2017 Alabama Section Winter Meeting Rides to Success

On Thursday, March 2, the Birmingham Branch of ASCE hosted the Winter Section Meeting for engineering professionals from across the State of Alabama. The meeting was held at the Barber Motorsports Park Museum, which provided an exciting backdrop and offered beautiful views of the track during the day’s events.

Speakers from across the state, including one from Washington, D.C., were on hand to educate attendees on a wide range of topics. Presentations included an overview of the Barber Motorsports Park, an update on Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS), a discussion on dam safety and efforts to establish a Safe Dams Program in Alabama, a project update on the new Mobile River Bridge, a lesson on using drones in construction, an update from ALDOT regarding the Central Business District and other projects, a session on large scale runoff and erosion control practices at the Auburn University Erosion and Sediment Control Testing Facility, and a 1.5-hour Government Relations University presented by Aaron Castelo, Director of State and Local Government Relations with ASCE in Washington, D.C.

Presentations

• Engineering Practice in Alabama – QBS Update – Joe Meads
• What we do and don’t know about Alabama’s dams and why it matters! Part 1 – Clay Campbell
• What we do and don’t know about Alabama’s dams and why it matters! Part 2 – Shelia Montgomery Mills
• I-10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway Widening Project – Ashley Zellner (Unavailable)
• Drones in Construction: Site Work Managment – Hunter Cole (Unavailable)
• I-59 and I-20 Central Business District (CBD) Interchange and Bridge Replacement Project – DeJarvis Leonard
• ASCE Government Relations – Aaron Castelo
• Evaluation and Enhancement of Runoff Control Practices Using Large Scale Testing Techniques – Wesley Donald.pdf (Unavailable)

More than 20 door prizes, from gift cards to drones, were awarded, and a select group of early registrants also had an opportunity to participate in Hot Laps around the track once the meeting concluded.

The meeting was a resounding success with over 120 professionals in attendance, 9 exhibitors, 7 additional corporate sponsors, and one title sponsor. There was representation from all 6 branches within the Alabama Section. Over $2,500.00 was raised for The Dan Turner Scholarship Fund from profits from the meeting.

The Alabama Section would like to thank all of the exhibitors and sponsors: Ready Mix USA (Title Sponsor); Alabama Asphalt Pavement Association; Forterra; Sain Associates; McGiffert and Associates, LLC; Mott MacDonald; Alabama 811; Alabama Graphics; Sunshine Supplies, Inc.; Belgard; Wildland Services; Walker Associates, Inc.; Tensar; Parrot Structural Services, LLC; Barge Waggoner Sumner & Cannon, Inc.; ADS; Geopier; and Westervelt Ecological Services. Thank you also to the Winter Section Meeting Planning Committee for all of their hard work toward making this a successful and informative meeting.

>>> 2017 Winter Meeting PDH Certificate <<<

The Alabama Section looks forward to seeing everyone at the upcoming Summer Section Meeting on July 17-19 in Orange Beach and next year’s Winter Section Meeting in Montgomery!

Photos from the Event

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Photos were provided by Michael Hora, Alabama Section Photographer

Video of a Hot Lap

Video provided by Eli Borrelli, Alabama Section Videographer

Successful Alabama Civil Engineer Legislative Day Drive-In

On Wednesday, February 15, 2017, the Alabama Section of ASCE held its 1^st Annual ASCE Civil Engineer Legislative Day Drive-In at the Alabama State House.  The event was attended by over 40 Civil Engineers from across the State of Alabama.  The group included multiple Alabama Section Members, several County Engineers, Renee Casillas, Executive Director of American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Alabama, and additional representatives from other organizations that represent the Engineering Community.

Senator Clyde Chambliss, P.E.  who represents Alabama Senate District 30 was the main speaker. Senator Chambliss gave the group an overview of the legislative process and how bills progress through the legislature.  Also, Senator Chambliss discussed his Senate Bill 171 for Anti-Trust Immunity for the Board of Licensure for Engineers and Land Surveyors and Senate Bill 174 for Qualification Based Selection (QBS).  Senator Chambliss stated that QBS is the most important issue he has seen in his 25 years of practice as a Civil Engineer.  Other speakers included Senator Phil Williams of Senate District 10 (Cherokee, Dekalb, Etowah, and St. Clair Counties), Senator Trip Pittman of Senate District 32 (Baldwin Co.), Senator Gerald Dial of Senate District 13 (Chambers, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Lee and Randolph County), and Representative Joe Lovvorn of House District 79 (Lee County).  Senator Dial gave the group a historical perspective of transportation funding and discussed the status of gas tax legislation for this session.  The afternoon concluded with multiple Engineers meeting with individual legislators about issues affecting infrastructure and the Civil Engineering profession.

Photos from the Event

National ASCE President visits Alabama Section Summer Meeting

The leader of the nation’s oldest engineering society met with members and students of the Alabama Section and several local public officials during a visit to Alabama’s Gulf Coast on July 19 to 22, 2016.

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Mr. Mark Woodson, 2016 President of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), made a much‑anticipated visit to the Gulf Coast Region of Alabama to speak at the ASCE and American Public Work Association (APWA) Joint Summer Meeting in July 2016.  The Executive Board of the Alabama Section of ASCE established a robust and interesting itinerary for Mr. Woodson to provide him with the maximum possible exposure to civil engineering successes, opportunities, and challenges in Alabama. On July 20, Mr. Woodson toured the Airbus A320 facility, a $600-million, 53-acre manufacturing plant, at the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley Field. Also during his time in Alabama, Mr. Woodson was able to conduct multiple key leader meetings with the City of Mobile, the City of Orange Beach, and Baldwin County local officials.  Mr. Woodson participated in a roundtable discussion

Mr. Woodson’s Presentation to the Alabama Section on July 21, 2016. (Click on image to view .pdf)

at University of South Alabama that included members from the Alabama Department of Transportation, the Mobile Area Water & Sewer System, the Alabama State Docks (Port of Mobile), the Associated General Contractors of America, the US Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District, and the Mobile Chamber of Commerce.

On July 21, Mr. Woodson delivered the keynote address to the Joint Summer Meeting for ASCE and APWA. Mr. Woodson’s speech focused on ASCE’s strategic initiatives, which include Sustainable Infrastructure, Raise the Bar, and the Grand Challenge.  Mr. Woodson also updated the audience on ASCE’s Failure to Act initiatives and the status of the upcoming 2017 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. Following his speech, Mr. Woodson participated in multiple events throughout the conference. He presented the 2015-2016 Alabama ASCE Student Civil Engineer of the Year award to Ms. Yasmeen Arafeh of University of Alabama at Birmingham, which included a $4,750 scholarship. Mr. Woodson also assisted in swearing in new ASCE Alabama Section officers for 2017, Mr. Frank Summers, Vice President, and Mr. Alan Parker, President-Elect.

Shelia Montgomery Mills, President of the Alabama Section of ASCE, noted the following about Mr. Woodson’s visit:

“It was a great pleasure to have a sitting ASCE president visit Alabama and attend our Section meeting as many of us were afforded the opportunity to spend more time with Mr. Woodson than what has been possible at any other ASCE event that he has attended.  I enjoyed learning more about how his home branch and section of ASCE operate, what he has learned while visiting many other sections and branches, his insights from those experiences, and how we might use that knowledge within the Alabama Section.  I personally wanted to learn more of what it has been like for Mr. Woodson to serve at the highest levels of ASCE and was thrilled when he freely took time to share his thoughts.  Mr. Woodson made the 2016 Summer Meeting special for many attendees.  He was a great guest to have with us, an inspiring keynote speaker, and thoroughly enjoyable while on his many adventures with Section Leadership.”

The Alabama Section of ASCE is very grateful to Mr. Woodson for setting aside time from his busy schedule to visit with ASCE and APWA during the Summer Meeting and for his open engagement of our students, members, educators, and local officials.  ASCE looks forward to hosting Mr. Woodson and successive ASCE Society Presidents in our great state in the near future. 

The Alabama Section of ASCE represents more than 1,600 members of the civil engineering profession in 67 counties. The recently released 2015 Report Card for Alabama’s Infrastructure was showcased and discussed in-depth during his visit, which covered the assessment of the conditions and performance of the Alabama’s infrastructure, including roads, dams, schools, and transit systems.

Meeting with Orange Beach officials.

Meeting at University of South Alabama and local officials.

Mr. Woodson presenting to the Summer Meeting attendees.