Public Works articles from May 2006

Public Works archives from May 2006

Project harmony.(Editorial)
May 1, 2006... The theme of many stories that apply to the public works arena--including the cover story of this issue--is that of cooperation. In some instances, it's cooperation between a public works department and the city's elected officials. In other...

Warm mix: the push is on.(DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION)
May 1, 2006... "Environmentalists say they want warm mix asphalt technology now," said Eric Harm, assistant chief engineer with the Illinois DOT, speaking to several hundred attendees at the World of Asphalt, held in Orlando, Fla., in March. "We don't...

Sin City turns to church for water.(News & Views)
May 1, 2006... The Southern Nevada Water Authority has acquired water rights from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for $7.2 million, helping meet water shortfalls in the Las Vegas area. The 20-year lease lets the agency draw 2001 acre-feet of...

Cycling around.(PEOPLE)
May 1, 2006... In March, Joan Hicken left the post of recycling coordinator in Glendale, Ariz., for the same position in Philadelphia. She talked about hew new position, how the cities contrast, and how to motivate a community to recycle. On her...

California looks to new water sources.(OPERATIONS)
May 1, 2006... Fresh water supplies in the western United States are dwindling, and water utilities are scrambling to find new sources for their residents. Various approaches of finding new water sources have been used, including watershed management,...

Report helps water utilities after disasters.(News & Views)
May 1, 2006... The American Water Works Association (AWWA) has published "Utilities Helping Utilities: An Action Plan for Mutual Aid and Assistance Networks for Water and Wastewater Utilities." The literature is designed to help water suppliers in creating...

Florida nets $480 million for highways.(News & Views)
May 1, 2006... The state of Florida will receive $480 million to fund replacement of traffic signals, clearing highway debris, and repairing roads in 21 counties affected by Hurricanes Wilma and Katrina. High winds from the hurricanes caused damage to more...

Highway construction costs soar.(News & Views)
May 1, 2006... According to analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America, the cost of highway and street construction increased considerably from 2001 to 2005; factors contributing to the surge include rising asphalt and diesel fuel costs. In...

Call for grounds management awards.(AWARDS)
May 1, 2006... Each year, the Professional Grounds Management Society bestows its Green Star Awards upon excellently maintained grounds across the country. Entrants can choose from 15 categories, including public works sites; government buildings or...

Utah turns to prefabricated bridges.(DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION)
May 1, 2006... According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) prefabricated bridges can offer faster and safer construction, better bridge quality, and lower costs than conventionally built bridges. The Utah DOT (UDOT) is putting that to the test. ...

Chicago weighs curbside recycling.(News & Views)
May 1, 2006... Mayor Richard M. Daley said Chicago could pay for initiation of a curbside recycling program by leasing three of its transfer stations to private entities. City officials are considering dropping the current blue-bag recycling program, in which...

Road management courses available.(News & Views)
May 1, 2006... The National Highway Institute offers a course on Principles and Tools for Road Weather Management. The one-day course is geared toward helping participants address road weather problems and respond properly to weather events. The program is...

Report: $53 billion in water investment.(News & Views)
May 1, 2006... According to the "Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Programs: 2005 Annual Report"--available from the U.S. EPA--state and federal governments have invested nearly $53 billion in the CWSRF program to rebuild wastewater infrastructure over...

Boston playground wins design award.(AWARDS)
May 1, 2006... The rejuvenation of a dilapidated playground in Boston's inner city has received applause from a regional landscape architecture group. The redesign of Mission Hill Playground received a 2006 Honor Award from the Boston Society of Landscape...

Trenchless trendsetters recognized.(AWARDS)
May 1, 2006... The North American Society for Trenchless Technology (NASTT) has recognized a number of municipalities for their contributions to development of the industry. The group presented a number of winners with its 15th Anniversary Industry...

EPA, engineers to improve wetlands.(COMMUNITY)
May 1, 2006... The U.S. EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers--looking to protect the nation's wetlands--are proposing a rule that would ensure more effective wetlands restoration and preservation. "We are focusing on a watershed approach for improving...

How to choose a sewer cleaner.(Ideas & Opinions / Fleets)
May 1, 2006... 'Traditionally in this country, people want big equipment. They want to crush a gnat with a sledgehammer, and you don't need to do that," said Nick Woodhead, president of U.S. Jetting, a sewer cleaner manufacturer based in Alpharetta, Ga. ...

Getting along: how to work with elected officials to get the job done.(Special report)(Cover story)
May 1, 2006... A severe snowstorm buried Milwaukee on New Year's Eve of 1984. Eleven inches of the white stuff plummeted in a single day, and while crews speedily cleared main roads, side streets were clogged, and hundreds of abandoned and illegally parked...

Engineering and environmental equilibrium: culvert replacement can yield untapped resources and unplanned benefits.(Bridges & culverts)
May 1, 2006... To the casual observer, the construction project on the road that crosses Phinney's Bay and leads to Dowse's Beach in Barnstable, Mass., probably looked like nothing more than another road repair effort in advance of the busy Cape Cod tourist...

Hallowed ground: HHW programs are gaining momentum.(Solid waste collection & disposal)
May 1, 2006... Household hazardous waste (HHW) is a big, nasty issue--and it's growing. City leaders are learning that waste from old unlined landfills is leaching into their groundwater, and landfill operators have to deal with (read: pay more money) the...

Success in the sewer: Reno manages its aging wastewater collection system assets.(Asset management)
May 1, 2006... Like many cities that have experienced significant and sustained growth, Reno, Nev., keeps its public works department busy accommodating its new residents' needs. What makes Reno different from other growing cities, however, is the city's...

The asphalt QC challenge: states wrestle with tests-for-pay issue.(Asphalt paving & repair)
May 1, 2006... Over the past 20 years or so, the majority of state DOTs have transferred primary responsibility for quality control (QC) of asphalt materials over to the producers doing the work. States still run independent quality assurance (QA) tests to...

Orange County commits to alternative-fuel vehicles.(Products Solving Problems)
May 1, 2006... For the public works department in California's Orange County, the move to alternative-fuel vehicles is no pipe dream. It's a reality and becomes more integrated into the department's standard operating procedures each day. In 1997,...

Making the cut.(Products)
May 1, 2006... * Featuring: Lawn care equipment Selecting lawn care equipment can be a tricky proposition--especially if the grounds manager making the choices isn't asking the right questions. John E. Gibson, is president of the Professional Landcare...

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

Pungent pest control.(Technology)
May 1, 2006... Mosquitoes are tenacious creatures, but not nearly as tenacious as the people who hunt them down. One Chicago suburb is fortifying its relentless mosquito-abatement efforts with a weapon you'd be more likely to find in an Italian kitchen than...