In This Issue: Message from the President

First State Section
Volume 29 Issue 1
APRIL 2016
www.ashefirststate.org
Message from the President
MATT CARTER, PRESIDENT
BOB MCGURK, 1ST VICE-PRESIDENT
SHILPA MALLEM, 2ND VICE-PRESIDENT
THOMAS CLEMENTS, SECRETARY
BRIAN KISNER, ACTING TREASURER
JOE VATTILANA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
WILLIAM CONWAY, IM. PAST PRESIDENT
ROB SNOWDEN, REGIONAL DIRECTOR
1 YEAR DIRECTORS
DAVE MCGUIGAN
WILLIAM (BILL) STEWART
GREG PAWLOWSKI
2 YEAR DIRECTORS
NATALIE BARNHART
KERRY YOST
BRIAN KISNER
First State Section has been busy, too. Since the last Milepost, some
of you will remember the 29th annual Holiday Gala at the Goodstay
Center in Wilmington. Preston Ayars and his committee put on another great event and we all enjoyed the evening.
In January, our panel discussion regarding Design/Build and Construction Manager General Contractor alternative delivery methods drew
over sixty members to the dinner meeting and the panel did a fantastic job, judging by the questions that followed and the many compliments that came in days later.
Meanwhile, our Education Chair, Greg Pawlowski, delivered two opportunities for continuing education. Scott Lowe presented “Differing Site
Conditions” on January 14th (3 PDHs) and Paul Cottrell presented
“Contracting as a Risk Management Tool” on February 18th (2 PDHs), both to healthy audiences. Greg
did a great job putting these together and we also thank the Delaware Contractors Association for
providing the venue and helping us to promote the opportunity to their membership.
February (okay, March 3) brought us a great presentation by Aimee Connerton and Robert Perrone from
Rinker Materials. Their use of videos shot from the production floor created almost a virtual tour of the
manufacture and quality control issues for concrete pipe. Bob even let us see a rare forming failure,
demonstrating how the zero slump concrete (almost always) stands straight up moments after it is
poured. Aimee gave us a lot of insight into the design elements of pipe and culverts and the number of
questions showed that everyone enjoyed the program.
3 YEAR DIRECTORS
PAUL CONNOR
RICHARD PRENTICE
PRESTON AYARS
Finally, our Project of the Year Showcase was held March 24th and we celebrated six local projects.
Much like our Hall of Fame, it is important for us to pause on occasion and reflect on projects we’ve
completed and how they overcame challenges, brought innovation, increased safety, and otherwise
responded to the needs of the traveling public.
In This Issue:
Message from the President _____1
ASHE Events _________________2-4
ASHE Education ______________ 5
Member Updates ______________ 6
New Members
- Matheu J. Carter, P.E., Delaware T2 Center
It’s springtime, or darned close and a lot is happening in the Delaware
highway industry. The US 301 Project is vivid on many of our minds,
but there are scores of projects, large and small, across the state,
from grade separations to a diverging diamond interchange to roadway widenings to pavement rehabs. Everybody’s busy all the sudden!
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ASHE Sponsors ________________ 8
Business Card Advertisers ______ 9
Contact Information ____________10
It has been great seeing many of you at these events, but some of you have been noticeably absent!
No problem, though, because you have a couple of great opportunities around the corner and you won’t
want to miss these. On April 21st we will have a dinner at the Talleyville Fire Company where all the
proceeds will go to our scholarship fund, thanks to the entire event being underwritten by Joe Vattilana!
This is a great opportunity to see the renovated fire house and museum while directly supporting engineering scholarships.
And of course, our annual Hall of Fame Banquet will be held May 17th at the Cavaliers Country Club.
There we will honor two great friends and champions of the highway industry and we will transition to
new officers and members of the Board of Directors. Our Hall of Fame and Pioneer recognitions are an
important way for us to recognize the greats of our industry. We recently lost one of our Hall of Famers;
Bayard “Bud” J.C. Swift passed this February but not before First State Section recognized his contributions to the industry in 2001. We don’t always get there in time, and that’s why our Pioneer Award is
necessary, to posthumously recognize more of our industry giants. Don’t miss the chance to tip your
hat to this year’s inductees.
Finally, I look forward to handing over the lightly used gavel to Bob McGurk in May. Thank you for indulging my verbose and often irreverent remarks this past year and a special thanks to the Board of
Directors who are so quick to throw their ideas and their assistance to the benefit of our membership.
As we collectively take up all this construction work, please make safety a prominent part of your daily
thinking, for you, for your employees and colleagues, for the many visitors who will stop by, and
the motorists whizzing by!
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The Milepost | April 2016
ASHE First State Section
ASHE EVENTS
Christmas Gala
- Preston Ayars
Once again a group from our first State Section and the UD ASHE Student Section enjoyed the comradery and
elegance of the University of Delaware’s Goodstay Center. Great food, great company, great music from our very
own Juke Box, and great atmosphere all contributed to a successful holiday event. Many thanks to those that
attended, we look forward to next year’s event with more attendees.
Alternative Project Delivery Methods—Panel Discussion
- Matheu J. Carter, P.E., Delaware T2 Center
The Delaware Department of
Transportation (DelDOT) will develop
several projects over the next few
years using Design/Build and
Construction Manager/General
Contractor methods. While there
have been briefings specifically
detailing each of these methods,
First State Section decided to
approach it differently, with a panel
discussion designed to reflect the
perspectives of the several
stakeholders, including the Owner,
the Contractor, and the Designer.
The result was a great discussion
and robust question/answer session
at our January 21st dinner meeting
that should prove to be constructive
as DelDOT develops its alternative
project delivery program.
Lisa Choplin was the panel’s
moderator. Lisa is currently Deputy
Executive Director of the DesignBuild Institute of America (DBIA) and
prior to joining DBIA in September
2
2015, she worked for the Maryland Miller from JMT.
State Highway Administration for 28
Judging by the questions and the
years, the last 15 years leading their
duration of discussions that
Alternative Project Delivery program.
continued after the dinner meeting’s
The panel of stakeholders each official end, the topic was highly
spoke briefly from their various relevant and the speakers were
perspectives and then fielded insightful. The Board of Directors is
questions and comments from an appreciative of the speakers’
audience of some 60 stakeholders. thoughtful participation, especially
Joining Lisa were Darren O’Neill Lisa and Scott, who traveled from
from DelDOT, Chris Baker from the DC and Baltimore area to join
George & Lynch, Bill Conway from us.
Century Engineering, and Scott
ASHE First State Section
The Milepost | April 2016
ASHE EVENTS
2015 Project of the Year Showcase
- Shellie deMoss, P.E., A. Morton Thomas & Associates
Projects come and go; however it is nice to
stop and think about our own
achievements and celebrate the best of
local projects. That is exactly what ASHE
First State does for the annual Project of
the Year Showcase. This year the dinner
was located at the Christiana Hilton Hotel
on March 24, 2016.
The evening began with a social hour and
poster session where attendees casted
votes for the People’s Choice Awards.
Dinner began with a few opening
announcements followed by a review of
each of the projects. There were six project
entries for this year’s showcase:
• BR 2 – 388C on SR 15 Canterbury
Road over Ward Branch Box Culvert Replacement located in Milford DE and presented by George and
Lynch. Project is noted for teamwork and commitment to safety.
• Canalfront Connections – Paths, Parks, and History located in Lewis Delaware and presented by Century
Engineering. This project is also noted for teamwork and commitment to safety
• The DelDOT Bridge and Safety Inspection Program located statewide Delaware and presented by Pennoni.
This project is noted for project necessity and commitment to safety
• The Painting and Lead Abatement of the Delaware Memorial Bridge Towers presented by The DRBA along
with Blastech. This project is noted for adaptability to dynamic circumstances and commitment to safety.
• Old Elk Neck Road Widening and Bridge Replacement located in Cecil County Maryland and presented by
Pennoni. This is noted for value to the travelling public and commitment to safety.
• Rehabilitation of the Century – Old Furness
Bridge located in Media Pennsylvania and
presented by Pennoni. This project is noted for
unique challenges and commitment to safety.
All six project entries were judged in holistic
fashion yielding two project of the year awards.
ASHE would like to thank the judges and
showcase committee Shilpa Mallem, Matheu
Carter, Scott Neidert, Steven Nickel, Kerry Yost,
Sam Bostick, Christina Kilpatrick, Brian Kisner,
and Tom Clements! Now without further ado the
following are the Project of the Year winners:
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The Milepost | April 2016
ASHE First State Section
ASHE EVENTS
2015 Project of the Year Winners
Old Elk Neck Road Widening and Bridge Replacement in Elkton MD
Designer: Pennoni
Originally constructed in 1930, Old Elk Neck Bridge was a one lane wooden
bridge over Piney Creek in Elkton. Cecil County, MD. The structure with its
largest span measuring 22 feet, served an average of 500 vehicles per day and
provided access for emergency vehicles, school busses, and members of the
community church to Elkton. The structures bridge deck was destroyed in 2004
as a result of severe flash flooding. The community was left with a single route
to neighboring residential communities, Elk Neck State Park, and other points
south. Working with Cecil County and a number of public agencies, Pennoni
replaced the bridge’s structure and improved neighboring Old Elk Neck Road
and Turkey Point Road to accommodate with growth of the community. This was
a multi-disciplined project that opened just after the new year!
Painting and Lead Abatement of the Delaware Memorial Bridge Towers
Project of the year and winner of the People’s Choice Award
Designer: Delaware River and Bay Authority
The Delaware Memorial Bridge is a set of twin suspension bridges crossing the
Delaware River. The bridge was built in 1951 and links Delaware and New
Jersey. Since it’s construction the towers have been on a 10-year paint cycle
which entails spot removal of
surface rust and recoating. The
original lead based paint has
remained in place with accumulated
layers of paint over top. Annual
inspections of the tower paint
indicate further spot repairs and
over-coating are no longer effective
nor fiscally sound.
Additionally there is
significant
weight
added to the dead load
from the multilayer system. For these reasons, it was determined
all towers should be blasted to near white metal and recoated with
a five coat moisture cured urethane system. Blastech Enterprise ,
located in Baltimore, proposed to do the entire job in one season
and for the least amount of money. Using a seven day work week
and over 60 men working at a time the job was completed in ten
months (which is the duration of one painting season). The project
was also completed without any injuries to workers.
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ASHE First State Section
The Milepost | April 2016
ASHE EDUCATION SESSIONS
Session 1: Differing Site Conditions
Session 2: Contracting as a Risk Management Tool
- Gregory Pawlowski, DRBA
Scott Lowe presents
Differing Site
Conditions: Problems in
Hiding
Over the last several years, ASHE First
State has been offering its members
opportunities to earn PDHs many of us
need for continued licensure. Classes
take place in the winter months when
construction work typically slows and
our personal commitments lessen.
Presentations begin at 6:00 pm, are
held in the training room of the
Delaware Contractor’s Association, and
are no cost to ASHE members. And
while no full dinner is served, light
refreshments, such as chips, cookies,
crackers, soda, and water are available
to hold you over for the evening.
We started this past year’s training
season with a presentation by Scott
Lowe of Trauner Associates where he is
a principal. Scott has volunteered to
teach in the past, with much accolades
from the audience, and delivered
another hot topic discussion on differing
site conditions. As Scott bluntly puts it
often, “I am the person they call in to
straighten things out when they are all
screwed up”. This gives him plenty of
exposure to both sides of an issue, and
in this case, the ability to present
unbiased solutions towards what
constitutes differing site conditions and
how to avoid conflicts resulting from
their discovery.
There were 19
attendees at the discussion January 14
and many positive comments came
from the audience on the subject matter
as well as delivery by Scott. Fortunately
he lives in nearby Philadelphia, enjoys
what he does best, and will return next
year for us to discuss Termination for
Convenience Clauses. Seating is open
to the first 35 members and PDHs will
be offered. Flyers will go out later this
year.
Our second presentation was given by
local attorney, Paul Cottrell. Paul is well
known for representing Engineers,
Architects, and Contractors during
litigation and contract formation. His
specialty is in Liability and Risk
Management and he has written a
textbook on these subjects. Paul’s
discussion revolved around contract
law, important elements of a contract,
and liability clauses contained within.
Like Scott Lowe, Paul has represented
both parties and has the ability to see
things from their perspective which is
valuable when trying to teach others
how to stay out of trouble.
Paul also enjoys his
interaction with the design
and construction industries
and has built a strong
reputation within both,
which was echoed by many
of the 14 attendees
February 18. While there
are no plans for him to
return next year, it is
certain he will be asked to
speak before ASHE First
State members again in the
near future.
Paul Cottrell presents
A short course on
Construction Law as it
impacts the Design
Professional
ASHE First State would like to hear from
you on topics of interest and help us
build a lecture series.
But more
importantly, we are always seeking
subject matter experts who are
interested in presenting before a small
class or perhaps a large audience at
one of several dinner meetings held
throughout the year.
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ASHE First State Section
The Milepost | April 2016
ASHE MEMBER UPDATES
New Officers for ASHE at the University of Delaware
-Matheu J. Carter, P.E., Delaware T2 Center
Started in 2009, our student chapter, ASHE@UD, has been a great experience for all of us and we now see many
alumni from the program in our midst as fellow First State members and even members of the Board of Directors. Admittedly, we have let a few escape and join other ASHE Sections, but we’ve kept our share!
The student chapter of ASHE at University of Delaware has all new officers and so you’ll be seeing some new faces at upcoming events. Steven Nickel is the new President, while Eric Kramer is Vice President of Recruitment,
Emily Robison is Vice President of Events, Kendi Bailey is Secretary, Aaron Policow is Treasurer, and Eric Johnson
is the Website Chair. These and other students are likely to be at upcoming dinners and other events, so be sure
to welcome them and get to know them.
SAVE THE DATE!
Engineering Scholarship Fundraising Dinner
April 21, 2016
Where:
When:
How much:
Talleyville Fire Hall, Wilmington, Delaware
April 21, 2016 - 6:00 P.M.
$35/person
$10 children under 12 years
Free - children under 5 years
Joe Vattilana (simply “Joe V” to many Delawareans) is
underwriting the cost of the dinner, so that all proceeds will
benefit the ASHE Scholarship Fund! Many thanks to Joe V, a
strong champion for education and attracting smart,
innovative people to highway engineering!
SAVE THE DATE!
20th Annual ASHE First State Section Awards Banquet
May 17, 2016
Mark your calandar for ASHE First State Section Awards Banquet . This year the event will be held at the
Cavaliers Country Club in Newark Delaware. The total cost is $50.00 per person. Get ready for a night of fun
including a cocktail hour, dinner, and awards program. We will be inducting Thomas Clements into the Hall of
Fame and also awarding Jeffery Roehm the Pioneer Award. Look for additional information and a registration
flyer by late April!
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ASHE First State Section
The Milepost | April 2016
ASHE NEW MEMBERS
2015-2016 First State Section
NAME
EMPLOYER
SPONSOR
Davis, Bowen, & Friedel
Tom Clements
2. Joseph Challburg
Pennoni Associates
Phil Horsey
3. Douglas Holley
Pennoni Associates
Phil Horsey
4. James Quigley
Pennoni Associates
Phil Horsey
5. Michael Rakowski
Pennoni Associates
Phil Horsey
6. Peter Shaw
Pennoni Associates
Phil Horsey
7. Joseph Spadea
Pennoni Associates
Phil Horsey
8. Amy Fitzgerald
JMT
Dave Duplessis
Pennoni Associates
Phil Horsey
Prime AE Group
Tom Clements
11. Anne Bilberback
Enterprise Flasher
Joe Vattilana
12. Breanna Kovach
DelDOT
Tom Clements
1. Chris Sylvester
9. Michael Steimer
10. Ned Guard
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ASHE First State Section
The Milepost | April 2016
THANK YOU
To all our Platinum Sponsors for the year
2015-2016
RK&K Engineers
Century Engineering, Inc
Urban Engineers, Inc.
George & Lynch, Inc.
AECOM
TY Lin
KCI Technologies
To all our Diamond Sponsors for the year
2015-2016
Johnson, Mirmiran, and Thompson
Whitman Requardt and Associates
Note: Diamond Sponsors include a Corporate Golf Sponsorship, 1 Foursome at the Scholarship Golf Outing, a Gold Sponsorship for the Christmas Gala, one full size Hall of Fame program ad, and a business card in the Milepost. Contact Tom Clements at
T_Clements@msn.com for more details. Platinum includes all the above plus an additional
$250 directly into the Scholarship fund
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ASHE First State Section
The Milepost | April 2016
OUR BUSINESS CARD SPONSERS
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ASHE First State Section
The Milepost | April 2016
Place
Postage
WE'RE ON THE WEB
HTTP://ASHEFIRSTSTATE.ORG/
Milepost
Shellie deMoss—sdemoss@amtengineering.com
ASHE’s Milepost Article
Business Cards:
ASHE is looking for articles to be published in its upcoming issues of the Milepost. Here is an opportunity
for all the ASHE members to highlight a project that
they are involved with, call attention to an issue in the
current transportation world or share experiences
and lessons learned in the sector. If you would like to
share an article on any such topic, please contact
Shellie deMoss at sdemoss@amtengineering.com
and we will publish it in the subsequent Milepost issues.
Send to: Shellie deMoss, 200 Continental Drive, Suite
211, Newark DE 19713
Sunshine Committee by Rich Prentice
Rich Prentice has requested notification whenever
any information on a section member is appropriate
for action. Rich can be reached by calling 610-9359375 or rsp1737@hotmail.com
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