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Executive Corner: What’s My Legacy? An A/E Generation Transitions Out

May 5, 2023 - in Articles, Column

Growing up, my father was fond of sharing various quips and quotes. Some were motivational, others just corny, and I’m confident most of them went in one ear and out the other. But one that always stuck with me was the famous Maya Angelou line: “People…

Transportation Troubleshooting: Infrastructure Investment Law Is Working

May 5, 2023 - in Articles, Column

A video of Paula Hammond’s congressional testimony can be watched above or at bit.ly/3LVAL0u.  The full text can be found at bit.ly/3M1q7VX.…

Thoughts From Engineers: A Toxic Fix? Another Chemical Disaster Makes Headlines

March 24, 2023 - in Articles, Column

The lives of working-class folks tragically intersected with a load of hazardous chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio, in early February 2023. Zoning…

Water Works: The Value of National Standardization for the Evaluation of Stormwater Control Measures

March 24, 2023 - in Articles, Column

If any group of engineers was asked to list which organization(s) they reference for industry standards, I would expect ASTM International to be frequently cited. Founded in 1898, ASTM has maintained incredible name recognition—and for good reason.…

Infrastructure Outlook: New ‘Buy America’ Rules May Change How You Use Federal Funds

March 24, 2023 - in Articles, Column

It has been just more than a year since the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) was signed into law, delivering the prospect of funding for modernization of water and transportation infrastructure as well as other important projects.…

Code Update: The 2022 AISC Specification for Structural Steel Buildings

March 24, 2023 - in Articles, Column

The latest edition of the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) flagship standard, the “2022 Specification for Structural Steel Buildings (ANSI/AISC 360)” (the Specification), has hit the streets (get it at aisc.org/2022spec). The 2022 edition…

Executive Corner: Inside the Latest A/E Business Valuation and M&A Transaction Study

March 24, 2023 - in Articles, Column

With economic growth slowing and interest rates rising, it’s not surprising that A/E firm valuation multiples have ebbed from their post-pandemic peaks. The latest valuation statistics from the recently released “A/E Business Valuation and M&A…

From the Editor: We Need to Better Promote the Heroes of Engineering: Us

March 24, 2023 - in Articles, Column

Throughout my career, I have been asked countless times about what exactly I do as a civil engineer. Some people ask just to be polite, but most legitimately didn’t know what a civil engineer does. It seems that we, as engineers, have not done as good…

ReEngineering the Engineer: Sometimes It Has To Be You

March 24, 2023 - in Articles, Column

I admit it has been rewarding watching our young engineers grow from working on pieces of projects to managing an entire project from start to finish. However, this technical side is just one piece of their growth. They’ve also learned how to manage…

Transportation Troubleshooting: Lessons About Sharing Risks in Major Tunnel Projects

March 24, 2023 - in Articles, Column

As Washington State Secretary of Transportation, I oversaw the development phase leading up to construction of the State Route 99 Tunnel, also known as the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement tunnel. The 1.7-mile underground tunnel features a state-of-the-art…