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Sunrise Highway (NY-27) Oakdale Merge Planning / Feasibility Study

As part of a Regional Design Services Agreement (RDSA), the project served to identify, evaluate, and document existing conditions and deficiencies and propose feasible conceptual alternatives to mitigate said deficiencies.

The project site experienced significant congestion and delays during peak travel periods, as motorists encountered recurring bottleneck in the eastbound and westbound approaches to Oakdale Merge.

The feasibility study described the highway facility and its role in the local and regional surface transportation network, defined existing operational issues and deficiencies, established the need for a capital construction project to reduce the issues, recommended and assessed various alternatives, and assessed the impacts of each proposed alternative.

The scope of work also included review of environmental impacts due to the site’s proximity to New York State of Department of Conservation (NYSDEC) wetlands and the Connetquot River State Park. The project required continuous coordination with the New York State Parks Department, NYSDEC, Suffolk County Department of Public Works (DPW), and the Town of Islip.

KC was responsible for developing detailed cost estimates for the alternatives identified in the feasibility study and performing HCS traffic analyses.

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South Street Pump Station Emergency Generator Replacement Project

The Village of Suffern owns and operates a pump station, located on South Street, as part of the sanitary sewer collection system. This pump station is the largest within the collection system and serves as the primary pump station. The pump station is located within the floodway of the floodplain, and received significant damage during Hurricane Irene, which also had a direct impact on the emergency generator.

KC was responsible for providing engineering consulting services for the project, which included performing site and existing condition investigations and preparing design documents, specifications, and the engineering cost estimate. KC also provided bid phase services, including preparation of bid and contract documents.

The scope of construction work included removal of the existing generator, all associated accessories, and the transfer switch; installation of a 150-kilowatt (kW) generator and automatic transfer switch; reconnection of the new generator to the existing control panels; and installation of all wiring, conduit, and appurtenances to and from the new generator to provide a complete and functional backup power generation system.

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Adirondack Welcome Center

As part of a Regional Design Services Agreement (RDSA), this project served to construct a new I-87 northbound welcome center in West Glens Falls. The new facility replaced an existing rest area in excess of 25 years old. The new Adirondack Welcome Center included construction of a new building with parking lot and boat inspection areas, lighting, a new septic system, waterline work, and utility upgrades.

As subconsultant, KC was responsible for assisting New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) with reviewing and reapplying for New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES), water connection system, and septic system permitting.

KC also provided detailed design for water supply, wastewater septic, and stormwater systems; design survey and mapping for confirmation of existing infrastructure; preliminary building and site construction cost estimating; and existing utilities identification and coordination. KC also developed site drainage, sanitary system, and grading design alternatives; identified existing drainage basins to determine the impact of proposed construction on erosion and sedimentation; developed the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP); and prepared cross sections to outline existing ground and proposed roadway surfaces.

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African-American Pioneers in Engineering

Elijah Mccoy / Credit: Ypsilanti Historical Society (Wikipedia.org)

 

February is African-American History Month. As such, it is the perfect opportunity to highlight the engineering achievements of African-Americans who, although they may have contended with racism, societal inequality, and discrimination, worked hard to overcome obstacles and accomplished great things in the field of engineering.

Walter Braithwaite, an American engineer who was born in Jamaica, was hired by Boeing in 1966. As Senior Engineer, he led the team that invented CAD systems for designing commercial Boeing aircraft. Over the years, Braithwaite rose through the ranks, eventually becoming President of Boeing Africa. When he retired in 2003, he was the highest ranking African-American executive of the company.

Howard P. Grant graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1948, making him the first African-American to graduate from the Berkeley College of Engineering. That same year, Grant also became the first known African-American member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He subsequently became the first African-American civil engineer for the City and County of San Francisco and the second African-American civil engineer to be licensed by California. He worked in the San Francisco water department until 1984, and also held the position of president and treasurer of the California Society of Professional Engineers.

George Biddle Kelley graduated from Cornell University’s College of Civil Engineering in 1908. He went on to become the first African-American engineer registered in the state of New York. He was hired by the New York Engineering Department, where he worked on the Barge Canal, a collection of state waterways, during the 1920s.

Elijah McCoy was born in Canada in 1844 to runaway slaves who had escaped Kentucky thought the Underground Railroad. At the age of 15, he moved to Edinburgh, Scotland for an apprenticeship. There, he became certified in mechanical engineering. Upon leaving Scotland, he moved to Michigan, where his family was now living. After being unable to find engineering work in Michigan because of his race, he found a job as a fireman with the Michigan Central Railroad. Part of his duties included oiling the steam engine parts. Soon McCoy had invented an automatic engine lubricator, which meant that trains were no longer required to stop for lubrication. The lubrication could now occur while the train was moving. As news of the invention spread, many inventors attempted to create their own version of the automatic lubricator. However, it was soon discovered that McCoy’s invention was superior. It is said that railway engineers began requested “the real McCoy” lubricator. McCoy filed a total of almost 60 patents, including designs for an ironing board, a lawn sprinkler, and other machines.

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African-American Pioneers in Engineering You Should Know About

Elijah Mccoy / Credit: Ypsilanti Historical Society (Wikipedia.org)

February is African-American History Month. As such, it is the perfect opportunity to highlight the engineering achievements of African-Americans who, although they may have contended with racism, societal inequality, and discrimination, worked hard to overcome obstacles and accomplished great things in the field of engineering.

Walter Braithwaite, an American engineer who was born in Jamaica, was hired by Boeing in 1966. As Senior Engineer, he led the team that invented CAD systems for designing commercial Boeing aircraft. Over the years, Braithwaite rose through the ranks, eventually becoming President of Boeing Africa. When he retired in 2003, he was the highest ranking African-American executive of the company.

Howard P. Grant graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1948, making him the first African-American to graduate from the Berkeley College of Engineering. That same year, Grant also became the first known African-American member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He subsequently became the first African-American civil engineer for the City and County of San Francisco and the second African-American civil engineer to be licensed by California. He worked in the San Francisco water department until 1984, and also held the position of president and treasurer of the California Society of Professional Engineers.

George Biddle Kelley graduated from Cornell University’s College of Civil Engineering in 1908. He went on to become the first African-American engineer registered in the state of New York. He was hired by the New York Engineering Department, where he worked on the Barge Canal, a collection of state waterways, during the 1920s.

Elijah McCoy was born in Canada in 1844 to runaway slaves who had escaped Kentucky thought the Underground Railroad. At the age of 15, he moved to Edinburgh, Scotland for an apprenticeship. There, he became certified in mechanical engineering. Upon leaving Scotland, he moved to Michigan, where his family was now living. After being unable to find engineering work in Michigan because of his race, he found a job as a fireman with the Michigan Central Railroad. Part of his duties included oiling the steam engine parts. Soon McCoy had invented an automatic engine lubricator, which meant that trains were no longer required to stop for lubrication. The lubrication could now occur while the train was moving. As news of the invention spread, many inventors attempted to create their own version of the automatic lubricator. However, it was soon discovered that McCoy’s invention was superior. It is said that railway engineers began requested “the real McCoy” lubricator. McCoy filed a total of almost 60 patents, including designs for an ironing board, a lawn sprinkler, and other machines.