By Aliyah Thomas COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT • • • • 0 Comments

Wear Red Day 2019

KC celebrated the American Heart Association (AHA)’s 15th annual “National Wear Red Day” on February 1st, supporting the fight against cardiovascular disease in women as part of a nationwide effort known as Go Red for Women®.

Heart disease claims the lives of more than 400,000 women each year and is the number one leading cause of death for women – that’s about the same as the next three most common causes of death combined. Luckily, about 80% of cardiovascular diseases may be prevented.

“Eat a heart-healthy diet, be physically active on a regular basis, don’t smoke, and stay at a healthy weight,” says Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a senior faculty member of cardiology at Mount Sinai in New York, NY. AHA recommends a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains; at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity and/or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity; and plenty of sleep and stress relief.

In the spirit of health and wellness, employees at the Circleville, Poughkeepsie, and New York City offices enjoyed a healthy breakfast spread while adorned in various shades of red.

For our English friends across the pond, February 1st was also Wear Red Day, however their event aided the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit at the General Infirmary through The Children’s Heart Surgery Fund. Regardless of where you are in the world, if you missed Wear Red Day this year, be sure to join us next time. Together we can raise awareness and help make healthier hearts everywhere!

By Decire Gonzalez KC'S BLOG • • • • • 0 Comments

The Dirty Truth Behind the Sewer System

As a child, did you ever wonder where your goldfish went after you flushed him? Did you imagine him soaring off to sea through a single pipe that connected your toilet to the ocean? Probably.

Is that what really happened to him? Probably not. But don’t get too upset, the actual engineering behind wastewater and sewer systems is pretty interesting. In fact, your goldfish probably went on a wild ride! Whenever water or items go down the drain, they are sent through a pipe in the ground to the local sewer system. From there, gravity sends the wastewater down the sewage line towards the treatment plant.

However, most locations aren’t lucky enough to have a plant located at the bottom of a mountain. This is where the real engineering kicks in. Once the pipes get too deep, the wastewater must be pumped closer to the surface so that it can begin its descent again. These pumping stations are part of a force main sewer that pressurizes the water so that it can flow against gravity to the treatment plant at the other end.

Seems simple enough, but sometimes the lines will get clogged by miscellaneous items (like your goldfish) or rags that prevent the water from flowing. In these cases, a pig is sent from the beginning of the line to the end in order to remove the blockage. The pig is a flexible cylinder that moves through the pipes and clears any buildup or blockage it encounters. When the pig emerges from the other end, it brings all the waste with it. Check out this video titled “Sewer Wars” for an out-of-this-world description of the process.

When the water finally arrives at the treatment plant, chemicals and bacteria are used to cleanse the dirty water so that it can be sent back into the environment. After that, the cycle begins all over again.

Engineers use their skills to create complex systems that aid in the day-to-day process so seamlessly that most people don’t even know about them. But now that you do, maybe next time you’ll bring your fishy friend to the ocean yourself. That may be the one thing engineering can’t help you with.

By Decire Gonzalez KC'S BLOG • • • • • • 0 Comments

The Widening of the Van Wyck Expressway Project

The Van Wyck Expressway (VWE), I-678, is the major gateway into and out of JFK International Airport. It was originally constructed in the early 1950s and is unable to handle current and projected traffic volumes. Congestion and delays are extensive and exist for many hours of the day. This project will widen the VWE by adding a fourth lane (fifth lane at some locations) in both directions to reduce congestion and delays. The added lanes will be operated as Managed Use Lanes that can be dynamically managed.

In addition, operations of the various on/off ramps will be evaluated and elimination and/or relocation will be considered. This project scope included preliminary design services to widen the VWE (I-678) to add a fourth lane from the Kew Gardens Interchange to JFK Airport. The scope also included evaluation of the proposed project on 20 bridges including 4 bridges that carry the Long Island Railroad over the VWE. In addition, operations of the various on/off ramps were evaluated. The length of the project was approximately 4.3 miles.

The bridges and interchanges within the project limits were investigated to determine appropriate work to accommodate the widened VWE. The proper environmental issues were investigated and documented.

KC, as part of the design team, was responsible for the accident analysis, utility relocation, and preliminary design of five structures that are part of the VWE and Belt Parkway Interchange.

By Evan Thomas COMPANY NEWSLETTERS • • • • • 0 Comments

January 2019 Company Newsletter

This January, we speak with KC Vice President Nancy Clark about the creative and collaborative nature of engineering work, and how her decades-long engineering experience informs that process. The newsletter also features photos from our employee holiday cruise, project highlights, employee milestones, and more.

Download KC’s Company Newsletter – January 2019 edition to keep up with KC’s latest news!