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Issue: 3

June 2014

Michigan Infrastructure Conference a Success

200+ attend

Michigan Lt. Governor Brian Calley

On May 8th, ACEC/Michigan, ASCE Michigan Section, and the Urban Land Institute (ULI) jointly hosted the Michigan Infrastructure Conference in East Lansing. The day included: presentations of national infrastructure reports by both ASCE and ULI, a transportation update by State Transportation Director Kirk Steudle, PE, a statewide panel of private developers that discussed Michigan infrastructure issues and a keynote by Lt. Governor Brian Calley.

Six (6) different education breakout sessions also took place and highlighted ways engineers and owners have overcome various challenges to build successful infrastructure projects in Michigan.

Legislative Update

Senate Bill 472 (Remonumentation)

Senate Bill 472, strongly supported by ACEC and MSPE, was signed into law on June 12, 2014 as Public Act 166 of 2014. The bill will amend the State Survey and Remonumentation Act to revise 15 sections of the law and add three new sections. The largest positive in the bill is the re-establishment of the State Survey and Remonumentation Commission within the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA).

Transportation Funding

After several long legislative sessions, the Senate failed to pass legislation to increase the investment in our transportation system. The legislature has left for summer recess - without acting on legislation that would have provided additional revenue to repair our crumbling roads and bridges - to return home to campaign for the upcoming elections.

Earlier, the House passed a 10-bill package that sought to add $450 million to the transportation budget - well short of the funds actually needed to make repairs and improve the condition of our system.

The legislation being debated would repeal the current 19 cent flat gas tax and create a new wholesale tax on gasoline and diesel fuel. The Senate made several attempts to garner enough votes to amend the House bills by adding a four-year phase-in of an increase to the wholesale tax that would increase 2% each of the four years. Each attempt failed.

Transportation advocates, including the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Farm Bureau, and a multitude of other industries being negatively affected by the condition of our infrastructure, were extremely disappointed that lawmakers could not work together to find a solution. Taxpayers will now pay even more as another construction season passes without properly funding repairs to our transportation system.

ACEC and ASCE awards presented May 8

During the Michigan Infrastructure Conference on May 8th, several individual awards were presented. ACEC awards were given to outgoing president John Hiltz (OHM Advisors), along with outgoing committee chairs: Kamran Qadeer-ACEC Transportation Committee (FTCH); Leslie Kusek-ACEC Marketing Committee (LMK Consulting); Robert Rayl-ACEC-MDOT Procedures & Practices Committee (RS Engineering); Len Becker-ACEC-MDOT Finance & Contracts Committee (HNTB), and Gerald Belian-QBS Coalition (SME).

ASCE MI Section awards presented:

Young Civil Engineer of the Year Crystal Kozak, PE, with ASCE Executive Director, Ron Brenke, PE, M.ASCE.

Young Civil Engineer of the Year: Crystal Kozak, PE
Franklin D. Meyers Outstanding Civil Engineer of the Year: Sidney Lockhart, PE
Outstanding Engineer in Public Office: Stephen Kepley, PE
Quality of Life: St. Clair River Shoreline Restoration (City of Marysville)
Quality of Life (Merit): Electrical Upgrade/Water & Wastewater Improvements Ludington State Park
Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement: Detroit Pubic Safety Headquarters Bldg.
Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement (Merit): DTE Energy Thumb Wind Parks Huron & Sanilac Counties

Sidney Lockhart, PE, Franklin D. Meyers Outstanding Civil Engineer of the Year

Outstanding Engineer in Public Office, Stephen Kepley, PE, accepts his award from Ron Brenke.

ACEC Announces 2014-15 President and Board of Directors

ACEC of Michigan is pleased to announce Amy Trahey, PE, of Great Lakes Engineering Group, LLC (Lansing) as its 2014-2015 President.

Amy is a registered professional engineer and president of Great Lakes Engineering Group, LLC - the 2014 ACEC/Michigan Small Firm of the Year. A graduate of Michigan Technological University, she and her firm specialize in bridge safety inspections, bridge scoping and design, and construction oversight. She also holds the distinguished position of being ACEC of Michigan's first female president.

2014-2015 ACEC/Michigan Officers:

President: Amy Trahey, PE, of Great Lakes Engineering Group, LLC, Lansing

President-Elect: Mark Kramer, PE, Soil and Materials Engineers, Inc., Plymouth

Treasurer: Michael Cooper, PE, Harley Ellis Devereaux, Southfield

National Director: Wally Alix, PE, Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc., Bloomfield Hills

Past-President: John Hiltz, PE, OHM Advisors, Livonia

2014-2015 ACEC/Michigan Directors:

Leonard Becker, PE, HNTB, Detroit

Chris Cook, PE, Abonmarche, Benton Harbor

Thomas Deneau, PE, Wightman & Associates, Inc., Benton Harbor

Steve Gravlin, PE, Wade Trim, Taylor

Sean Kelley, PE, Mannik Smith Group, Inc., Canton

Steve Nichols, PE, Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, Grand Rapids

Stephen Pangori, PE, Anderson, Eckstein & Westrick, Inc., Shelby Township

Theresa Petko, AICP, URS, Grand Rapids

Robert Rayl, PE, RS Engineering, LLC, Lansing

Jack Wheatley, PE, ROWE Professional Services Company, Flint

Michigan Construction Science Expo

On May 20, 2014, over 1,000 students from Detroit Public Schools attended the 4th annual MI Construction Science Expo at the Michigan Science Center in Detroit.

Michigan's Design and Construction Coalition once again partnered with the Black Caucus Foundation of Michigan, the Michigan Department of Transportation and Detroit Public Schools to provide middle and early high school students an opportunity to experience the various careers that exist in the engineering and construction industry.

Click the link below to view video footage from the event.

2014 Construction Science Expo

MDOT-ACEC Partnering Award nominations now being accepted

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the American Council of Engineering Companies of Michigan (ACEC/M) are excited to announce the second annual "MDOT-ACEC Partnership Charter Award". Nominations are currently being accepted. This award recognizes project managers and consultants for their commitment to excellence and promoting an enhanced business partnership based on the ideals set forth in the MDOT/ACEC Partnership Charter Agreement. These ideals include mutual trust, effective communication, continuous improvement, embracing innovation, and timely issues resolution. The award will be judged equally on five important principles:

Providing Cost-Effective, High-Quality Services
Partnering in Streamlining Business Practices
Engaging in Effective Communication
Commitment to Transparency & Accountability
Promoting Innovation and Sustainability

Projects accomplished by team effort between MDOT project managers and ACEC consultants are eligible to receive this award. Applications for the 2014 award will be received by the MDOT Performance Excellence Division through Sept. 30, 2014. Projects must have achieved substantial completion by Dec. 31, 2013, to be eligible for the 2014 award year. The 2014 award will be announced at the MDOT/ACEC Partnering Workshop schedule for February 05, 2015 at the Lansing Center.

Click here for more details.

MSPE News

MATHCOUNTS State Team Named

Over 145 Mathletes competed on March 8th at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo to advance to the National MATHCOUNTS Competition in May. Seventh grader Freddie Zhao, from Troy's Boulan Park Middle School, scored highest in the written test and won the countdown round to lead the Michigan Team. Three eighth graders round out the Team that will compete at the Swan & Dolphin Resort in Orlando: Spencer Liu (Boulan Park MS), Raviraj Rege (Novi Middle School), and Venkatesh Bajji (Boulan Park MS). Boulan Park Middle School's Team took the top honors in the Team Competition, earning their Coach, Mark Martin, a third straight year as the Coach of the Michigan Team.

MATHCOUNTS is a national middle school coaching and competitive mathematics program that promotes mathematics achievement through a series of fun and engaging "bee" style contests.. Over 1150 students, representing more than 140 schools statewide, competed in the fifteen Chapter competitions hosted by MSPE Chapters.

MSPE Annual Conference

MSPE's 2014-2015 Officers were installed at the Annual Conference at Garland Resort on May 29th. NSPE President-Elect Harve Hnatiuk performed the installation ceremony. The new Executive Committee is: President Donald Heck, PE (Wolverine Engineers), President-Elect N. Robert Uddin, PE (Commonwealth Associates), Secretary Robert Wheeler, PE (GAI Associates), Treasurer James Kirkwood, PE (Prein & Newhof), and Past-President Martha Thompson, PE (Conestoga Rovers Associates).

MSPE also presented Corporate Awards to Commonwealth Associates and Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr and Huber for their long standing support of and generosity to MSPE and its programs, not only financially, but by encouraging participation and leadership involvement by their engineers.

MSPE Past President Martha Thompson, PE with Leanne Panduren, PE.

The MSPE Engineer of the Year Award was presented to Flint Chapter's Leanne Panduren, PE, FNSPE (Rowe PSC) and the Young Engineer of the Year went to Brian Moynihan, PE (Soil and Materials Engineers, Inc.) from the Western Chapter.