, and they can be locked and fixed in...

Object detection.(Featuring: Work trucks & accessories)
February 1, 2006... The Object Detection and Brake Interlock System safeguards against a work truck striking obstacles. The product combines a brake lock and radar object detection to automatically stop the vehicle, rather than simply alerting the vehicle operator...

Truck-mount hydraulics.(Featuring: Work trucks & accessories)
February 1, 2006... The company offers a range of truck-mounted central hydraulic systems for medium- to heavy-duty applications. An efficient load-sense piston pump has a flow-on-demand system that eliminates excessive horsepower draw. The auger/spinner motors...

Fiberglass truck bodies.(Featuring: Work trucks & accessories)
February 1, 2006... Fibre Body truck bodies deliver lightweight, cost-effective solutions for maximizing work-truck productivity. The bodies come in sizes that fit 60- to 120-inch cab-to-rear-axle dimensions, and tandemaxle chassis. Optional equipment enables...

Heavy-duty hitch.(Featuring: Work trucks & accessories)
February 1, 2006... The Power Pull Xtreme Class-V hitch is rated for 12,000 pounds of carrying capacity, and 15,000 pounds of weight-distributing capacity. It features all-steel construction and a 2 1/2-inch receiver opening. The hitch is easy to install and the...

Custom dump bodies.(Featuring: Work trucks & accessories)
February 1, 2006... The company's Select custom dump-body program enables users to design their own dump body configurations without incurring the additional cost and time associated with other custom-designed products. Choose between traditional square body...

Durable dump body.(Featuring: Work trucks & accessories)
February 1, 2006... The Yardbird dump body is designed for use in light-duty applications, such as landscaping, construction, and utility work. The continuous-formed body sidewall and enclosed top rail deliver superior resistance to moisture and corrosion. It...

Truck lifts.(Featuring: Work trucks & accessories)
February 1, 2006... Models LMF-12 and TP-15 truck lifts offer 12,000- and 15,000-pound capacities, respectively. The lifts offer heavy-duty construction, each in a twin-post, clear-floor, above-ground configuration. Both columns offer a large footprint for...

Dump insert/toolbox.(Featuring: Work trucks & accessories)
February 1, 2006... The TC-200 combo body merges an all-aluminum dump body with a toolbox, for use in any full-size Chevy, Ford, or DaimlerChrysler truck. The kit consists of a dump insert, mounting hardware, frame, cabinets, required lights, and harness. The...

Cab-over-engine truck.(Featuring: Work trucks & accessories)
February 1, 2006... The company has added a low cab-over-engine truck to its line of Class 3-8 commercial vehicles. It comes with a 4.9-liter diesel engine, six-speed automatic transmission, and wheelbases that accommodate bodies from 12 to 20 feet. The truck is...

Transparent noise barriers.(Featuring: Work trucks & accessories)
February 1, 2006... Quilite barriers combine noise-cutting capability with light-transmitting aesthetics. The post/panel system consists of polycarbonate plastic modules in steel frames. The attachment process gives users flexibility in building free-standing...

14-inch chop saw.(Featuring: Work trucks & accessories)
February 1, 2006... The CC14SF is a 14-inch chop saw that can cut cold-formed steel, rebar, pipe, and other metals efficiently. The unit is portable, rugged, and lightweight, at only 36.4 pounds. The fence easily can be adjusted to make miter cuts up to 45 degrees...

PW forum: answers to vexing questions.
February 1, 2006... Questions and answers in this section are from InfoNOW, a member-only service of the American Public Works Association. APWA's lnfoNOW communities provide public works professionals an open forum for information exchange. There are 12 different...

Tapping into bottled water.(Out of the Ordinary)
February 1, 2006... Bottled water is big business. Since the mid-1990s, the market for Evian and other brands has boomed in the United States and around the world. Even soft-drink companies like Pepsi and Coca-Cola have jumped on the aquatic bandwagon,...