- About
- Conference 82
- Technical Sessions
- Technical Descriptions - Thurs
Technical Program
Thursday - June 6, 2024
Planning to Move Piers on Two 100-Year-Old Rail Bridges
Rasmin Kharva, PE, Lead Structural Engineer – H&H
Richard Stevens, PE Structural Engineer – H&H
The Long Island Railroad “Double Deck” and “Mainline 1/3” bridges carry twelve tracks over the Van Wyck Expressway – a busy corridor leading to JFK airport in Queens, New York. The bridges were originally constructed in the 1910s and were lengthened with additional spans in the 1950s to accommodate the widening of the expressway. Recently, NYSDOT set out to construct two new multi-use lanes on the Van Wyck Expressway, requiring relocation of the lower portion of three column lines supporting this multi-level structure. For the Double Deck, a complex rehabilitation and load path reconfiguration scheme was developed, preserving much of the existing upper level of the structure to minimize long term impacts to commuter service. For Mainline 1/3, a bold roll-in replacement scheme was developed, aimed at replacing large portions of the bridge during weekend track outages.
Road to PEL and Beyond: Getting Transportation Infrastructure Right
Ed Frantz, Transportation Environmental Specialist – Sam Schwartz
Kovid Saxena, National Director of Environmental Planning – Sam Schwartz
Integration of environmental and socioeconomic considerations into transportation decision-making is critical in shaping the outcome of one of the most significant infrastructure program pipelines in recent decades. Based on the authors' experience with the planning and delivering of major transportation infrastructure, this presentation will focus on the planning and environmental linkage, its role in the project development process, and the framework it provides. Benefits for transportation agencies will be highlighted with examples including Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funded projects. This presentation will establish the need for and benefit from embracing the PEL framework in delivering transportation infrastructure that would define the 21st century.
Emerging Technologies in Hard Armor Solutions for Storm Water
Melanie Fuhrman, General Manager – Concrete Canvas USA
Hard Armor solutions are often considered on sites where water velocities exceed 6 feet per second or vegetative growth is challenging. Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mats (GCCM) are a new class of products that are made with lower carbon impact, low maintenance requirement, and a long design life. GCCM is a flexible geocomposite that contains a lower PVC layer and a 3-D fiber matrix which encases a cement mixture. Unhydrated, this material is flexible and manufactured on a roll. Once hydrated, the mat provides a hard armor surface with increased impermeability over traditional methods. Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mats require no large or specialty equipment. This presentation discusses the successful historical use of GCCM's for stormwater conveyance, containment, and erosion control.
Teresa Haslauer, New York State Safety Program Manager – FHWA
FHWA’s Proven Safety Countermeasures initiative (PSCi) is a collection of 28 countermeasures and strategies effective in reducing roadway fatalities and serious injuries on our Nation’s highways. Transportation agencies are strongly encouraged to consider widespread implementation of PSCs to accelerate the achievement of local, state, and national safety goals. These strategies are designed for all road users and all kinds of roads—from rural to urban, from high-volume freeways to less traveled two-lane state and county roads, from signalized crossings to horizontal curves, and everything in between. Each countermeasure addresses at least one safety focus area – speed management, intersections, roadway departures, or pedestrians/bicyclists – while others are crosscutting strategies that address multiple safety focus areas.
New and Innovative Concrete Testing Technologies
Presenters and Synopsis TBA
Dutch Transport Planning Innovations
Dana Crisino AICP, MBA – Director - Herkimer-Oneida Counties Transportation Council & Oneida County Deputy Commissioner of Planning
This presentation will be a curated look of the 6-day Dutch Transport Innovation Study Tour and summary of the translatable takeaways that can be employed within the context of federal transportation legislation and MPO activities. The Dutch have created a living laboratory of city design that not only maximizes transport efficiency but more importantly, creates convivial population centers that encourage the interaction that has drawn people to them for thousands of years. This presentation is for land use and transportation planners interested in translating Dutch transport innovation into their local context and all professionals interested in learning how cities can be made to work better, places are more vibrant, and safety increased while traveling.
Joint Sealing for Short Span Bridges
Matthew Marotta – Sales Associate - RJ Watson, Inc.
The primary function of a bridge expansion joint is to accommodate movements of the superstructure caused by thermal forces. To prevent rain, snow, dirt, and debris from damaging the bridge substructure, these expansion joints need to be sealed. This presentation will discuss the importance and history of joint seals, weigh the positives and negatives of different styles, and identify the typical life expectancy of each. This presentation will also highlight the importance of expansion joint seal maintenance and cover several case studies.
Presenters and Synopsis TBA
Advances in UHPC Technology and Constructability
Dr. Miles Zeman PhD, Head of Research & Development – Cor Tuf UHPC
Cor-Tuf is an Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) which can be mixed and placed just as conventional concrete is placed every day and can be used with any contractor’s existing equipment fleet. Dr. Zeman will present the importance of the George Washington Memorial Parkway Project in McLean Virginia, the close monitoring of this project by FHWA and the implementation of the "Bridge Preservation and Restoration Guideline."
Howard R. Ressel, PE, Senior Project Engineer – Popli Design Group
This course provides an overview and introduction into guide rail design. The course, based on NYSDOT standards and practices, will explain how guide rail is used, when it is warranted and how it works. The course will review and compare various guide rail systems used in New York including terminals. It will also include a brief description on how guide rail is developed and tested. The course will also include guidelines on field evaluations of guide rail systems.
Increasing Roadway Performance with Geogrids
Doug McCluskey, Western Erosion Control & Stormwater Specialist – EJ Prescott
This course reviews the benefits that geogrids offer to paved and unpaved roads, with a focus on improved performance and reduced construction costs. The impact that the materials and manufacturing processes have on geogrid performance, and how they affect lateral restraint and radial stiffness will be discussed. Punched and Drawn Polypropylene Geogrids will be covered in greater detail. The progression from Biaxial, to Triax, to 3D Triplanar geogrids will be explained with supporting pavement designs and examples.
Unleashing the Power of Systemic Safety: Proactive Defense Against Severe Crashes
Ankita Rathi, AICP, ENV SP, Transportation Planning Manager – VHB
Alanna Moran, PE, Senior Traffic Project Manager – VHB
Systemic safety is a vital component of a comprehensive safety management program. Its proactive nature empowers agencies to identify locations with a high potential for severe crashes by pinpointing prevalent risk factors. By preemptively implementing effective countermeasures, severe crashes can be averted before they occur. This presentation will demonstrate the value of systemic safety improvements, as underscored by various case studies and extensive literature presented by FHWA. We will also present on the new, advanced tool available to agencies across New York State --the Crash Location Evaluation and Analysis Repository (CLEAR) Safety. Within the CLEAR Safety application are systemic analysis tools to guide transportation agencies through the process and ultimately prioritizing sites based on risk score.
Rehabilitation of Route 281 over I-81
Joshua T. Rodems, PE, Geographic Discipline Leader & Project Manager – Colliers
Michael R. Washburn, PE, Assistant Regional Design Engineer – NYSDOT Region 3
This presentation highlights the challenges faced by designers, owners, and contractors and the respective solutions used for the recently completed, $2.8 million NYS Route-281 bridge over I-81 in Preble, NY. This RDSA Assignment was a fast-tracked Governor’s high priority project where final PS&E was submitted 20 weeks following notice to proceed. The presentation will discuss the design work involved along with the element specific bridge rehabilitation deck repairs needed to address structural deficiencies and extend the service life of the bridge.
Decarbonizing Mobility: How the Smart Communities Approach Can Drive Carbon Neutrality
Andrew Buck, AICP, ENV SP, Senior Urban Planner/Technologist – VHB
Michael DeGaspari, PE, Transportation Operations Lead, Mobility – VHB
This presentation focuses on how smart community techniques can be employed to help decarbonize mobility and meet both federal and state climate goals. The session highlights the critical role of reducing carbon emissions in alignment with New York State’s climate goals, emphasizing the significance of decarbonizing mobility through approaches like electric vehicles, data-enhanced mobility planning, ITS Systems integration, and even advanced air mobility. The core of the session is dedicated to practical strategies for New York’s transportation sector. Key areas include policy development, infrastructure planning, and community engagement, essential for a successful transition to sustainable models. Real-world case studies from New York will provide tangible examples and effective tactics.
ADA Specifications and Their Applications
Craig Coggins, Technical Sales Engineer – EJ
This course provides an overview of ADA Standards when applied to fabricated and cast-iron access products.
Brian Hoffmann, PE, Regional Design Engineer – NYSDOT, Region 2
Christina Doughney, PE, PTOE, TSMO Engineering – NYSDOT, Main Office
Maureen Kuinlan, PE, Regional Traffic Signal Engineer – NYSDOT, Region 8
Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO) is a foundational concept for how any transportation agency operates their system. It represents a set of strategies that maintain and optimize the performance of the existing transportation system. The strategies work in concert with performance-based highway design to achieve project goals and objectives. In addition to an overview of TSMO and performance-based design, two case studies will be presented to demonstrate project applications of the concepts.
Replacement of Smith Point Bridge
Silvio Garcia, PE, Principal Associate & Structural Engineer – H&H
Alexandra Wiley, PE, Senior Structural Engineer – H&H
Daniel Tarantino, AIA, Architectural Group Manager – H&H
The existing Smith Point Bridge is a double-leaf, bascule bridge which carries William Floyd Parkway (CR 46) over Narrow Bay in the Town of Brookhaven. The bridge serves as the sole access route to the eastern end of Fire Island. The bridge was designed by Hardesty & Hanover in the 1950's and is reaching the end of is service life due to the harsh oceanfront environment at this site. H&H prepared alternative evaluation studies and the Design Report for this Locally Administered Federal Aid Project. The preferred alternate selected is replacement of the existing movable bridge with a high-level fixed bridge on a westerly alignment that touches down in an underutilized area of Smith Point County Park. The new structure will be an approximately 1,600-foot-long prestressed concrete structure and will provide a 55.6 -foot clearance over the 100-foot-wide navigation channel.
Improving Construction Projects with Technology
Robert Cartwright, PE, Senior Principal – Stantec
The use of technology continues to grow in the engineering field. Most often, technology is associated with the design process, but there are a number of field applications that will provide more safe and efficient means to collect data; more accurate measurements, permanent electronic records and real-time management of site conditions including equipment, personnel and traffic. Specific examples highlighting the successful implementation of technology on construction sites will be shared including the use of LiDAR to inspect re-bar mats, smart sensors to monitor equipment and personnel on construction sites, unmanned aerial systems (drones) to monitor difficult to access areas as well as other applications.
Understanding AASHTO Requirements when using Fiber Reinforced Polymer Reinforcement
Tarek Alkhrdaji PhD, PE, FACI, SVP – Structural Technologies
This presentation covers FRP strengthening of civil concrete structures with an emphasis on bridges. It will help the audience understand FRP applications and design criteria combined with practical applications and will specifically address AASHTO requirements.
Innovative Design & Accelerated Bridge Construction for LIRR Expansion
Pak So, PE, Principal – Stantec
David Beyers, PE – Halmar
The LIRR Expansion Project upgrades a 9.8 mile two-track Main Line segment in Long Island, NY. The Project's main goals are to add a third track to the Main Line and to greatly improve public safety. Existing railroad bridges were retrofitted to support the extra track. Additionally, at-grade crossings were replaced by bridges over newly depressed roadways. This presentation describes how the Design Build Team used innovative accelerated bridge construction techniques including lateral bridge jacking and roll-in with Self-propelled Module Transporter and designed substructures to suit the construction methods.
Planning & Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study - I-90 Exit 31/921C Utica
Dana Crisino, Director – Herkimer-Oneida Counties Transportation Council & Oneida County Deputy Commissioner of Planning
Julie Richmond, Transportation Program Manager – Herkimer-Oneida Counties Transportation Council
Consultant Presenter TBA – Fisher Associates
This presentation will tell the story of how an issue identified in 2016 became an $800,000 Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) study in 2023. HOCTC in partnership with NYSDOT Region 2 is undertaking a PEL Study centered on the NYS Thruway (I-90/I-790) Interchange 31 at N. Genesee Street. The Study is the initial step in the planning and design process for this transportation corridor and will identify the existing safety, mobility, infrastructure, community, economic development, regional connections, environmental, social, equity, and environmental justice conditions. It will represent a collaborative and integrated approach to transportation decision-making that considers environmental, community, and economic goals early in the transportation planning process, thereby using the information, analysis, and products developed during planning to inform the environmental review processes and result in the development of concepts and alternatives.
Mobile Concrete Technology Trailer and Emerging Concrete Initiatives
Presenters and Synopsis TBA
