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COMPLETE STREETS SERVING MORE THAN VEHICLES
Pedestrians and cyclists are particularly vulnerable in crashes. Recent statistics for the Upper Midwest show that nearly 1 in 20 crashes with a pedestrian resulted in a fatality. While cyclists fare slightly better, they remain far more prone to injury and fatalities than motorists. Reducing these numbers and improving safety has been a top priority for community leaders and Houston Engineering, Inc. (HEI), leading to improved travel corridors that support more than just automobile traffic. Learn how that's being accomplished starting on page 2. continued
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Leaders in Sustainability Our Internship Program Securing Funding to Support Project Needs Featured Service Area: Waste Management Project Snapshots Employee Spotlights News and Events, and More!
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SPRING Winter 2015 2021
COMPLETE STREETS Serving More Than Vehicles MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORTATION
According to the US Department of Transportation (DOT), approximately 90% of household trips are made with personal vehicles. However, a transportation network needs to be efficient at moving people and goods while providing equal mobility opportunities for all users. Alternative transportation choices must accommodate users who wish to travel via other methods, whether that's for health, environmental, economical, or other reasons. That’s why decision-makers take a multi-modal view of transportation. Under that broad umbrella has emerged a concept known as Complete Streets.
COMPLETE STREETS
“Complete Streets are streets designed and operated to enable safe use and support mobility for all users,” states the US DOT. That means not only motorists but also pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchair users, scooter riders, skaters, and more. A Complete Streets approach allows people to choose how they travel. No community or corridor will look identical, and HEI's engineers and planners must evaluate individual community priorities, corridor needs, and local policies. Even so, Complete Streets has led to some common transportation features.
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PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE PATHS Cyclists are permitted to travel along most roadways in the Upper Midwest, but not every roadway caters to cyclists. Cyclists have a wide range of experience and level of comfort on busy streets; some riders may be discouraged if their only option is to share lanes with motorists. Shared use paths support not only pedestrians but also cyclists and other users. Their wider operating spaces allow side-by-side and two-way bicycle riding, providing an enticing travel corridor for many cyclists. Bicycle lanes continue to become more popular and present throughout the region. Bicycle lanes designate a separate lane on the road— often identified with green paint or other markings—where travel is reserved for cyclists. Bicycle trails are also becoming more popular. Unlike bicycle lanes, bicycle trails include a physical separation of some kind between motorists and cyclists, such as a curb, vegetated boulevard, or some other feature. TRAFFIC CALMING HEI helps clients select effective traffic calming measures that influence driver behavior, reducing motorist operating speeds and discouraging unwanted cut-through traffic. Calmer vehicle traffic also encourages more pedestrian, bicycle, and similar modes of movement.
Curb extensions similarly increase driver awareness by making pedestrians more visible, and they calm traffic instinctively by visually narrowing the driving way. They also shorten the distance that pedestrians must cross from one side of the road to the other, minimizing their exposure to motorists. Raised crosswalks improve visibility in much the same way while also serving as speed bumps, again providing a traffic calming effect. ENHANCED CROSSING COUNTERMEASURES Enhanced crossing countermeasures become a priority where sidewalks and shared use paths cross uncontrolled traffic lanes, especially in busy corridors with higher traffic volumes and speeds. At these locations, HEI assists clients in selecting and installing pedestrianactivated systems such as rectangular rapid flash beacons and pedestrian hybrid beacons. These devices increase awareness of the crossing and are proven to provide higher yielding rates.
A BRIGHT FUTURE
Every year, HEI helps communities implement new Complete Streets projects. With each project comes more opportunities for people to choose their preferred mode of transportation—whether that's to walk, bike, drive, or ride.
Complete Streets Features Designed by HEI JOHNSON STREET, MINNEAPOLIS, MN
Bike trail with vegetated boulevard
Johnson Street's new bike trail improves the corridor for cyclists, and new pedestrian-activated traffic controls will support safer interactions between motorized and non-motorized users.
DOWNTOWN MINOT, ND Curb extensions and shortened crosswalks
Curb extensions, such as those at this four-way intersection, help pedestrians cross the street safely by reducing their travel distance and improving their visibility to motorists.
52ND AVENUE SOUTH, FARGO, ND
Grade-separated shared use path This grade-separated shared use path crossing allows pedestrians, cyclists, and others to cross under this busy corridor without navigating vehicular traffic.
UNIVERSITY DRIVE, FARGO, ND COMPLETE STREETS EXPERT Steve Strack, PE Traffic Engineer sstrack@houstoneng.com Leading HEI's Traffic Engineering services, Steve Strack is responsible for implementing features that support the Complete Streets approach. Steve examines projects from multiple angles to ensure that corridors accommodate a wide variety of users.
Grade-separated shared use path Several path enhancements were made to this corridor to improve how motorists and pedestrians/cyclists interact. houstoneng.com
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LEADERS IN SUSTAINABILITY
Transforming Ideas into Outcomes CREATING A CONCEPT
Did you know HEI has been working with a variety of organizations focused on improving environmental sustainability in agriculture?
Agricultural sustainability includes any number of environmentally friendly farming methods that preserve an ecological balance by avoiding the depletion of natural resources. On a local and national level, HEI is working to find common sense solutions to complicated challenges. In addition to the project work outlined in this article, our team at HEI can provide the following services: • Environmental Policy and Regulation Guidance • GIS Development • Infrastructure Design • Land Stewardship • Stakeholder Engagement • Supply Chain Partnerships • Sustainability Projects and Claim Validation • Targeting and Building Practices • Water Quality Guidance • Water Quantity Guidance • Watershed Planning • Web/Mobile Software Development Learn more by reading the following project case studies.
CASE STUDIES
MINNESOTA AGRICULTURAL WATER QUALITY CERTIFICATION PROGRAM (MAWQCP) Minnesota Department of Agriculture and State of Minnesota Office of MN.IT Services In 2014, HEI began a project with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to convert a Microsoft Access database to a web application. The MAWQCP assessment tool is used by a variety of stakeholders— from agricultural producers to conservation groups—to certify and classify the water quality index for runoff water from agricultural fields throughout Minnesota. This information is vital to improve water quality standards within the state. The assessment tool will greatly simplify the certification process. Once risks to water quality have been mitigated, farmers are eligible for certification. Certified farms are deemed to be in compliance with any new state agricultural water quality laws or rules for 10 years. According to the MAWQCP's website, over 1,100 producers and 785,000 acres have been certified. The program has proven to set a standard and be an example for other states in implementing practices that serve farmers and agricultural landowners well. Learn more at: https://www. mda.state.mn.us/environmentsustainability/minnesotaagricultural-water-qualitycertification-program
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FIELDPRINT ® CALCULATOR 3.0 Field to Market Field to Market offers the Fieldprint ® Calculator, which is a framework that allows brands, retailers, supppliers, and farmers to measure and report on the environmental impacts of crop production while identifying opportunities for continuous improvements. The Fieldprint ® Calculator is a vital component of the organization's supply chain sustainability program. In 2017, HEI began a high-profile project with Field to Market to rebuild the next generation of their Fieldprint ® Calculator to a new 3.0 version. The final product is an improved Fieldprint ® Platform that better serves members and users to track and report on their sustainability programs, promoting continuous improvement across the country. Learn more at: https://fieldtomarket.org
CLIENT IDEA
COLLABORATIVE SOLUTION
OUTCOMES DELIVERED
HEADWATERS AGRICULTURE SUSTAINABILITY PARTNERSHIP (HASP) In 2019, HEI began work on the HASP project, which aimed at communicating how conservation impacts farm profitability and the environment. Specifically, the project involved exploring the return on investment from conservation practices implemented in dairy operations within the Sauk River Watershed. Data from the Field to Market Fieldprint ® Calculator was measured for three farms to determine the connections between environmental outcomes and farm profitability. The farmers featured in the 2019-2020 report had, on average, greater environmental and financial performance compared to regional benchmarks, specific to their crop enterprises. Due to the limited sample size and number of years, the numbers should be considered initial findings. HASP hopes to continue to expand the study in years to come.
A long-term goal of the project is to develop a broad understanding of how conservation is providing improved environmental outcomes grams while maintaining or improving farm iewed profitability in central Minnesota. Learn more at: https:// environmental-initiative.org/ work/headwaters-agriculturesustainability-partnership/
3 farms
participated
15 farms
participating
MARKETING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF MINNESOTA SOYBEANS Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council (MSR&PC) The United States Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP) established a process for verifying that soybeans from the US have been sustainably produced as defined by their guidelines. The MSR&PC funded the development of a study conducted by HEI to explore how Minnesota benchmarks against the SSAP. The purpose of the study was to provide the technical information needed to communicate the sustainability of soybeans produced in Minnesota, consistent with the directives of the SSAP. Seven active programs were reviewed for continuous improvement in Minnesota. The study found there are many options that can provide continuous improvement for the sustainability of Minnesota soybean production.
MILKSHED PILOT PROJECT Farmers for Sustainable Food With a goal of motivating the implementation of new conservation farming practices by farmers in Wisconsin, a new pilot project was developed.
EVALUATION OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES MARKETS MSR&PC There is increasing interest in monetizing ecosystem services and using markets to financially incentivize practices that provide public goods, such as reducing nitrogen and phosphorus to waterways and combating climate change through carbon sequestration. However, due to the plethora of new markets becoming available, keeping track of them all can be time consuming and untenable for farmers who might participate. Standardized ecosystem services market overviews are needed to provide information to farmers about how markets are different from one another. These market overview sheets will aid farmers during their decision process of whether to get involved and/ or choose which market to get involved with. To this end, the MSR&PC teamed with HEI to assess a broad array of ecosystem services markets and communicate how these markets function in a farmer-focused manner.
LEADING THE PROJECTS Doug Thomas Senior Project Manager – Environmental dthomas@houstoneng.com
The project's goal is to demonstrate, through local in-depth environmental and financial evaluation of farms and supplemented with aggregated regional data, that certain conservation and farming practices can improve both a farmer's cost of production and natural resource stewardship.
Drew Kessler, PhD Project Manager dkessler@houstoneng.com Brian Fischer, MS Project Manager – GIS bfischer@houstoneng.com
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evaluated Reach out for more information!
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OUR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM Successful Careers Begin with a Whole Lot of Fun THE NUTS-AND-BOLTS OF AN HEI INTERNSHIP
We know that our most valuable resources are our people. HEI offers a variety of internship opportunities that translate to job opportunities post-college and plenty of in-the-moment fun! An HEI internship focuses primarily around your goals and long-term success while also fully immersing you into our work culture with treats, tailgating, and general shenanigans. Below, learn from three of our employees who started their career journeys at HEI as interns.
Internship began in 1995. Hired 1998.
Pictured right. Internship began in 2015. Hired 2018.
47 interns have become full-time staff since 2012!
Internship began in 2015. Hired 2016.
JEREMY MCLAUGHLIN, MBA, PE
RACHEL GLATT, EI
BROCK KELLER
VICE PRESIDENT, FARGO, ND
ENGINEER II, MAPLE GROVE, MN
TECHNICIAN II, MINOT, ND
"My first "desk" at HEI was in our old location, and I used a drafting table. I worked on a slanted desk with a small, single light over the table. I remember how hard it was to keep my textbooks on the table without sliding down (no computer yet). In today's world, it is a rarity to see people work their entire career with one company. At HEI, it's commonplace. The engineering world is ever evolving, and we work hard to evolve with it. Offering opportunities for our employees to improve personally and professionally, and to reach their goals, is my primary focus at this point in my career." "The people I worked with were extremely friendly... and they all shared their knowledge with me to help me grow as an engineer."
"I am constantly learning something new at HEI. I started out as an intern working in Bismarck, ND, helping out with different reports and plan sets. Then I moved to the Fargo, ND, office and worked on wetland reports with the environmental team. Then once I graduated from NDSU, I started working on the water resources team. I really like being able to have the freedom to work individually but also have the option to collaborate and work together when I am stuck on a problem. Everyone is willing to help each other out and teach." "Seeing all the things I learned in school applied to the real world was the most satisfying part of my internship."
"My favorite day at work so far was when I got to inspect the rebar at the top of a 1.5-million-gallon water tower; I was 95 feet up in the air walking on rebar that was a foot apart while 20 mile per hour winds were blowing. It felt like I was in a boat with 3-foot-tall rolling waves. It was an experience to remember! Having the proper safety provisions in place made it safe, but still a bit scary. A more typical work day for me involves great conversations with my coworkers. HEI's work culture is very welcoming, and to me everyone is treated like a big family. Overall, the skill set that interns will leave with will greatly help them in their career path." "You get a little adrenaline rush... when you know that you had a hand in building or designing a completed project."
Hear what our recent interns have to say!
Be part of our team! Visit our careers page to find open positions across our firm. www.houstoneng.com/careers 6
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SUCCESSFUL SOLUTIONS Securing Funding to Support Project Needs STEPS FORWARD
Our team at HEI has a track record of supporting clients with successful grant applications or similar efforts. Whether it's helping to develop your project approach, estimating budgets, or identifying the necessary local resources, our team can do it all. Grants provide an excellent opportunity for you to: • accelerate project implementation; • fund construction of specific projects; • work cooperatively with your partners; and • develop and implement innovative projects. Examples of projects where HEI provided grant and funding assistance services are outlined below.
CLIENT HIGHLIGHTS
FEDERAL CLEAN WATER GRANTS Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (TMBCI), Belcourt, ND HEI worked with TMBCI's EPA Director and 319 Coordinator to write a competitive Clean Water Act Section 319 grant for a shoreline restoration effort to reduce nearshore sources of pollution from entering a local recreational lake. HEI met with the project team and Tribe to determine the narrative approach based on the project and Tribe's needs. The application was successful, resulting in a 319 grant award for the TMBCI.
NEW PEDESTRIAN/BIKE TRAIL AND BRIDGES City of Roseau, MN Assisting our clients in securing funding for transportation projects is a key role we serve in developing projects. Recently, our team assisted the City of Roseau in securing several grants and cost assistance for pedestrian/bike trails and bridges. Defining the project scope and need, describing operations, providing construction cost estimating, and addressing the City of Roseau's planning goals and objectives are services we regularly provide when preparing applications to secure supplemental funding for City projects. In the past 10 years, we have assisted in acquiring funding for two segments of pedestrian/ bike trails through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), a pedestrian bridge through the Federal Highway Administration and Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), and new sidewalks through MnDOT District 2. Our team has proven very successful in bringing outside funding to the residents of the area to achieve community development planning goals.
CHANGES COMING
A new bill aimed at addressing provisions to federal-aid highway, transit, highway safety, motor carrier, research, hazardous materials, and rail programs of the Department of Transportation is a priority for the federal government. It promises vital investment in areas from public transit and trains to clean drinking water and expands access to high-speed internet. Among other provisions, the bill: • extends fiscal year 2021 enacted levels through fiscal year 2022 for federal-aid highway, transit, and safety programs; • establishes a Rebuild Rural Bridges program to improve the safety and state of good repair of bridges in rural communities; • implements new safety requirements across all transportation models; and • revises Buy America procurement requirements for highways, mass transit, and rail. Reach out to our team at HEI to learn more about how we can make connections between your projects and related funding.
LEADING THE PROJECTS Rachel Olm, MS Scientist III rolm@houstoneng.com Federal Clean Water Grants Jeff Langan, PE Senior Project Manager jlangan@houstoneng.com New Pedestrian/Bike Trail and Bridges TMBCI shoreline restoration project area in Belcourt, ND.
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IT'S NOT ALL GARBAGE Featured Service Area: Waste Management When you hear the words, “waste management,” what comes to mind? Is it a landfill piled with trash? What about a lake that has been restored to bring back its recreational uses? Or monitoring wells to keep an eye on groundwater? Our waste management team supports clients with unique solutions to problems that many people are unaware of. These problems can range from examining an aged monitoring well to restoring a lake to its original depths. HEI’s staff have delivered projects that have saved clients millions of dollars over the years by bringing new perspectives and innovative ideas to the table.
UNIQUE WASTE
and removing the sediment waste to bring the lake back to its original depth and improve water quality for recreation. For the first phase of the project, HEI designed and constructed a confined disposal facility (CDF) where the team will dispose of the dredged sediment. Once the sediment is delivered, the water will seep out and, once it’s clean, it will drain back to the Minnesota River through a private ditch and creek. The second phase is where the waste management magic happens. Dredging operations are taking place from the 2021 construction season through 2022. Once this is complete, Lake Redwood will once again be a recreational hot spot for Redwood County and the surrounding community.
Not all solid waste comes from our trash cans and dumpsters. Waste can create more waste through closed facilities. In addition to garbage humans create, our natural environment often creates its own waste as part of its life cycle. Check out the unique solutions our team has completed for our clients. LAKE REDWOOD, REDWOOD COUNTY, MN Redwood County is unique in that it is one of the handful of counties in the Land of 10,000 Lakes to have no natural lakes. And so, in the early 1900s a dam was installed on the Redwood River to create Lake Redwood. However, by the 1980s, this 65-acre, man-made lake was almost entirely filled with accumulated sediment that flowed into it from the river over the years. In 2018, the Redwood Cottonwood Rivers Control Area hired HEI to complete a two-phase project to restore Lake Redwood. This involves dredging 8
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The Highway 19 Dam creates Lake Redwood from the Redwood River.
HANDLING WASTE MANAGEMENT NEEDS
As with most infrastructure, waste facilities reach the end of their life cycles through filling to permitted capacity or an expired permit. HEI's waste management team provides comprehensive waste management services to assist clients when evaluating options to handle their current and future waste streams. BISMARCK, ND, SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITY In 2009, the Bismarck municipal solid waste (MSW) facility was reaching
Fun Fact: Our most-southern waste project was in Villahermosa, Mexico
the end of its permit and its perceived facility life cycle. The City of Bismarck anticipated the need to close the existing facility and expand to a new location. The City hired HEI to prepare a Master Plan in conjunction with the solid waste permit renewal and eventual facility expansion. Our team completed a rigorous hydrogeologic investigation to define the groundwater regime and determine its limiting characteristics for landfill expansion at the current facility. It was determined that the groundwater was unconnected to area water supplies. Our team was able to recommended significant modifications to the cell’s design, which increased the facility’s expected life by approximately 60 years. It also included an airspace value (i.e., the amount of space a landfill is allowed to use) of more than $120 million in addition to savings associated with delaying the siting and constructing of a new facility. FERGUS FALLS, MN, LANDFILL The City of Fergus Falls' landfill facility is two facilities in one: an aging facility that closed in early 1990 and an expanded, operating facility that required a new permit.
Brad Peschong performing a hydrogeological evaluation of the Fergus Falls Landfill. The Aging Facility Before closing the MSW landfill, the City permitted and constructed an ash monofill for their mass burn facility and constructed a transfer station at the MSW facility. With the final closure of the construction and demolition landfill, the waste management activities were phased out, and the facility permitted under SW-184 was transitioned to the post-closure status in accordance with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA) final Closure Document dated February 2011. Under the post-closure status, the City can access their financial assurance fund dollars. HEI provided site planning and transitioning under the new permit. The Expanded Facility In 2014, the City initiated the permit renewal process with the MPCA. CONTACT OUR TEAM Dennis McAlpine, PE Project Manager (MN) 763.493.6660 dmcalpine@houstoneng.com Bart Schultz, PE Senior Project Manager (MN) 763.493.6662 bschultz@houstoneng.com Tim Kenyon, PG Senior Hydrogeologist (SD) 605.250.2505 tkenyon@houstoneng.com Brad Peschong, CPG Hydrogeologist (SD) 605.250.2498 bpeschong@houstoneng.com Sherwin Wanner, PE Senior Project Manager (ND) 701.751.6284 swanner@houstoneng.com
Working with City staff, HEI prepared permit documents and engineering plans to satisfy the Demolition Landfill Guidance Documentation. However, some of the MPCA’s rules had changed and a second permit submission was needed. HEI worked with the City to navigate the technical implications of the MPCA’s new rule interpretation, helping them successfully permit the next phase of the facility, and providing an additional 15 years of disposal capacity.
The County decided it was more cost-effective to leave the panels on site.
WATERTOWN, SD, REGIONAL LANDFILL The City of Watertown sought to refine their landfill gas (LFG) into compressed natural gas to use as a fuel source for their garbage trucks. Using LFG to fuel the City's fleet of waste hauling vehicles was an innovative idea from the City Board, but the question still lingered HURON, SD, TRANSFER STATION about the financial investment in the FACILITY ASSESSMENT project. The City hired HEI to perform The City of Huron's existing transfer a LFG fuel analysis to determine if this station facility is nearly 45 years old. The was both feasible and cost-effective. existing infrastructure is outdated and undersized to meet the City’s current Our team assessed the on-site LFG waste management needs. The City production by strategically installing hired HEI and our project partner to monitoring wells throughout the site. complete an assessment to determine if This information was critical for the the current facility should be renovated City to consider in terms of using LFG or replaced. This assessment will for energy. Our analysis determined include significant engagement with City the anticipated amount, including both stakeholders to determine the necessary quantity and quality, of LFG at the site, infrastructure improvements for current and helped determine that it would not and projected waste management be a cost-effective option. Diesel would needs. HEI will develop a series of have to be at least $8 a gallon for this concept designs to evaluate the City's practice to be sustainable, and as a various improvement options. result this practice was impractical at the time. HEI's team is in Phase 1 of this assessment and anticipates this initial Our team helped the City avoid portion of the project will be completed spending limited resources on the in early 2022. equipment needed to transform LFG into truck fuel.
FINANCIALLY SAVVY
A major component of any project is the financial burden. Clients need to fully understand the cost of their operations, have a grasp on what practices are saving—or costing—them resources, and continually look for new ways to manage their solid waste management finances. SHERBURNE COUNTY, MN, PERMIT ASSISTANCE Sherburne County received a request from a private solar panel field to determine the cost to clean up the field in the event that the owner left or went out of business. Currently, the County is requiring only a $25,000 bond for cleanup. Our team found it would cost the County close to $1 million for the cleanup portion of the solar panel. This includes recycling the many solar panels to the nearest processing facility in Ohio.
Hydrogeology and Waste Management Our hydrogeologists monitor numerous sites throughout the region to ensure chemicals such as landfill gas (LFG) are not leaking into groundwater. If groundwater is contaminated, it could affect an entire community’s water supplies and cause major health risks. houstoneng.com
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PROJECT Snapshots
If we showcased all that we do at HEI, we'd quickly run out of pages! Here's a short overview of some recent project updates.
PRx Performance Site Development
Fargo, ND
HEI's Greg Thompson (far right) with team partners at the project site during the 2021 North Dakota Summer Water Tours.
HEI's team worked with PRx Performance and Enclave Development, LLC to develop the overall site layout for PRx's new head office, manufacturing facility, and warehouse. The design allows for future expansion of the facility and was completed at an extremely accelerated schedule, which resulted in significant cost savings for the project. PRx has moved into a portion of the building as of October 1 and will be fully moved in by this winter.
Wild Rice River Structures (Fargo-Moorhead Area Diversion Project) South of Fargo, ND
After more than a decade of planning and design along with collaboration involving federal, state, and local agencies, the first major infrastructure elements of the Fargo-Moorhead Area Diversion Project are being constructed. The project includes a 30-mile-long diversion channel in North Dakota with upstream staging that will provide flood protection to residents in the Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo Metro Area. The upstream staging features include a 21-mile-long southern embankment along with gated control structures on the Red River of the North, Wild Rice River, and the Diversion inlet. Construction of the $59-million Wild Rice River Structure is being led by the US Army Corps of Engineers–St. Paul District (USACE), with Ames Construction, Inc. serving as the lead contractor. HEI has provided support to the USACE with hydraulic modeling and design reviews and is currently providing survey support to Ames during construction. Once completed, this project will provide permanent, reliable flood protection to the Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo Metro area as well as surrounding rural communities. Learn more about the project: www.fmdiversion.gov
NDSU Parking Lot Replacements (SF, BC, and W)
Fargo, ND
Project Manager Stan Hanson stands on the completed parking lot designed by HEI's team. 10
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North Dakota State University (NDSU) needed improvements to their SF, BC, and W campus parkings lots. HEI's team led the design and construction administration to fix damages, expand the parking by 34 stalls, improve traffic flow, add and realign sidewalks for pedestrian walking patterns, and improve ADA standards. Construction was completed in less than three months this summer before students arrived for the fall semester. More than 20,000 square yards of concrete were used to complete this project that now provides 580 parking stalls.
Drone photos taken summer of 2021 during testing procedures.
Broadway Pump Station Minot, ND The catastrophic Mouse (Souris) River flood event of 2011 caused historic damage to the City of Minot. In its aftermath, the Souris River Joint Board (SRJB) has been leading the charge to build new infrastructure that protects the community from future flood events. One of the key infrastructure pieces identified by the SRJB is the Broadway Pump Station, which HEI designed and is supporting as it nears completion. It will service an area of 640 acres in size just north of the Mouse River. This pump station, at full capacity, can discharge 190,000 gpm making it one of the largest municipal pump stations in the region. Learn more about this project: www.mouseriverplan.com
Southwest Metro Regional Pond
Fargo, ND
A unique stormwater system will save money and offer recreational opportunities in south Fargo. After nearly three years of planning and design, the first phase of project construction began this summer and will be wrapping up this fall. This phase of the design included half a million cubic yards of excavation. Three more phases are to be completed, which will total more than two million cubic yards of excavation. The pond area covers about 162 acres. The low-lying land in the area was ideal for a scaled-up version of a regular stormwater retention pond. The scale is enough to make it the size of a small lake. The City of Fargo is working with the Fargo Park District and North Dakota Game and Fish Department to brainstorm recreational opportunities that may include walking and biking paths along the pond as well as stocking the pond with fish. Swimming would be discouraged due to pollutants and contaminants. However, the main pond will be cleaner than most stormwater ponds because the water will go through three smaller filtration ponds to remove pollutants. HEI provided design and construction administration services for this intersection. Construction of the intersection was completed in the spring of 2021.
This project is expected to eventually save the City as much as $2.6 million by eliminating the need for multiple lift stations and numerous separate holding ponds.
South Columbia and 43rd Avenue South Intersection Improvements Grand Forks, ND
The City of Grand Forks has been growing southward, which has driven the need for upgraded roadway features to ensure safe, efficient travel. HEI began this project working with developers to provide survey and site plan design to serve new commercial development. As preliminary design progressed on the roadway portion of the project, the developer requested that the roadway be considered as public right-of-way for maintenance purposes. HEI worked with the City of Grand Forks to make this a reality as HEI's team was concurrently working on the City's 43rd Avenue Circle project. As part of the City's capital improvement plan, a traffic signal system was proposed at this location. HEI combined these goals into one effort to streamline the process and allow better coordination of the future construction. houstoneng.com
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EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHTS
Geting to know
EMPLOYEE Getting to know
JENNIFER KERN
Originally from St. Michael, MN, Jennifer Kern received her civil engineering degree from North Dakota State University. She specializes in creating complex models and ensuring plan sets clearly depict the final product for clients and contractors. Currently, Jennifer works as an engineer in the transportation department out of HEI’s Fargo, ND, office and is designing a variety of projects, including the next section of the Heartland State Trail. When she's not designing roads and trails, you can find Jennifer either inside on the couch with a cup of coffee, or outside hunting, fishing, and gardening. Either way, her husband Joel and fox-red lab Rusty will be right by her side.
Q&A
Tell us about the projects you are currently working on at HEI: There are three main projects I am currently working on: • Interstate 94 Reconstruction from the Montana/North Dakota border to the Camel Hump Dam – Kelby Laxdal and I are working together to design 11.7 miles of interstate. • Minnesota Department of Transportation District 8 Maintenance Sites – The project includes three separate sites that have hydraulic or erosion issues. This is the first project that I have been a lead designer for. • Heartland State Trail from County State Aid Highway 10 to Frazee, MN – I am co-leading the design of the next 2 miles of the Heartland State Trail. 12
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What has been the most rewarding project you’ve worked on thus far at HEI? Johnson Street for the City of Minneapolis – This was the first project that I was able to see from beginning to end. It was gratifying to see the project evolve throughout the design process. What do you like most about your job? I love the opportunities to grow and develop my skills! I also really enjoy sharing my experiences and tricks that I've picked up over the past several years with my coworkers. The collaboration is always rewarding!
Do you have a memorable story while working at HEI? I've met two of my best friends at HEI, one of which I'm going to be a bridesmaid for! Where is the most interesting place you’ve traveled? National parks or landmarks are my favorite places to visit because there's so much to admire and appreciate. The Boundary Waters will always be a favorite because it's so close to home. However, if someone were to ask me for a destination recommendation, I might just have to say the Garden of the Gods in Colorado or the Arches National Park in Utah, which are both stunning.
Jennifer sharing some design tips and tricks with Rusty.
Jennifer and her husband went spear fishing on one of their first dates and she's been hooked on both ever since.
Kelby serves as a project engineer out of HEI's Grand Forks, ND, office.
Getting to know
KELBY LAXDAL Kelby Laxdal grew up in Edinburg, ND, graduated from North Dakota State University with a degree in civil engineering, and now works as a project engineer out of HEI's Grand Forks, ND, office. His central focus has been in transportation engineering, but he has gained a variety of experience over the past 12 years. Beyond work, Kelby loves to spend time with his wife Angie, daughters Annistyn (9) and Eisley (6), and Ragnar, their mini golden-doodle.
Q&A What has been the most rewarding project you’ve worked on so far at HEI? The intersection improvements at South Columbia Road and 43rd Avenue South in Grand Forks. Our site development team had already been developing the area surrounding this project, and we had been trying to establish ourselves with the City of Grand Forks. I had one of those “eureka shower thoughts” that we should pitch the idea of combining the private and public developments to the City and solve multiple problems at the same time. The City engineering department liked the idea and it helped our developer at the same time. It was great to guide the project from early concepts all the way through construction. (Learn more about this project on page 11.)
What do you like most about your job/role? The level of autonomy and trust that I’ve experienced at HEI is great. I like the fact that we have the confidence in each other to not only get our jobs done but also bring innovative solutions to the table. What do you enjoy doing outside of work? I love to build and make things with my hands. Whether it’s woodworking, home improvement, or LEGO with the kiddos, I like to make things for myself and others to enjoy. Are you involved in your community? If so, how so? I recently joined a community betterment group in Thompson, ND, where our girls attend school. The focus of the group is
to bring new infrastructure into the community that will enhance connectivity throughout town and expand the town’s amenities. Any fun facts or skills about yourself you’d like to share? Our family really enjoys dressing up for Halloween. We usually vote on a theme and go all-out (I obviously won last year’s vote with the Lord of the Rings theme).
Dressing up for Halloween is a family event in the Laxdal household.
Kelby, with his wife Angie, and daughters Annistyn (9) and Eisley (6).
houstoneng.com
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NEWS AND EVENTS Our employees are the core of our company, and we value their commitment and contributions. Congratulations to the following employees on their milestone work anniversaries!
Service Milestones
30
20
years
15
years
Mike Buerkley Senior Civil Technician
years
Brian Fischer, MS Project Manager
Travis Johnson, PE Project Manager
Dustin Buchholtz Senior Survey Technician
Dan Sunram Survey Crew Chief
10
years
Nic Cullen, PE, CFM Tim Erickson, PE Project Engineer Engineer III
Paul Hedlund Senior Software Engineer
Joe Jeurissen Software Engineer II
Mike Kolb Senior Civil Technician
Kristen Lotvedt, PE Project Engineer
Tyler Paul Senior Civil Technician
5
years
Ted Rud, PE Engineer III
Melissa Benda HR Coordinator
Chase DeVine Survey Technician II
Carl Entzie, PE Engineer III
Donna Jacob, PhD, PWS, CMWP Project Manager
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Fall/Winter 2021
Brock Keller Civil Technician II
Adam Ruud, PE Project Engineer
Laura Kessler Communications Specialist
Steve Strack, PE Bret Zimmerman, PE Engineer III Project Engineer
Rachel Smith Senior Communications Specialist
Aaron Young, EI Engineer II
NEW EMPLOYEES
Welcome to our team!
Be Part of Our Team!
Doc Brien Director of Tribal Affairs
Carter Haman Survey Technician I
Gunnar Cowing Engineer I
Dan Hendrickx Engineer I
Kael Fontaine Civil Technician I
Hunter Keller HR Generalist
Zygmund Fursa Engineer I
Kade Kukowski Engineer I
Kristi Lund Designer II
Visit our careers page to find open positions across our firm or sign up for email alerts: houstoneng.com/careers
Kaitlin Nessen Melissa Van Der Stad Administrative Communications Assistant Assistant
RECOGNITION AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Carl Entzie, Ian Olson-Holmly, and Zach Schuster earned Professional Engineer (PE) licenses.
Gabe Bladow graduated from the Fargo-MoorheadWest Fargo Chamber Leadership Course.
Noah Irby earned the Geographic Information Systems Professional (GISP) certification.
Dan Heitzman earned the 2021 NDSPE Young Engineer Award.
HEI was listed on Prairie Business Magazine's 50 Best Places to Work for the eighth consecutive year!
Chamber ribbon cutting ceremony for HEI's new Grand Forks office location.
HEI received the 2021 West Fargo Youth Contributor Award.
HEI ranked at 355 in ENR's 2021 Top 500 Design Firms.
Learn More!
Nic Cullen, Naomi Disrud, Jennifer Kern, Nate Renner, and Greg Thompson graduated from Dale Carnegie training.
Visit the Recent News section of our website to learn more about these topics and other news from our team: houstoneng.com/news houstoneng.com
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REALITY CAPTURE SERVICES
OUR MINOT TEAM MOVED
Reality capture is a term that encompasses the evolving list of survey technologies used to collect real-world data and the processing of such data into usable formats, such as 3D models and designs.
Our team in Minot, ND, moved offices this October to better serve our clients and growing team. Find more details at houstoneng.com/locations
Think of reality capture as a highend survey solution that goes beyond traditional survey methods by providing more information at a lower cost. This tech-savvy service vastly improves productivity, accuracy, quality, and safety throughout clients’ infrastructure projects. 27th St SE
Learn more about the benefits of this service and see project examples online: https://bit.ly/Reality-Capture-HEI
E Burdick Expressway
New Location
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Fall/Winter 2021
39th St SE
E Burdick Expressway
Can you believe this is not a photo? This image was created with point cloud data.