NCE is excited to announce that Vivek Jha, P.E., has joined NCE as an Associate and our Southern California Operations Manager. Vivek is an expert in all aspects of pavement asset management, including pavement distress data collection and analysis, pavement design, and life cycle cost analysis. He has developed and managed pavement asset systems for more than 100 roadway projects and 30 airports, including creation of a GIS-based web application interface for users. “Based in NCE’s Fountain Valley office, Vivek will serve our Southern California clients and expand NCE’s asset management services,” said Greg Fasiano, NCE’s California Regional Manager. “Vivek’s engineering skills and dedication to clients make him a great addition to the firm.” Vivek earned an M.S. in Civil Engineering at Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J., and a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering at Sardar Patel College of Engineering in Mumbai, India.

NCE is excited to welcome Cord Hute as a Senior Biologist in NCE’s Watershed Science and Planning Practice. Cord has 26 years of experience in environmental planning, regulatory permitting, project management, and all aspects of biological surveying and monitoring. He has designed, implemented, and managed projects of all sizes throughout California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. Cord has provided services to both the private and public sectors, including telecommunications, utilities, oil and gas, public transportation projects, and residential and commercial development. His expertise includes preparing environmental documents in compliance with CEQA and NEPA, as well as conducting environmental oversight and monitoring of construction projects, state and federal Endangered Species Act consultations, wetland delineation, permitting, and mitigation. “Cord is a tremendous addition to NCE and will lead our biological and permitting services in Northern California,” said Jason Drew, Principal and Watershed Science & Planning Practice Lead. Cord earned a B.S. in Environmental Science and Biology at the University of Dubuque, Iowa. He is a member of the Society of Wetland Scientists, the Society of Ecological Restoration, and the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the Wildlife Society.

NCE is delighted to welcome Sandy Wong, P.E., to our civil engineering team. Sandy has delivered more than 170 transportation projects to state, regional, and local agencies. Sandy brings to NCE over 27 years of expertise in transportation engineering, project management, and construction. His experience includes large capital projects such as interchanges and high-speed rail, as well as a wide variety of Caltrans projects across Northern California, including rehabilitation, safety, capacity increases, and traffic operations. He shares NCE’s commitment to work collaboratively with clients and to exceed their expectations. “Sandy will be instrumental in helping NCE deliver civil engineering services for the firm, with emphasis on clients within the Central Valley and west slope of the Sierras,” said Michael Leacox, NCE’s Director of Marketing. Sandy is a Professional Engineer in California. He earned BS degrees in Civil Engineering and in Engineering/Construction Management from the University of the Pacific in Stockton.

NCE pavement management experts are leading a four-part online workshop on StreetSaver^® software November 16-19, sponsored by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) ;

“We’re committed to helping our clients use this tool effectively,” said Margot Yapp, NCE’s president. Yapp, Lisa Senn, and Sharlan Dunn—all expert users and teachers of the computer-based program—will lead the training ;

In the workshop, NCE will teach users how jurisdictions define and manage pavement networks and how to use the features of StreetSaver^®, including:

• Entering data from street surveys and inspections.
• Updating maintenance and rehabilitation history.
• Setting up a budget needs analysis.
• Creating budget scenarios.
• Using GIS linkage and reporting tools.

StreetSaver^®, developed by MTC, is used by more than 300 public and private organizations nationwide—including all 109 cities and counties in the San Francisco Bay Area—to make informed decisions about managing street pavement and other assets. NCE routinely works with over 100 cities and counties to use StreetSaver^® in preparing workplans, informing decision-makers, and complying with funding requirements. In addition, NCE prepares the biennial California Statewide Local Streets & Roads Needs Assessment, which relies in part on StreetSaver^® to inform the public and policy-makers on the condition of the state’s local pavement network.
To register for the workshop, visit the StreetSaver^® Academy at https://streetsaver.com/academy/workshops.

The Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County (RTC)’s $90M transformation of Virginia Street in Midtown Reno is substantially complete (see the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dq2rG0Hk5I). NCE led the overall design effort for RTC’s marquee complete streets project, which features new, wider sidewalks; new bus shelters; level bus-onboarding; bicycle improvements; associated roadway improvements; and welcoming landscaping and aesthetics.
The Virginia Street Bus RAPID Transit Extension Project extends the RTC RAPID service from the 4th Street Station to the University of Nevada and provides an accessible, pedestrian-friendly corridor. NCE provided support throughout the project, including:

• Prepared federal funding applications, encroachment permits, and environmental documents.
• Conducted agency and public information meetings and creating a related, interactive website for the project.
• Performed investigations and analyses of drainage patterns, geotechnical conditions, existing pavement, traffic patterns, right-of-way, topography, and utilities.
• Identified sustainable and feasible pavement rehabilitation and/or reconstruction alternatives and developed the recommended alternative.
• Provided transit station architecture and structural design.
• Designed landscaping and aesthetics improvements.
• Developed preliminary and final design plans and estimates for the preferred alternative.
• Performed Construction Manager at Risk support services, which included participation in value engineering and risk workshops, response to requests for information, and review of submittals.

The Virginia Street Bus RAPID Transit Extension project – the first of multiple projects stemming from the Virginia Street Corridor Investment Plan – finished ahead of schedule and under budget.