Straightedge: the BergerABAM blog

2013 Joint Engineers Training Conference & Expo

Posted 16 May 2013 | Add new comment

The 2013 JETC will be held at the San Diego Convention Center. Photo courtesy of Timothy Hursley (www.visitsandiego.com).

The Society of American Military Engineers, the premier professional military engineering association in the United States, will host the Joint Engineers Training Conference & Expo (JETC) at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California, from 21 to 24 May.

The annual conference provides individuals in both the public and private sectors to gain educational and technical training along with the opportunity to network with more than 250 companies and public agencies. The conference will feature keynote speaker Ira Winkler, president of the Internet Security Advisors Group. One of the most influential security professionals and dubbed a “Modern Day James Bond” by the media, Ira will reveal his security secrets and disclose how companies and individuals can protect themselves from even the most diabolical criminals. Read more about 2013 Joint Engineers Training Conference & Expo

1962 Seattle World’s Fair

Posted 7 May 2013 | Add new comment

The showcase of the Seattle World's Fair was the nation's first full-scale commercial monorail system.

Officially opened on 21 April 1962, the Seattle World’s Fair was a landmark event in the Pacific Northwest. The design and construction of the Fair’s buildings and structures pushed the limits of contemporary structural design and was directly shaped by advanced structural design technologies.

On 7 May, the Structural Engineers Foundation of Washington. will premiere their documentary, “Structural Engineers of the 1961 Seattle World’s Fair,” at the Seattle Center House Theatre. The documentary showcases the experiences of the nine structural engineers, including BergerABAM founding member Bob Mast, who helped design several of these iconic structures. Read more about 1962 Seattle World’s Fair

Seventh National Seismic Conference on Bridges and Highways

Posted 2 May 2013 | Add new comment

The conference will focus on innovation in earthquake engineering and the advancement of technology to provide increased seismic safety of highway structures.

The upcoming Seventh National Seismic Conference will take place on 20 May through 22 May. This year’s conference was chosen to be held in Oakland, California, by the Federal Highway Administration based on the state of California’s past experience with earthquakes and the California Department of Transportation’s leadership in the field. The conference theme is “Bridge Resilience for Earthquakes and Other Natural Hazards” and will focus “on innovation in earthquake engineering and the advancement of technology that can provide increased seismic safety of highway bridges and other highway structures.” Read more about Seventh National Seismic Conference on Bridges and Highways

Go Orange!

Posted 18 April 2013 | Add new comment

When you see orange, slow down to help save lives.

Each April, National Work Zone Awareness Week is held to raise awareness about safety issues in highway work zones. Many states across the country sponsor “Go Orange” campaigns by lighting public buildings in orange and encouraging citizens to wear orange during the week of 15 April to remind drivers to slow down when they see those bright orange signs and cones. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, work zone crashes resulted in 4,400 deaths and 200,000 injuries over the past five years. Read more about Go Orange!

Spirit of Caring Celebration

Posted 11 April 2013 | Add new comment

The United Way's Volunteer Reader Program helps to foster a love of reading for preschoolers throughout King County.

The United Way of King County Spirit of Caring Celebration event is held annually to recognize and thank organizations and individuals who are committed to giving back to the community. Held on 19 March at the Sheraton Seattle, the awards ceremony honored individuals selected by a special judging committee for their commitment and dedication to United Way. The event also presented workplace awards for overall campaign excellence and consistent campaign giving. Read more about Spirit of Caring Celebration

Feeding the Hungry One Can at a Time

Posted 4 April 2013 | Add new comment

At the close of the event, the food items used in the CANstruction displays are donated to local food banks.

Canstruction is an annual design and build competition, held in over 140 cities worldwide, in which displays are built entirely out of non-perishable food items by architectural, engineering, and construction firms. The giant art exhibits are then displayed for public viewing and judged on creativity and the quantity and quality of the food items included in the structure. After the event, the structures are dismantled, and the food items are donated to local food banks for distribution to community emergency feeding programs. Read more about Feeding the Hungry One Can at a Time

Happy 100th Birthday, Washington State Parks!

Posted 28 March 2013 | Add new comment

Cape Disappointment State Park, located on the Long Beach Peninsula, is one of many scenic and historic Washington State Parks properties.

Over 100 years ago, the Washington State Board of Park Commissioners was established to accept citizen donations of park lands. In 1915, the first two parks were developed from donated land and by 1929 had grown to seven parks. Today, the state parks system includes 117 developed parks and other properties totaling over 110,000 acres with nearly 40 million visits a year. Read more about Happy 100th Birthday, Washington State Parks!

San Diego Central Library Honored with Prestigious WOW! Award

Posted 14 March 2013 | Add new comment

Rendering courtesy of Marc Perrault, Rob Wellington Quigley/ Tucker Sadler Architects, Inc., JV.

The San Diego Central Library was recently awarded the 2013 “Best in Show” by the Decorative Concrete Council, a specialty council of the American Society of Concrete Contractors. Known as the WOW! Award, this prestigious grand prize is awarded by an independent panel of industry professionals to recognize decorative concrete projects around the world. Submitted projects were reviewed on the basis of aesthetics, craftsmanship, functionality, and creativity. Read more about San Diego Central Library Honored with Prestigious WOW! Award

Continuing Innovation in Design-Build

Posted 28 February 2013 | Add new comment

View of where the new SR 520 floating bridge transitions to the fixed East Approach bridge.

The Design-Build Institute of America Northwest Region (DBIANW) will host a breakfast meeting on Wednesday, 13 March, at the Harbor Club in Seattle, Washington. DBIANW was chartered in 2002 by professionals representing all aspects of the design and construction industry in the Northwest. The organization supports and promotes the use of integrated design and construction for both public and private use. Read more about Continuing Innovation in Design-Build

Dolphin Berth Improvements at the Port of Everett

Posted 21 February 2013 | Add new comment

Points achieved in each Envision category for the Port of Everett, Dolphin Berth Improvement project.

To determine the level of sustainability achieved on a typical small capital improvement project, the Port of Everett tested the use of Envision, a new rating system and guidance manual to assess sustainable infrastructure. With assistance from BergerABAM, the designer of record, the project team applied the Envision system to the Port’s Dolphin Berth Improvement project at the 100 percent design phase. Read more about Dolphin Berth Improvements at the Port of Everett