Author: Liz Gamelier

Cliff Eich Promoted to Project Manager

By: Liz Gamelier ·

Senior Engineer, Cliff Eich, P.E., has been promoted to Project Manager for Trans Associates. Cliff will be responsible for managing traffic design projects including signal and signal system design, streetscape/complete street design, traffic control, signing and pavement marking plans. 

Cliff has performed admirably in work tasks of ever-increasing complexity since joining the firm in 2008.  His areas of expertise include analysis, signal design, drainage analysis and design, construction cost estimates, plans preparation and construction consulting.  Cliff’s experience has provided a solid foundation in transportation engineering and an understanding of the regulatory processes of PennDOT.

Cliff graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering.  He currently holds a P.E. license in Pennsylvania.

Traffic Division Adds Staff

By: Liz Gamelier ·

Trans Associates welcomes Ann Kline, EIT, to the firm. Ann will be working in Pittsburgh assisting with traffic studies, data analysis and other tasks related to traffic, parking and safety assessments for public and private clients. Ann has seven years of experience in the transportation field with five of those years spent at PennDOT in Western PA.  Her experience includes construction inspection, state and local permitting, civil design, and project engineering/project management. Ann received her Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering Technology from Point Park University and is currently working toward her PE licensure.

Expanding our Traffic Expertise

By: Liz Gamelier ·

We are thrilled to introduce our recent hire, Doug Iles, PE, MBA.  Doug is expanding our traffic expertise in Ohio and will serve our clients as Senior Engineer and Project Manager. 

Doug has 20+ years of experience in traffic engineering and transportation planning.  His experience includes corridor studies, interchange modification studies, safety studies, traffic impact assessments, traffic operations, and Signals and Signal System Optimization.  Notable projects in Doug’s portfolio include the planning study and signal retiming at Stygler and Agler Roads  in Gahanna; traffic impact assessments in Hilliard, Delaware and Columbus; and the US 62 Corridor Study in Hillsboro.

Doug is technically proficient and will work with our clients to understand “the big picture.”  His sensitivity and skill provide the balance clients are looking for in developing context sensitve solutions that meet budget constraints and transportation goals.  His many years of experience can be counted on to provide the right solution for both our public and private clients.  Doug can be reached at our Columbus office – (614) 459-7930.

PennDOT Connects – Is Your Municipality Ready?

By: Liz Gamelier ·

Trans Associates has been at the grass roots level developing long range transportation plans for communities and municipalities since its inception in 1989. Whereas other firms provide traffic engineering and roadway design to supplement their primary services, Trans Associates focuses solely on traffic engineering, transportation planning and transportation design. Our project experience includes comprehensive transportation plans with related studies and asset inventories, roadway improvement design, traffic signals and systems design and pedestrian and bicycle (multi-modal) facilities.

There is a new opportunity for communities to realize planned improvements within PennDOT project scopes.  PennDOT Connects is a new transportation project approach that engages local communities in the PennDOT project development planning process.  PennDOT will be reaching out to local communities to discuss planned improvements prior to the preliminary engineering phase of a project. Areas of collaboration include safety concerns, bicycles and pedestrian facilities, transit access, stormwater management, local and regional plans and studies and more.  Sound terrific?  There may be one small catch. In order to incorporate a community’s desired improvement into a PennDOT roadway improvement project, the community would need to demonstrate this need as part of a written comprehensive plan.  Do you want bike lanes?  Check your comprehensive plan and be sure it is up to date and inclusive of your infrastructure needs.

Trans Associates can assist with updating comprehensive plans to address desired transportation improvements.  We help communities to consider transportation alternatives that promote healthier communities through active recreation or promote downtown retail and living options through pedestrian-friendly streets.  We focus on plans that are cost effective and sustainable.  Our process identifies and coordinates with the full range of diverse stakeholders in the land use and transportation planning process. 

The incorporation of pedestrian sidewalks or a wider shoulder for bicycle use is a small incremental cost increase on a large scale roadway project.  As a stand alone project, the cost is often, unfortunately, cost prohibitive for the community.  Is your community’s comp plan up to date?  If not, call us today and we can get started with the process of realizing your community’s transportation goals.

Blazing Ahead with Connected Vehicles

By: Liz Gamelier, Nicholas J. Schaefer P.E. ·

The MASITE/ITSPA Annual Conference in State College, PA, showcased connected vehicle technology with a truck safety demonstration.  Dr. Eric Donnell, the Director of the Larson Transportation Institute, and Dr. Sean Brennan, Associate Professor of the Mechanical Engineering Department at Penn State, led the afternoon events. The demonstration featured a Volvo truck cab’s autonomous response to an incident scene while approaching in cruise control. 

The ambulance at the test scene site emitted a radio signal indicating its presence on the roadway.  The signal was received by the truck and the truck came out of cruise control.  Engine brakes were autonomously applied at a calculated distance according to the truck’s speed.  This application of the brakes automatically slowed the truck down to a safe speed which allowed the driver to steer around the scene or come to a complete stop. 

Time is not Negotiable

Trans Associates is currently at the forefront of test track design for autonomous vehicles working with Uber Advanced Technologies Center (UATC) at several locations in and around Pittsburgh. The relationship with UATC has given Trans Associates an opportunity to set aside convention and apply engineering principles in a highly collaborative and schedule driven environment. 

UATC required a design that would accommodate current and future autonomous vehicle testing conditions.    Flexibility was designed in from the start to accommodate ever evolving test variables at the site.  Trans Associates’ open layout accommodates unconventional intersections, roadway twists and turns, grading changes and pedestrian amenities.  The signal systems were also designed to be changeable in order to mimic various signal conditions found in the U.S. and internationally.  

There are a number of considerations involved with test track design and there are many variables.  One variable is not time.  The project schedules are fierce and aggressive in the autonomous vehicle race and Trans Associates is nimble in its response.