Public Works articles from November 2003

Public Works archives from November 2003

What we take for granted.(viewpoint)
November 1, 2003... In the shadow of the great Pyramids of Giza lie mounds of garbage, old broken fencing, and desiccated dog carcasses. Amongst these piles, flies buzz and children play. Back in Cairo, even in the best hotel in town, no one drinks the water--it's...

Hurricane drives home disaster mitigation needs.(Washington report)
November 1, 2003... Natural disasters like a Category 2 hurricane often can be as instructive as they are destructive. And that was certainly the case with Hurricane Isabel, which mercifully shrank from its mammoth Category 5 origins out at sea, but still packed a...

Study group cites ways to reduce traffic congestion.(Washington report)
November 1, 2003... The Texas Transportation Institute said although traffic congestion continues to grow, it would he worse without a handful of remedies already in place. TTI, which has conducted the nation's longest running study of traffic problems,...

House, Senate pass water bills.(washington report)
November 1, 2003... Earlier this fall, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 412 to 8 to pass the Water Resources Development Act, which authorizes U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects and studies for river and harbor navigation improvements, flood and storm...

Congress gives itself an extension on TEA-21 funding.(Washington report)
November 1, 2003... Scrambling to beat a Sept. 30 deadline that effectively would have cut off all federal transportation funding, Congress on Sept. 21 passed a 5-month extension of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), which President...

EPA creates permanent water security office.(Washington report)
November 1, 2003... The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has established a Water Security Division in the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water. G. Tracy Mehan III, EPA's assistant administrator for water, says the division would continue work begun by the...

Mayors complain of slow homeland security funding.(Washington report)
November 1, 2003... The U.S. Conference of Mayors reports that despite heightened federal emphasis on homeland security, 90% of cities have not yet received funds from the largest federal program designed to help first responders prevent, prepare for, and react to...

San Diego Water captures environmental award.(engineering notes)
November 1, 2003... The American Public Works Association (APWA) has recognized the San Diego Water Department's Mid-City Water Pipeline project in the category of environmental projects over $10 million. Construction of this 5-mile long pipeline began in January...

Driving in the year 2013.(engineering notes)
November 1, 2003... PBS&J, an international consultant in the planning, design, and implementation of intelligent transportation systems (ITS), has just released the third in a series of white papers that explore and predict the next 10 years of ITS. Will traffic...

Drinking water utilities show competitive spirit.(engineering notes)
November 1, 2003... Competitive management practices at public drinking water utilities across the nation were recognized by the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) with the 2003 Gold Awards for Competitiveness Achievement. This year's awards went to...

LA Consulting wins O&M contracts.(engineering notes)
November 1, 2003... The cities of Ventura, Calif., and Winston-Salem, N.C.; and the California counties of San Bernardino and Orange have retained LA Consulting Inc. to evaluate their respective maintenance operations, says LA Consulting president, Harry Lorick,...

Sewage fuel saves jobs at Lafarge.(engineering notes)
November 1, 2003... Aggregate Research Industries reports that Lafarge Cement (UK) has declared an experiment to use processed sewage as an industrial fuel a success. The pellets of dried waste have been used for the past 6 months at the Cauldon Cement works near...

Reconstruction of New York's Columbus Circle underway.(engineering notes)
November 1, 2003... Construction has begun on a project to reconfigure Columbus Circle adjacent to Central Park South in Manhattan. Designed by Vollmer Associates on behalf of The New York City Department of Design and Construction, the contractor for the project...

Decorative anti-skateboard solution.(engineering notes)
November 1, 2003... After Tom Ralston Concrete, Santa Cruz, Calif., finished a concrete wall for Pacific Gardens Chapel in Santa Cruz, local skateboarders promptly began to destroy it by practicing radical new "railing" and jumping techniques. Owner Gary Benito...

Future of city water storage is the pits.(engineering notes)
November 1, 2003... The City of Aurora, Colo., plans to buy a gravel pit along the North Platte River near Brighton and use it to capture and store up to 10,000 acre-feet of its used and treated water. The pit, which doesn't yet exist, will be created when the...

Salt sales surge.(engineering notes)
November 1, 2003... Led by a near doubling of highway salt sales during the first 6 months of 2003, salt industry sales skyrocketed 55% in the number of tons of salt sold in the United States. From January through June, the salt industry sold 18.3 million...

PB/Systra to study new commuter transit tunnel.(engineering notes)
November 1, 2003... New Jersey Transit, in partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, has awarded a contract to Transit Link Consultants, a joint venture of Parsons Brickerhoff (PB) and SYSTRA Consulting, to prepare a draft environmental...

AWWA on EPA Draft Report on the Environment.(engineering notes)
November 1, 2003... Water experts from the American Water Works Association (AWWA) have addressed EPA's "Draft Report on the Environment" released in June. The report specifically addresses "Drinking water; recreational water use, the condition of the nation's...

Marion Steel promoting new SafeRoads product.(engineering notes)
November 1, 2003... Motorists in Ohio may drive roads protected by a product of a Marion company if the state's review of" the roadside cable barrier system is favorable. SafeRoads, an affiliate of Marion Steel Co., is in the process of introducing both...

PROSOCO.(worth telling)
November 1, 2003... Steven Hawkins and Tom Lane have joined PROSOCO as sales managers for the company's Upper-Midwest and Northeast regions. A Kansas City native, Hawkins started in the industry as a construction laborer, working his way through high school, and...

The Zweig Letter has named Baxter & Woodman of Crystal Lake, Ill., to its Hot Firms 2003 list of the 100 fastest-growing architectural/engineering/planning consulting firms in the country.(worth telling)
November 1, 2003... The Zweig Letter has named Baxter & Woodman of Crystal Lake, Ill., to its Hot Firms 2003 list of the 100 fastest-growing architectural/engineering/planning consulting firms in the country. This ranking is based on an equal weighting of...

The Water Environment Foundation has issued a call for abstracts for WEFTEC 2004 in New Orleans, Oct. 2 to 6, 2004.(worth telling)
November 1, 2003... The Water Environment Foundation has issued a call for abstracts for WEFTEC 2004 in New Orleans, Oct. 2 to 6, 2004. Presenting at WEFTEC, the most highly regarded technical conference in the wastewater and water quality fields, gives industry...

Philip D. Miller recently joined PBS&J's National Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Division as a senior ITS Philip D. Miller specialist and Eugene A. Conti Jr., Ph.D., has joined its Transportation Service group..(worth telling)
November 1, 2003... Philip D. Miller recently joined PBS&J's National Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Division as a senior ITS Philip D. Miller specialist and Eugene A. Conti Jr., Ph.D., has joined its Transportation Service group. Miller, with 20 years...

CDM.(worth telling)
November 1, 2003... Gary R. Kroll, P.E., has been promoted to senior vice president at CDM. Kroll has more than 25 years of experience in the planning, design, and construction management of major drinking water and wastewater projects, including treatment,...

Schoor DePalma.(worth telling)
November 1, 2003... Schoor DePalma, one of the leading consulting firms in the northeast, has been selected for the third consecutive year as one of New Jersey's Finest companies. This award is given annually to 25 companies that exhibit substantial revenue growth...

The International Erosion Control Association has scheduled its Environmental Connection (EC04) for Philadelphia, Feb. 16 to 20, 2004.(worth telling)
November 1, 2003... The International Erosion Control Association has scheduled its Environmental Connection (EC04) for Philadelphia, Feb. 16 to 20, 2004. This event includes ICEA's Erosion Control Academy, an exposition, and other training courses. To register or...

Stretching your trucking dollars.(Fleet Maintenance)(Cover Story)
November 1, 2003... With city tax revenues dropping--as well as capital spending budgets--five agencies tell how they are managing to do more with their fleets. Adam Smith, the Scotsman who practically invented capitalism in the 1700s, talked about an...

Water Industry facing myriad challenges.(WEFTEC Update)
November 1, 2003... Attendance was down, but the number of exhibitors was up at the Los Angeles WEFTEC show in October. Just days after October's recall tsunami hit California, nearly 16,000 water quality experts, officials, and suppliers from all over the...

Playgrounds with personality.(NYC Parks)
November 1, 2003... Each of these park facilities illustrates, in its own way, how a playground can be a work of art, enhancing and enlivening a neighborhood. Communities building a new playground or rehabilitating an existing one can further enhance their...

Kentucky's rock hard challenge.(Stormwater Treatment)
November 1, 2003... Expansion project at Western Kentucky University generates innovative stormwater management plan to solve complex flooding and pollution issues in karst terrain. When it comes to challenging hydrologic environments, there are few places on...

Shifting gears to hike bicycle use.(Parks & Recreation)
November 1, 2003... Taking the Clean Air Act to heart, Pennsylvania is incorporating more bicycle paths and related facilities into its community plans. Bicycle ridership is currently on the rise all over the United States, but the majority of riders still use...

Selecting mortar for preservation projects.(Building Maintenance)
November 1, 2003... Follow these guidelines to determine the composition of a structure's existing mortar, and consider using a lime-based mortar for repointing if a lime mortar was used original. To an architectural preservationist, the worst scenario...

Students craft new gateway to Tampa.(Bridge Design)
November 1, 2003... High school art students add to the creative mix behind a new signature span that will connect old and new Tampa, Fla. The northern city limits of Tampa, Fla., have changed rapidly over the past 15 years. Once used as pasture land bordering...

Mowers & parts.(Product Spotlight)
November 1, 2003... Mowers & Parts Company Boom Flail Reel Controlled AGCO Corp. ALAMO Industrial, Inc. * * BEFCO, Inc. Brown Mfg. Deere, John...

Online resource a legislative treasure trove.(Pw update: information technology)
November 1, 2003... Many other committees in the U.S. House of Representatives have more appealing Web pages, but the home page of the key Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is a storehouse of useful information for the public works professional. ...

Featuring: traffic control.(Review Of Catalogs)
November 1, 2003... * 528 DISPLACEMENT PUMP This 28 page, full color catalog outlines the advantages & benefits of proven NETZSCH vertical, sanitary, close coupled, and standard positive displacement pumps. Details about NEMO Progressing Cavity Pumps and...

Gasboy International.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... The TopKAT fuel management system has an internal report printer option, so that it can be operated as a standalone island, or it can communicate remotely to a PC or terminal. This key-based unit--suitable for small- or large-site...

Multiforce Systems Corp.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... Regardless of the number, type, and locations of fuel sites, FuelForce provides comprehensive, easy-to-use fuel management. The system authorizes and controls the dispensing of fuel to fleet vehicles from any number of sources while collecting...

OPW Fuel Management Systems.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... The PetroVend System2 fuel control system allows only authorized card, code, or electronic key holders to access fuel. It tracks every fuel transaction, restricting each vehicle to the fuel they need and in the quantities they require. All...

Rapac Network International Inc.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... FuelOmat is a computer-controlled, self-service vehicle refueling system that controls and monitors vehicle refueling around the clock. When the nozzle is inserted into the fuel inlet of a vehicle, information from the Vehicle Information Unit...

Scully Signal Co.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... The Automated Fueling System communicates vehicle, fuel type, odometer, and hour meter readings to the central controller automatically, activating when the nozzle is placed into the vehicle's fuel pipe. The transaction then concludes when the...

Trak Engineering Inc.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... The Fuel Sentry is a fuel island-mounted cabinet with a microcomputer, pump control interfaces, power supply, communication electronics, heaters, and other elements to provide a single control point. The self-contained unit holds enough memory...

Sub-Technical Inc.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... Seal-Guard II is a cost-effective method for preventing water filtration surrounding manholes, pipe, and tank leak problems. It sets quickly (in 1 to 3 seconds) and will not wash out; it can even be injected into flowing water. The product...

Hobas Pipe USA Inc.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... This company now offers 110-inch diameter polymer mortar pipe, centrifugally cast and reinforced with fiberglass. The thin-wall pipe has an overall diameter of oily 114 inches and reportedly is one of the lightest pipes available in this...

Heil Environmental Industries.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... The Heil PowerTrak commercial rear loader features a patented dual track system in its tailgate to reduce friction during the sweep and pack function for a fast cycle time of 21 to 23 seconds. The system also makes larger legal payloads...

Daewoo Heavy Industries America Corp.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... The Solar 75 V is a 17,643-pound small crawler-excavator with digging depths up to 20 feet and dump heights to 22 feet, 7 inches. With a 1.22-cubic-yard bucket, optimum engine power, and advanced hydraulics, the machine provides bucket breakout...

Forta Corp.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... The Big Shot fiber transport and dispenser system was designed to safely and quickly move synthetic fibers from ground-level storage to upper-level trucks and batching systems. It provides a simple, cost-effective way to add pre-weighed bags or...

GE Osmonics.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... ROsave.Zs filters are engineered for reverse-osmosis pretreatment. The products reduce filter and change-out labor costs, equipment downtime, and waste disposal. The polypropylene-melt blown depth cartridge filters reportedly offer up to 100%...

Komatsu America Corp.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... For general earthmoving applications where increased maneuverability and/or compaction are required, the company offers the WD600-3 wheeled dozer. The rubber-tired model offers lower operating costs and higher travel speeds than machines with...

Schwing America Inc.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... Stetter Booster Series mixers have a low center of gravity for enhanced on-road stability. The head and shell of the drum are made of chromium abrasion-resistant steel. The reversed-lip mixing blades, also made of heavy-duty steel, provide...

Sawtec.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... Using the JS-90 joint cleanout saw can help control dust and promote a cleaner jobsite. The product uses dry diamond blades to save time on cleanup, and it has a blade guard with upcut rotation for easy dust extraction and quick connection to a...

Metal Forms Corp.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... The Poly Meta Forms concrete forming system uses plastic forms with steel stake pockets to place all types of concrete flatwork, curbs, gutters, and more. Users have the option of selecting forms with inner aluminum reinforcing tubes for...

Jewell Instruments LLC.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... LSO Series inclinometers are suitable for use in paving, grading, bridge leveling, and other applications. The sensors offer precise readings with high outputs. The output is +5.0% V at full-range tilts of +1 degree to +90 degrees. Each...

Sika Corp.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... SikaGrout 300PT is designed to fulfill the requirements of three different types of jobs: horizontal, vertical, and repair. Its improved resistance to bleed provides favorable protection to post-tensioned steel. In addition, its enhanced flow...

Garon Products Inc.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... Treflite is a premium epoxy floor resurfacer that is easy to apply, will not shrink, and is able to bond to nearly any surface. The product is resistant to thermal and physical shock, abrasions, acids, alkalis, and solvents. In addition, it...

Marigold Industrial.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... The Grasp Construction Hand Protection Report is a 16-page booklet containing information on how to protect hands from worksite injuries. The literature tells readers how to assess and select hand protection, how to properly protect hands,...

Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... The Ready Reference-Resource Guide is a collection of valuable information from the institute's technical publications, marketing and promotional efforts, and Web site. The calendar-style tabbed format and Member Finder feature direct users to...

Redi-Rock International.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... A new mechanical geo-grid connector can be used in conjunction with 28-inch-deep blocks to form walls as high as 36 feet, simply by placing the connectors every 3 feet between layers. The product saves time and money in comparison with other...

Coleman Cable Inc.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... Six new work lights are available in Luma-Site's halogen lighting products. The Floodlight Series lights come in high-visibility yellow, and all three have tempered-glass lenses, safety wire grills, and halogen bulbs. The Premium Series lights...

Better Tool Co.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... The Hose Ring and Hose Hook provide users with an effective way to handle large, unwieldy hoses on a jobsite. The ring is lightweight, and slides over and clamps onto a hose so that it can easily be moved and maneuvered, even when wet or muddy;...

BioLife LLC.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... Apply SportsQR topical powder to a jobsite injury to stop bleeding immediately, so that you can get back to work more quickly. The product can be applied to a broad spectrum of lacerations and abrasions; it can even be used to control bleeding...

IDEAL.com.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... PlanTracer 1.2 has a recognition method that uses "sketch mode," with a unique conversion algorithm for hand-drawn objects, and it is the first 2- to 3-D software on the market compatible with AutoCad/AutoCad LT 2004. Facility managers can scan...

Caterpillar.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... The 325C material handler is suitable for sorting and loading scrap and demolition debris, and for handling bulk materials. The handler has been enhanced with increased horsepower and hydraulic flow, longer front linkage, and a wider track...

Metabo Corp.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... The SBE660 hammer drill--suitable for drilling concrete, brick, steel, and other materials--features a 5.8-amp motor. Its two-speed gear train permits the user to choose the drilling speed appropriate for the material, making a wide range of...

Pave Tech.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... The Probst RetainingWall Clamp can lift as many as 5 retaining wall units at once, using a tracked backhoe or mini-excavator. An automatic locking and release mechanism permits no-hands clamping and unclamping. Other features include a lifting...

Klein Tools.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... This company's line of double-sided, power-return tape measures features easy-to-read numbers on both sides of the blade for simple measurements on elevated or flat surfaces. Four sizes are available: 16, 25, and 30 feet, and 7.5 meters. Each...

Bobcat Co.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... The 430 compact excavator is said to enable users to move quickly between and within jobsites, and work with more accuracy. In addition, the machine reportedly grades, dozes, and backfills faster than similar models currently on the market. The...

Compaction America Inc.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... Engine and drive-train enhancements on the Hypac C810C Series single-drum vibratory rollers reportedly have resulted in a 37% improvement in gradeability over previous models. The dual travel pump system, heavy-duty rear travel axle with...

Portland Cement Association.(Featuring: fleet fuel systems)
November 1, 2003... The pcaColumn v3.5 is a software program that assists with the design and investigation of reinforced-concrete column sections. The product--now incorporating the latest design codes from ACI 318-02 and CSA-A23.3-94--works with rectangular,...

Set-asides ruling could shift playing field.(legal aspects)
November 1, 2003... A small surveying firm recently won a challenge to the New Jersey set-asides law in a landmark ruling with national implications. The U.S. District Court for New Jersey this past summer entered a consent decree which bars the state from...