EAST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT - December 2011:
Michael P. Culmo, P.E., V. P. of Structures and Transportation, has co-writen a white paper featured in the December 2011 edition of Modern Steel Construction.

The article, entitled "A Production Line Approach to Bridge Replacement" describes the project challenges and creative approach developed to complete the replacement of 41 spans over a 10 weekend timeframe during the summer of 2011. The project implemented precast components and was executed successfully with little disruption to commuters and completed ahead of schedule.

Bugden Appointed to Brownfields Working Group

WOODSTOCK, CONNECTICUT - December 2011:
Wayne Bugden, L.E.P., Director of Environmental Services, has received an appointment by Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy to the Brownfield Remediation Liability Working Group.

The eleven member working group reviews, on a case-by-case basis, the remediation efforts of brownfield properties throughout the State of Connecticut and examines redevelopment strategies, permitting issues, liability aspects and other funding, zoning, social or political hurdles that may hinder progress. Mr. Bugden will serve on the task force concurrently with Governor Malloy's term or until a successor has been qualified and is appointed, whichever is longer.

New Britain - Hartford Busway Obtains Official Funding Approval

NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT - November 2011:
On Monday, November 21, 2011, in a crowded auditorium on the Central Connecticut State University campus, representatives from the Federal Transit Administration and Connecticut Department of Transportation, gathered with federal, state, and municipal government officials and members of the engineering and construction communities for a ceremony to mark the receipt of $275 Million in federal funding to finance construction of the long-anticipated New Britain-Hartford Busway.

The Busway, a 9 mile busses-only expressway which follows an abandoned railroad line through New Britain and Newington before running parallel to the active Amtrak rail corridor in West Hartford and Hartford, is expected to help alleviate problematic traffic congestion on Interstate 84, the major artery connecting the two population centers. The new facility is expected to commence service in 2014 and is estimated to serve approximately 16,000 riders on a daily basis.

The highly-publicized event was attended by Governor Dannel P. Malloy, Peter Rogoff, Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration, DOT Commissioner James Redeker, Senator Joseph Lieberman, CCSU Chief Administrative Officer Dr. Richard Bachoo, and recently elected New Britain Mayor Tim O'Brien.

CME Associates, Inc. provides consultant liaison services to the Connecticut DOT. These services include the coordination of design efforts between DOT, project stakeholders and consultant engineers for the Busway and other high-profile transportation projects.

Putnam YMCA Awarded Charitable Contribution By CME

WOODSTOCK, CONNECTICUT - November 2011:
CME Associates is pleased to announce that it is donating $10,000 to support the efforts of the Putnam YMCA.

YMCA is a local, non-profit organization that offers services that help to nurture personal growth and foster a sense of community and social responsibility. In the summer of 2011, the Town received a land donation of 65 acres along the western shore of the Quinebaug River from Wheelabrator Putnam, Inc. Fifteen acres of the tract has been offered as a proposed site of the future YMCA building.

CME will be hosting a check presentation ceremony to honor its contribution to the Putnam YMCA at the CME Headquarters in Woodstock on Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 10:00 a.m.

New Woodstock DPW Facility Opens

WOODSTOCK, CONNECTICUT - November 2011:
The Town of Woodstock is celebrating the opening of its new Department of Public Works facility on Coatney Hill Road with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, November 19, 2011 at 10:00 a.m.

CME has provided ongoing support services to the DPW since 2005. Services have included environmental monitoring and engineering, architecture, civil engineering and permitting. CME's work helped to prepare the site for renovations and provided design and construction oversight for the new amenities.

CME is honored to work with the Town and proud of its contributions in the development of the new facility that will provide a more efficient and environmentally-friendly workplace for DPW operations in the years to come.

CME Architecture Awarded Mother Bailey House Project

WOODSTOCK, CONNECTICUT - November 2011:
CME Architecture has been awarded an assignment to conduct a Capital Needs Assessment for the restoration and reuse of the Mother Bailey House & Tavern in Groton, Connecticut.

The Mother Bailey House is a 2 story, center-hall Colonial built in 1782. The property is historically significant as it was the home of Doctor Amos Prentiss, a physician who tended to the wounded after the Battle at Ford Griswold, and Anna "Mother" Bailey who was the first woman to arrive at the battlefield after the gunfire ceased.

CME will be conducting a thorough investigation of the physical aspects of the structure and will be developing a list of possible reuse scenarios and associated renovation needs to accommodate each purpose. All work will be completed with utmost consideration for preserving its historic integrity and honoring its unique cultural value.

FEMA Map Updates Could Affect Homeowners

WOODSTOCK, CONNECTICUT - November 2011:
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is in the process of revising and updating the maps used to determine if buildings are located in a flood hazard area. Banks, lending institutions and insurance companies are becoming much more adamant in demanding that homeowners maintain a flood insurance policy which can be extremely costly. The new policy of all these agencies is: if there is any question about whether a structure is in a flood zone, then it is considered in a flood hazard area and the burden is on the home owner to prove otherwise.

The insurance requirement can be waived only by FEMA through an application process known as a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA). The LOMA consists of a survey of the subject property and submission of the application and required supporting data to FEMA who will render a decision in regard to the location of the existing structure or building and whether it is located in the flood hazard area. The LOMA must be signed and sealed by a licensed land surveyor, registered professional engineer or architect authorized by law to certify elevation information. The process takes approximately eight weeks to have a decision rendered.

For more information regarding LOMA applications or flood zone surveys, please contact Mr. Jeffrey Stefanik, L.S. Director of Land Surveying, or call us at 1-888-291-3227.

Culmo Receives Prestigious PCI Award

EAST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT - October 2011:
Michael P. Culmo, P.E., Vice President of Structures and Transportation was honored at an awards ceremony during the 57th Annual PCI Convention on Sunday, October 23, 2011. Mr. Culmo received the Robert J. Lyman Award for a white paper he co-authored entitled Development of the Northeast Extreme Tee (NEXT) Beam for Accelerated Bridge Construction. The Robert J. Lyman Award is given for papers "most worthy of special commendation for its merit as a contribution to the advancement of the construction, production and erection of precast and prestressed concrete". The article was published in the Summer 2010 issue of PCI Journal.

The Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute is an organization dedicated to fostering greater understanding and use of precast and prestressed concrete.

CME Receives Professional Recognition

WOODSTOCK, CONNECTICUT - September 2011:
CME was listed in the top 20 engineering firms in the CT Book of Lists, 2011 edition, published by the Connecticut Business News Journal. The Book of Lists publication is issued annually and ranks firms based on specific criteria for their area of specialization.

CME was also recognized by Inc. 500/5000 as one of the nation's fastest-growing firms for the third year in a row. CME ranked 4248 on the Inc. 5000 and 134 on the Top 500 of the Engineering Industry. The firm has been able to sustain 12% growth over the last three years despite adverse economic conditions in the industry and has plans for further expansion in the coming months.

CME Does Heavy Lifting for MassDOT's Fast 14 Project

EAST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT - June 2011:
CME is delivering big for the MassDOT in their massive bridge replacement project known as the Fast 14. This epic construction project involves the complete replacement of 14 bridges (41 spans) of the multi-lane I-93 artery outside of Boston in Medford, Massachusetts over a period of 10 weekends in the summer of 2011. Timing the replacements is critical for the DOT and their top priority is to avoid any and all traffic impacts to the commuting public during the week.

"CME's extensive experience with Accelerated Bridge Construction Techniques led MassDOT to assign our firm the task of developing a plan to drastically reduce the anticipated construction time for this project. For this project, the standard construction timeframe would be 4 years of staged construction using conventional construction methods. Our approach calls for the completion of the project in about one month," explains Michael Culmo, CME's Vice President of Transportation and Structures.

The initial project scope called only for deck replacements. During the study phase, it was determined that the steel framing needed to be replaced as well which opened up the opportunity for CME to utilize their knowledge and expertise in Accelerated Bridge Construction Techniques. Accelerated Bridge Construction is fast gaining momentum across the country and in other parts of the world. It involves the use of precast concrete or pre-assembled components; tried and tested connection methods; and a highly coordinated construction schedule and process to drastically reduce the amount of time needed for certain types of bridge replacements. This allows roads to be returned to the users in weeks rather than years and can dramatically improve roadway and construction safety.

For this particular project, CME's approach called for building modular units to expedite construction which eliminated the time consuming process of connecting a precast concrete deck to existing steel framing. In less than one month, CME developed a project concept that included the replacement of the superstructures using a modular steel girder system. The design team also developed an innovative traffic management program that was used to move travelers through the area with minimal delays and calls for continuous construction from Friday night through 5 am on Monday morning.

In addition to developing the Accelerated Bridge Construction system, CME was responsible for the evaluation of all substructure units. Detailed field assessment and analysis of the piers and abutments was completed. This included field inspections and structural analysis. A complex traffic management program was studied and developed. The goal was to eliminate as much weekend traffic as possible, since the proposed design called for a lane capacity reduction of 50%. A multilevel detour plan was developed that included interstate traffic detours on Routes 495 and 128, and local detours on Route 28 and 1. Smart work zone technology will be used to keep motorists informed during the weekend work periods.

Innovative materials are also required for this aggressive project. CME worked with the MassDOT materials unit to develop a "High Early Concrete" specification. This specification resulted in a high quality concrete mix that can gain strength in a matter of hours without the cracking that is typically associated with fast setting mixes.

As a result of the complexity of the design, the aggressiveness of the schedule and concerns over impacts to the Boston metro area, CME is assisting with the construction; being on-sight throughout the project to oversee progress. The project team past its first test this weekend when construction kicked off. Demolition started at 10 pm Friday evening. Erection of the modular units started around 9 am on Saturday and was completed around 8 pm. Closure pours began around 4:30 am on Sunday and was completed by noon. The roadway was cleaned-up and northbound lanes were opened around 10 pm Sunday night, 7 hours ahead of schedule. Construction is set to occur every weekend until August 2011.

For more information on the Fast 14
Visit the MassDOT site dedicated to the project at http://93fast14.dot.state.ma.us/

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An article about the Fast 14 and CME's contribution to the project was featured in the June edition of the Boston Society of Civil Engineers (BSCES) newsletter.
Click HERE to access the publication.

CME Staff Gain Professional Licensure

WOODSTOCK, CONNECTICUT - March 2011: John Malary, Senior Structural Engineer, has attained his Professional Engineer license to perform work in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Mr. Malary recently moved from Massachusetts to reside in Connecticut and is planning to pursue licensure in Connecticut, as well. In addition to being a licensed Professional Engineer, Mr. Malary is a LEED-Accredited Professional specializing in building engineering.

Garth McDonough, R.A. recently gained licensure as a Registered Architect in the State of Connecticut. Mr. McDonough also holds a professional license for Architecture in the State of New York.

Courtney Recognizes Guszkowski for Outstanding Performance

WOODSTOCK, CONNECTICUT - November 2010: John Guszkowski, AICP, LEED-AP, CME's Director of Planning and President of the Eastern Connecticut Resource Conservation and Development Council (RC&D) was named as the recipient of the 2010 Outstanding Performance by a Resource Conservation & Development Member award. Congressman Joe Courtney, Connecticut 2nd Congressional District, recognized the diligence and continual efforts Mr. Guszkowski has personally put forth to ensure the protection of the region's precious natural resources and his work to encourage economic growth and continued prosperity in eastern Connecticut.

A recognition ceremony was held in honor of those receiving awards during the New England Regional RC&D Annual Conference at Amherst, Massachusetts on Friday, October 29, 2010. The Eastern Connecticut RC&D Council, which Mr. Guszkowski also chairs, was similarly honored at the event.

New Licenses for CME Staff

WOODSTOCK, CONNECTICUT - August 2010: Matthew Calvert, Project Hydrogeologist, recently attained his Environmental Professional license (LEP) in the State of Connecticut. Mr. Calvert is also a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager and plans to pursue a Site Professional license (LSP) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Richard Canavan, PhD and Charles Eaton, PE, LEED-AP have been certified as Technical Service Providers (TSPs) for the USDA/NRCS. Their certification allows them to receive work for USDA/NRCS-sponsored projects in Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Peter Parent, Staff Civil Engineer, has recently obtained NICET Level II certification for Underground Utilities Construction (Water & Sewer Lines) adding to his Level II certification in Transportation Engineering Technology. Mr. Parent is also a NETTCP-certified inspector for concrete, hot mix asphalt and soils & aggregate.

Michael Culmo Elected to UCONN's Academy of Distinguished Engineers

EAST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT - May 2010: Michael Culmo, PE, Vice President of Structures and Transportation, has been inducted into the University of Connecticut's School of Engineering Academy of Distinguished Engineers. The Academy, founded in 2003, honors School of Engineering alumni who have exhibited exemplary contributions to the field of Engineering. Mr. Culmo has spent the greater part of his 20+ year career traveling around the nation and abroad to lecture peers on a variety of bridge engineering and design methods. He has conducted workshops for educating contractors, engineers and suppliers on Federal Highway Administration standards and the implementation of Accelerated Bridge Construction. He has also contributed his expertise to further educate up-and-coming engineering talent at the UCONN School of Engineering as an Adjunct Professor. Additionally, he has authored/coauthored over 25 scholarly papers, manuals and other publications, and mentored senior design students. Mr. Culmo has advised the undergraduate Steel Bridge Club for nine years, during which the teams have succeeded to the national competition six times. He was honored during the Academy of Distinguished Engineers Induction Dinner held on April 27, 2010.

Guszkowski Gives Lecture on Connecticut LEED Program

AUBURN, MASSACHUSETTS - February 18, 2010: The Southern New England Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society met for their annual conference at Periwinkles Restaurant and Banquet Hall in Auburn, Massachusetts. The theme of this year's event was "Energizing the Rural Landscape: Renewable Power for Our Farms, Homes and Communities". John Guszkowski, AICP, LEED-AP gave an informative presentation about LEED principles and practices, criteria for building to LEED standards, and the benefits vs. cost of green building. At the present time, building for LEED certification is costly, but with the right amendments to state building codes, green building can become a more standardized practice for future development. Other presenters led discussions on Agricultural Energy Audits (Craig Metz, EnSave) and Green Energy initiatives for Connecticut (Dave Ljungquist, Connecticut Clean Energy Fund), Massachusetts (Jim Barry, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, Green Communities Division), and Rhode Island ( Julian Dash, Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation). Other topics of discussion included Funding Resources and Programs and Case Studies on Renewable Power and Energy Efficient Projects. Attendees ranged from SWCS members, municipal, state and federal agency staff, renewable energy providers, environmental and agricultural resource coordinators and small agri-business owners throughout the tri-state region.

CME Surveying Wins Ellington Contract

WOODSTOCK, CONNECTICUT - November 2009: CME's Land Surveying team was recently awarded a contract to perform a A-2 Boundary survey for the Connecticut Farmland Preservation Program, an initiative of the Connecticut Department of Agriculture (ConnDoA). The property called "DoJo Farms" consists of two adjoining parcels of established farmland equalling a total of approximately 118+/- acres. This prime Ellington property is being joint purchased by the State of Connecticut and the Town of Ellington to preserve its open space and agricultural heritage into perpetuity. In order to complete the transaction, the ConnDoA has assigned CME the task of establishing its borders and mapping its layout. A few farm buildings including a home are included as part of the property. The present owners retain the rights to inhabit the dwellings, but the property will no longer be attainable for residential development.

CME Lands Huge MassDOT Bridge Contracts

EAST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT - November 2009: CME's Structures and Transportation Group has been awarded two large contracts: one for Bridge Preservation and the other for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts New Accelerated Bridge Program. Each of these contracts spans a period of five years. The intented goal of the Bridge Preservation program is to avoid the necessity of bridge replacement altogether. This is achieved by concentrating quick, efficient, innovative repair efforts on "at risk" bridges to prevent them from being added to the inventory of the structurally-deficient.

The Accelerated Bridge Program is expected to reduce the number of structurally-deficient bridges by approximately 15% over the next eight years through the implementation of ABC. It is anticipated that if this new program was not initiated, the number of bridges declining into this category was predicted to increase by at least 30% over that same period of time. ABC will effectively prevent an exhorbitant increase in costs and improve the quality and safety for travelers in Massachusetts.

NRCS Announces Statewide Sign-Up for the New Conservation Stewardship Program

TOLLAND, CONNECTICUT - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) began continuous sign-up for the new Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) on August 10th in Connecticut. The first cutoff for ranking purposes is scheduled for September 30, 2009.

CSP, a voluntary conservation program designed to encourage agricultural and forestry producers to adopt additional conservation practices and improve, maintain and manage existing ones.

The annual payment limitation for a person or legal entity is $40,000. A person or legal entity cannot exceed $200,000 for all contracts entered into during any five-year period.

Individual producers, legal entities and Indian tribes must meet several requirements to obtain a CSP contract. They must

Be listed as the operator in the USDA farm records management system for the operation being offered for enrollment Document that they control the land for the term of the contract and include all eligible land in their entire operation in that contract Comply with highly erodible land and wetland conservation provisions Comply with Adjusted Gross Income provisions Eligible lands include cropland, grassland, improved pastureland, non-industrial private forestland-a new land use for the program-and agricultural land under the jurisdiction of an Indian tribe.

Land enrolled in the Conservation Security Program, Conservation Reserve Program, Grasslands Reserve Program, and Wetlands Reserve Program is ineligible for the new Conservation Stewardship Program.

For more information about the new CSP, visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/new_csp/. For more information about conservation programs in Connecticut, visit www.ct.nrcs.usda.gov.

Persons interested in applying should contact one of the following USDA offices:

Brooklyn Service Center - (860) 774-0224, Ext. 102 Torrington Service Center - (860) 626-8258, Ext. 200 Windsor Service Center - (860) 688-7725, Ext. 139 Norwich Service Center - (860) 887-3604, Ext. 300 Wallingford Service Center - (203) 269-7509, Ext. 205

Guszkowski Receives Promotion & Delivers Keynote Address

MAY 2009 - John Guszkowski, AICP has been promoted to CME's Director of Planning Services. Mr. Guszkowski, who was until recently a Senior Planner, brings over nine years of planning experience and many years of community service to the position. As the Director of Planning, Mr. Guszkowski will oversee the planning department and work closely with our natural resource division.

Mr. Guszkowski will also be delivering the keynote address at this year's national conference of the National Association of Resource Conservation & Development Councils. This organization is comprised of 375 RC&D Councils across the country that do community development and resource protection work similar to the Eastern Connecticut RC&D Board that he chairs.

His keynote address is to be focused on Innovative Council Leadership and will be delivered at a luncheon on Tuesday. The conference is being held in Albuquerque, New Mexico from Sunday, June 14th to Wednesday, June 17th.

Canavan Elected To Board & Presents Lecture

MAY 2009 - The Connecticut Federation of Lakes (CFL) has recently elected Richard Canavan , Ph.D. to its board of directors. The CFL, which was formed in 1995, provides support to individuals, organizations, and local lake associations that are seeking to protect and maintain healthy lakes and watersheds. The CFL works on the local and state levels, to promote awareness of the issues facing Connecticut Lakes and the vulnerability of these habitats.

Dr. Canavan also recently gave a guest lecture in the Ecological Planning and Design class at the Rhode Island School of Design, where he discussed water management and ecological restoration in the Netherlands. The class is taught by Nicholas Pouder, ASLA in the Master of Landscape Architecture program.

Richard W. Canavan is an environmental scientist with 14 years combined experience as a researcher, consultant and educator. In his work Dr. Canavan has examined physical, chemical, and biological aspects of environmental processes to better understand how natural systems respond to change.

Stefanik Named Historian & Presents Workshop

March 2009 - Jeffrey Stefanik, L.S., Director of Land Surveying at CME, has been appointed the Woodstock Town Historian by the Board of Selectmen. Mr. Stefanik will be responsible for advising the town in historic asset matters and promoting the education of the town's history.

CME's Director of Land Surveying, Jeffrey Stefanik, L.S., was asked to prepare a workshop for the Nature Conservancy's 2009 Connecticut Land Conservation Council conference held on April 4th. His workshop educated attendees on the intricacies of Land Surveying, the interpretation of maps and deeds, and field navigation to the registered attendees. The goal of the workshop will be to provide the attendees with information on the different types of surveys, their uses, map features and how they translate in the field, and to teach the participants how to read maps and deeds.

Mr. Stefanik has over 20 years of experience as a land surveyor and has donated generous portions of his time for the pursuit of land and historical preservation. He has also served as a consultant for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Agriculture, the Nature Conservancy, the Preservation Society of Newport County, RI, the Trust for Public Lands, Old Sturbridge Village, Hancock Shaker Village and many other organizations.

Grants Available To Landowners And Municipalities

USDA-NRCS is currently accepting applications for the Federal Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program. There is $3.9 million in matching grants available to protect farms in Connecticut . USDA-NRCS will provide up to 50% of the appraised fair market value of the conservation easement. DEADLINE IS MAY 22, 2009.

For more info CLICK HERE

USDA-NRCS has also extended extended the sign-up period for floodplain easement assistance, a component of the department's Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program. The extension means that applications will now be accepted until COB April 10, 2009 (original closing date was March 27, 2009).

Up to $145 million has been made available to eligible landowners nationwide through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and includes both technical and financial assistance. This funding will restore frequently flooded land to its natural state; create jobs in rural communities nationwide when landowners establish these floodplain easements; as well as restore and protect an estimated 60,000 acres of flood-prone lands nationwide.

For more info: CLICK HERE

CME Receives Notice Of Award

Woodstock, CT March 23, 2009 - CME has been approved to provide environmental services to the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD). Projects will include assisting DECD in the management of a variety of infrastructure projects and neighborhood stabilization programs funded by the Federal Economic Stimulus Package (the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act ). CME will conduct environmental clearance evaluations and perform construction inspections to ensure compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act or NEPA. From flood mitigation and ecological studies, to watershed management and wetland restoration, CME has been providing environmental evaluations and natural resource management to clients across the region and around the world for over 35 years.

CME'S Michael P. Culmo To Host Important Seminar For FHWA

Woodstock, CT, May 12, 2008 - The Federal Highway Administration has asked Michael P. Culmo, V.P. of Transportation and Structures, to give two presentations featuring Accelerated Bridge Construction at the International Bridge Conference occurring next month in Pittsburgh, PA. The conference, which will be held on June 2-4, 2008, will be hosting over 120 exhibitors and featuring several 4-hour intensive workshops. Mr. Culmo will be moderating a day-long seminar addressing the safety, quality, economic and time-saving benefits of rapid construction. He will be giving a 1-1/2 hour lecture as part of the seminar on the topic of schematic design principles and will be revealing the content of the new manual he has authored entitled Connection Details for Prefabricated Bridge Elements and Systems.

CME Employees John Guszkowski And Matthew Calvert Receive New Certifications

Woodstock, CT, May 5, 2008 - CME Associates, Inc. is pleased to announce the recent awarding of certifications to employees John Guszkowski and Matthew Calvert.

John Guszkowski, AICP, Senior Planner, was recently awarded LEED-Accredited Professional certification by the United States Green Building Council. L.E.E.D. is an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is the national standard for evaluating and implementing green building strategies. Mr. Guszkowski's appointment as LEED-AP will assist CME in providing clients with alternative approaches to building construction that is increasingly earth-friendly, health-conscious, energy efficient and conservative of natural resources.

Matthew Calvert, Project Hydrogeologist, has earned the designation of Certified Hazardous Materials Manager by the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management. This recognition is presented after the successful completion of a rigorous and comprehensive examination that evaluates knowledge in the areas of science, technology, and regulations and assesses maturity of judgment regarding the management of programs and resources. Mr. Calvert's CHMM designation will provide specialized expertise that will integrate seamlessly with and expand the offering of services provided by CME's Environmental Sciences division.

TRB Annual Meeting Features Accelerated Construction Techniques

Washington, DC - The Transportation Research Board held its annual meeting on January 13 - 17, 2008 in Washington, DC. Over 10,000 participants from around the globe came to the nation's capital to attend workshops and events hosted by the TRB on various advancements and issues for all modes of transportation including highway, rail, air and water. One such advancement discussed this year was the use of Accelerated Construction techniques for bridges.

This workshop, delivered on January 13th, kicked off the four day conference and discussed the material components, equipment, benefits, strategies and methods of Accelerated Bridge Construction. The workshop was presented in part by Michael P. Culmo, P.E., Vice President of Transportation and Structures and Bryan L. Busch, P.E., Director of Structural Engineering both of CME Associates, Inc. located in East Hartford, CT.

Culmo and Busch based the workshop on a new Federal Highway Administration Manual CME is preparing entitled "Connection Details for Prefabricated Bridge Elements and Systems". The FHWA contracted CME to develop the manual which, when completed, will serve as a guide for State Departments of Transportation looking to take advantage of the groundbreaking and cost effective technology. Culmo expects the manual to be completed and available in the summer of 2008.

Culmo and Busch also presented case studies and demonstrated the practical application of the Accelerated Bridge Construction technology by developing a hypothetical bridge schematic during the session.

Other presenters at the workshop included Vasant Mistry, Office of Bridge Technology, Federal Highway Administration and Mary Lou Ralls, Principal of Ralls Newman, LLC, Austin, TX.

Culmo Co-Authors White Paper for MSC Featuring Fast 14