Statement of Qualification for the Widening of Post Oak Boulevard and Related Transit Improvements December 13, 2013
December 13, 2013 Mr. Robert N. Taube Director of Engineering and Construction Uptown Houston Development Authority 1980 Post Oak Boulevard, Suite 1580 Houston TX 77056 Re:
Statement of Qualifications for Design Work associated with the Widening of Post Oak Boulevard and Related Transit Projects
Dear Mr. Taube: The recent receipt of the $61.8 million federal grant for the reconstruction of Post Oak Boulevard provides the needed funding for this substantial transit improvements project. As such, Uptown Houston has initiated planning, engineering, surveying and other required services necessary to facilitate the design and construction of these facilities. Uptown Houston along with major partners including METRO and the City of Houston will ultimately have a complete transit system that provides connectivity for workers, commuters, and shoppers to Uptown through Houston’s HOV network. We understand the design of the reconstructed Post Oak Boulevard with the dedicated bus lanes will need to preserve the existing traffic lanes and the signalized left turn lanes, remove buses from other traffic, enhance pedestrian access and movement, as well as the preservation of the signature oak trees in the corridor. Accordingly, Uptown Houston must engage firms that have similar transit related experience; however specific knowledge of the corridor is an absolute distinguishing factor. In response to the RFQ issued by Uptown Houston, Binkley & Barfield, Inc. (BBI), is submitting credentials and qualifications that demonstrate previous transit and Post Oak Boulevard corridor experience for review and consideration. Our award winning firm has been recognized by the Houston Business Journal, Engineering News Record, featured in Underground Construction and the Sloan Awards, allowing us to offer a group of talented and vested staff that are immersed in the success of your project. BBI, as one of the largest locally-owned/employee-owned multi-disciplined engineering consulting firms headquartered in Houston, has a rich 41 year history of excellent client centered service. Incorporated in 1972 and helmed by Larry M. Barfield, P.E. as President, Brett Binkley as CEO, and David A. Hamilton, P.E. as Senior Vice President, we have formed a true partnership for success, along with the resources of a 160-person firm. BBI has a focus on local, regional and state surface transportation, as well as dry utility engineering for energy, oil and gas providers, and our service offerings for this submittal include Utility Design - Dry and Wet, SUE (Subsurface Utility Engineering) and Street/Pavement Design - Traffic and Drainage Design Support. We have selected and are proposing the top transportation and utility design professionals in the firm to work on this project. Accordingly, Timothy Lyng, P.E., our Senior Project Manager with over 42 years in the industry and a wealth of knowledge of the Post Oak corridor will serve as your Project Manager for the assignment. Mr. Lyng previously served as both Deputy Project Manager and later as Project Manager for the Uptown LRT for METRO, Project Manager for the Downtown LRT for METRO, as well as numerous major street projects for the City of Houston and TxDOT. He is also the Deputy Program Manager for the Tomball Tollway (SH 249) project for the Harris County Toll Road Authority. Paired with Mr. Lyng, and leading the Utility Design, we are proposing Youssef Laham, P.E. He has over 13 years of experience and expertise in utility engineering, and was Utility Project Manager for the Uptown LRT, the Southeast LRT, the University LRT, Downtown/Midtown Transit Streets, all for METRO; the Houston Downtown Street Reconstruction and the Downtown LaBranch Power Transmission project, both for CenterPoint Energy; and numerous other utility projects in the Houston area. We will remain proactive in our pursuit of your success and appreciate the opportunity to present our qualifications. Sincerely, Binkley & Barfield, Inc. Consulting Engineers
David Hamilton, PE Senior Vice President
Timothy Lyng, PE Senior Project Manager
Binkley & Barfield, Inc. • TBPE F-257 • 1710 Seamist Drive - Houston, Texas 77008 • Tel: 713.869.3433 | Fax: 713.869.6702 • www.binkleybarfield.com
Proven History of Collaboration... Project success will be defined by the team’s ability to provide practical and cost-effective designs for the widening of Post Oak Boulevard, in order to assist Uptown Houston with its goal of solving the transit issues of the approximately 180,000 residents that live within the three mile radius of Uptown. This success will only come from a team that combines a history of successful collaboration with a diverse base of experience and the appropriate depth of expertise and local knowledge. The proposed Binkley & Barfield (BBI) Team unites a group of BBI staff working and living in Houston with an in-depth and personal knowledge of the Uptown area.
control, drainage, and paving issues that may affect the project through his role as Deputy Project Manager, Project Manager and Lead Utility Manager for previous Uptown LRT projects. These major work categories, are instrumental to the success of the project. We offer our team with the history of collaboration among stakeholders such as METRO, and CenterPoint Energy (Gas and Electric) as your single solution provider. Our references at METRO, HRT and CenterPoint have all said, “There is nothing but good things [that can be said] about Binkley & Barfield and their design prowess”. Our performance for numerous CenterPoint projects has earned as the position as the only firm that is certified by CenterPoint Energy for all 6 services including: Gas Distribution and Transmission, Electric Distribution and Transmission, Inspection and Telecommunications.
This project holds the same importance to BBI as your Project Manager, Timothy Lyng, PE who is a resident of Uptown. In order to offer the high-end quality design solution that Uptown Houston is looking for, we offer a team of engineers that have worked on the Uptown Light Rail Transit Corridor, as a team, since 2006. Tim Lyng, PE, and Youssef Laham (your Utility Design Task Leader) have worked on the entire corridor stretching from the Northwest Transit Center, through Post Oak Boulevard to the Westpark Transit Center.
The collaboration of the major task leaders, including Tim Lyng, PE and Youssef Laham, PE and Tommy Cromer, PE offer Uptown Houston, a highly qualified project leadership team, coupled with direct involvement by of our firm’s Vice President of Transportation (Joel Schramm, PE) and our Senior Vice President (David Hamilton, PE). In addition direct involvement by Jerry Jaynes, PE (your Quality Assurance/Quality Control support and the firm’s Senior CADD Manager) comes standard with our project participation. Jerry Jaynes, PE has been instrumental in the development of our project portals that gives our clientele real time access to their projects and our progress. We have managed compressed schedules (9 months instead of 18) with 4300 plan sheets with this system while working on TxDOT’s largest contract in 2010 (IH 35 Improvements from Loop 340 North to Loop 340 South). The benefits of our team reflect the confidence we have in our history of collaboration and the history of project success.
Our pursuit of the Street/Pavement Design portion and the Utility Design portion comes from our confidence in our ability to provide Uptown Houston with the exact design solutions without of a learning curve. Our thorough research and knowledge of the project is evident in our project descriptions which not only include information on our qualifications but our design considerations, as well as a high level showcase of the depth our experience. We have documented information in the form of plans developed by BBI that provide substantial information on the layouts and locations of all Utility Lines. Further your project manager has in-depth knowledge of the challenges that face Uptown Houston, in terms of traffic
PROJECT MANAGER Timothy Lyng, PE
Principal-In-Charge David Hamilton, PE
WET WET UTILITIES UTILITIES Todd Todd Calvin, Calvin, PE PE Chris Chris Campbell, Campbell, PE PE Mike Mike Machala, Machala, PE PE Juan Sandoval, PE
Quality Assurance/Quality Control Joel Schramm, PE Jerry Jaynes, PE
UTILITY DESIGN Youssef Laham, PE
STREET / PAVEMENT DESIGN Tommy Cromer, PE
DRY UTILITIES Guillermo Salcedo, PE Robert Johnson David Brown, RCDD, OSP, TPM Jose Villarreal
Benjamin Hart, PE Jason Brock, PE Todd Calvin, PE
SUBSURFACE UTILITY ENGINEERING John Jaeger
TRAFFIC DESIGN Charles Stevens, PE, PTOE, LEED AP Suzanna Set, PE Aditya Jatar, PE
DRAINAGE Bob Boozer, PE Brett Bercher, PE, CFM Wen Zhang, PhD, PE, CFM
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Timothy (Tim) Lyng, P.E.
Project Manager
Tim Lyng, PE has over 42 years of experience has relevant, recent METRO experience with the Uptown GRT/LRT Line (2006-2009) and the Downtown LRT Line (2009-2012). He was responsible for the overall conduct of the project, and oversaw the design efforts of over 20 subconsultants. His management philosophy is “own” the project, and to fulfill the terms and conditions of the contract, meeting or exceeding the client’s expectations. His procedure is to know the scope, schedule and budget and to execute the work with knowledge, care and to produce quality deliverables. PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES: Name & Phone: Mike Williams, METRO / Phone: 713.739.4661 Title: Uptown LRT Line Project Manager Project Name (Time Frame): Uptown LRT Line (2007-2009) Location: Houston, Texas Name & Phone: Matt Strother, HRT-JV / Phone: 713.875.4438 Title: East End Corridor Project Manager Project Name (Time Frame): Downtown LRT Line (2009-2012) Location: Houston, Texas Uptown Light Rail (LRT) Corridor (METRO Solutions) - Houston, Texas: Mr. Lyng served as Deputy Project Manager (DPM) and Lead Utility Coordinator responsible for the preparation of conceptual and preliminary design for BRT and LRT within the Uptown corridor. As DPM, Mr. Lyng authored the METRO Solutions GRT Uptown Corridor Preliminary Engineering Design Report, (December 29, 2006), which included an analyses of the BRT option for the corridor. AS DPM, Mr. Lyng also oversaw the topographic and boundary surveys and plat preparation along the corridor, which allowed METRO to initiate negotiations with affected property owners. During the absence of the Dallas-based Project Manager, Mr. Lyng also oversaw the daily operations of an 8 person in-house engineering staff who was tasked with the design of the Post Oak Boulevard widening, resulting in the delivery of 65% plans to METRO and the City of Houston. Mr. Lyng is familiar with FTA requirements and with AREMA procedures and criteria, accomplishing quantity take-offs for each corridor segment (segments 1-4) and the utilizing the FTA cost estimating forms to prepare preliminary construction costs for FTA funding. As DPM, Mr. Lyng participated in meetings with Houston Uptown Management District leadership and METRO to help formulate the design parameters, avoid encroachments onto sensitive areas, such as the small park at post Oak and IH 610 Frontage Road where an important memorial tree was planted. As Lead Utility Engineer, Mr. Lyng assumed the management of both public and private utilities relocations, including schedule adherence and quality, including the managing of a major sub-consultant and several small business subconsultants on the project. This work effort resulted in the 65% complete utility construction plans for the approximately 5 miles of Post Oak Boulevard, between Westpark Drive and the south portal of I-610 west. It was during this time that METRO initiated its negotiations with TxDOT to utilize the entire median of IH-610. Although METRO and TxDOT could not arrive to a design consensus, Mr. Lyng was tasked to, and completed, alternative analyses of numerous alternatives to the METRO IH-610 median proposal. During this time, Mr. Lyng led
the complete redesign of the Northwest Transit Center, including an LRT station bus terminal and access modification. The Uptown Corridor project was placed on hold in late 2007, while FTA funding and the TxDOT impass were being negotiated by METRO. Once re-started in 2008, through 2009, Mr. Lyng was designated as the new, full-time, local Houston Project Manager (PM) for the completion of final construction documents for Segment 1 (Westpark to Richmond) and 65% plans, specification and quantities for portions of through the Uptown District. Mr. Lyng supervised multiple design teams of over 50 engineers and CADD technicians (including oversight of 18 sub-consultants) for all aspects of the project, and was responsible for scheduling and all billing-related work. The project had an estimated construction budget of approximately $160 million. Downtown Light Rail Corridor (METRO Solutions) - Houston, Texas: Mr. Lyng was Project Manager for over 3 miles of a proposed light rail through the Downtown Houston, including the preparation of all Plans, Specifications and Estimates for the project. Mr. Lyng, due to his successes in the previous management of the METRO Uptown Corridor, was directly approached by Houston Rapid Transit (HRT), the management team for METRO Solutions’ Light Rail program. Through this, Mr. Lyng became the only Project Manager for METRO’s LRT program to manage 2 corridor line projects. In 2010, just months after notice to proceed with the design, construction began within the corridor for the major relocations of all major private utilities (including CenterPoint Electric, CenterPoint Gas, AT&T and Entergy), followed by construction of the several minor telecommunications facilities, allowing early, advanced completion of these major utilities. As PM, he played a pivotal role, not only in obtaining City of Houston permits, but also key in gaining consensus with the Downtown Management District, Hines Development (Main Place) the GSA (Federal Building) and a large contingency of property and business owners along Rusk and Capitol Streets where the project was built. Until August 2012, he was responsible for all field coordination with the contractor, including site visitations, weekly meetings, RFI’s and shop drawing reviews. The project had an estimated construction budget of approximately $125 million. METRO HOT Lanes (METRO Solutions) - Houston, Texas: Mr. Lyng assumed Project Manager responsibilities well into the project, due to the departure of the designated PM. None the less, Mr. Lyng had other METRO Uptown Corridor responsibilities that tied the HOT Lanes project to the Northwest Transit Center (NWTC). As PM of the Uptown Corridor LRT, he coordinated the work of the HOT Lanes engineers with the major re-design of the NWTC, which was one of the most important elements of the LRT system continuity in the future. In addition, Mr. Lyng worked closely with METRO’s Mike Williams in the conceptualization of a new transit center/mixed use site development along Westpark Drive, at the southern end of the Uptown LRT line. He led his design team to re-align the LRT guideway to allow two station platforms to be built (one as a transfer station to the University Line) which also provided for the development of structured parking, an aerial pedestrian walkway, escalators to ground level access to the light rail, and connectivity to development on the south side of Westpark Drive for future commercial use. Page 3
Youssef Laham, PE
Utility Design Task Leader
Mr. Laham has extensive relevant, recent METRO experience as Project Manger and lead utility engineer (CenterPoint gas and electric) with Uptown Line (2006-2008),METRO Southeast Line, (2007-2011), Downtown Line (2009-2012), and the University Line. Mr. Laham was responsible for determining utility locations, conflicts, relocation design of gas facilities and electric, as well as for obtaining utility approvals. His management philosophy is based in the belief that honesty, integrity, and quality are the keys to achieving a successful engineering product. He accomplishes this with project knowledge, client communication, hard work and dedication to excellence.
METRO Underground Distribution and Fiber Facilities (CenterPoint Energy) - Houston, Texas: As Project Engineer responsible for the utility design of all CenterPoint Energy major underground electric distribution facilities and fiber routes along the Light Rail Corridor in Downtown Houston Medical Center and Midtown. The project required coordination with roadway design and other public and private utility design as well as obtaining permits through the City of Houston. METRO Downtown/Midtown Transit Streets Project (METRO) Houston, Texas: As Project Manager, Mr. Laham was responsible for design while simultaneously coordinating and overseeing the relocation of natural gas facilities in conflict within 34 miles of street reconstruction in Downtown Houston and Midtown Houston areas.
Houston Downtown Street Reconstruction Projects (CenterPoint Energy) - Houston, Texas: Mr. Laham served as Team leader for 24 street construction projects in downtown PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES: Houston for approximately 10 miles of underground duct bank, and Name & Phone: Louis Cardenas, PE / Tel: 713.207.4605 thirty manhole design. Mr. Laham coordinated design with the City Title: Supervising Engineer Project Name (Time Frame): Downtown/Uptown/South East/ of Houston, METRO, and other public and private agencies, and attended weekly meetings representing CNP. University LRT (2009-2012) Location: Houston, Texas Downtown La Branch Power Transmission Project (CenterPoint Energy) - Houston, Texas: Mr. Laham served as Project Manager Name & Phone: Norbert Gonzales / Tel: 713.207.6165 for the project which included 2.4 miles of underground ductbank, Title: Lead Engineering Specialist Project Name (Time Frame): Downtown/Uptown/South East/ containing three 8-inch and three 4-inch PVC conduits from Garrott Street substation to Polk Street substation. The designs were University LRT (2009 - 2012) created to replace an aging 138 kV high-pressure, fluid-filled type Location: Houston, Texas transmission cable. Minimizing the impact on automobile and Uptown Light Rail (LRT) Corridor (METRO Solutions) - Houston, pedestrian traffic in constricted urban areas, Binkley & Barfield, Inc. Texas: As Project Manager for all the relocations associated with provided complete engineering services that required specialized CenterPoint Energy Electric and Gas Facilities along Post Oak planning and equipment to accommodate 2 HDD shots in very Boulevard, Westpark, and N. Post Oak Road, Mr. Laham and restrictive, narrow, and cramped areas of the project. his team verified all facilities owned and operated by CenterPoint Energy. He managed a team that prepared plan and profile relocation Upper Kirby District (CenterPoint Energy Electric Major drawings, including all secondary services to the high rise buildings Underground, AT&T, Comcast, Phonoscope) - Houston, Texas: per CenterPoint Energy standards and specifications. Mr. Laham Mr. Laham served as Project Manager and Lead Utility Coordinator also met with all building engineers/manager to verify and locate the by providing designs for relocating all aerial lines to underground gas services and electric meters. In addition, Mr. Laham prepared for approximately two miles from Buffalo Speedway to S. Shepherd gas control servicing associated with overall system tie-ins, and along Westheimer Road. A wide range of services and coordination coordinated with CenterPoint Energy Gas Corrosion Department was provided to help meet the project completion goal. All designs were in accordance with CenterPoint Energy, AT&T, Comcast, and concerning Cathodic Protection. Phonoscope policy’s and guidelines. South East Light Rail (LRT) Corridor (METRO Solutions) - Houston, Texas: As Project manager for all the relocations Metronational Properties, Houston Texas, CenterPoint Energy associated with CenterPoint Energy Electric and Gas Facilities Electric Major Underground, AT&T, Comcast, Phonoscope along the entire corridor, Mr. Laham and his team verified all facilities Houston, Texas: Mr. Laham is serving as Project Manager and owned and operated by CenterPoint Energy and prepared plan Lead Utility Coordinator by providing designs for relocating all aerial and profile relocation drawings, including all secondary services. lines to underground for approximately three miles from Gessner to He also prepared traffic control plans, gas control procedures, and Bunkerhill along IH10. coordinated all the design work with the City of Houston and TxDOT. Westchase District - Houston Texas: Mr. Laham prepared a University Light Rail (LRT) Corridor (METRO Solutions) - complete Feasibility Study Report to relocate 2 ½ miles of overhead Houston, Texas: As Project manager for all the relocations power lines and other telecommunications, fiber optic, and service associated with CenterPoint Energy Gas Facilities along the lines along Westheimer Road from Westerland Drive to Gessner entire corridor, Mr. Laham and his team verified all facilities owned Road and from Seagler Road to Woodland Park Drive. He served and operated by CenterPoint Energy and prepared plan and as Project Manager and Lead Utility Coordinator coordinating with profile relocation drawings, including all secondary services. He all service providers on the CenterPoint Energy poles including also prepared traffic control plans, gas control procedures, and SBC/AT&T, Phonoscope, Comcast, Time Warner and Metro. The coordinated all the design work with the City of Houston and TxDOT. Feasibility Study presented multiple alternatives to Westchase District with complete cost estimates for all three alternatives.
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Tommy Cromer, PE
Street/Pavement Design Task Leader
Mr. Cromer has over nineteen control / construction phasing, utility coordination, preparation of years of experience as a Project cost estimates, construction phase services, design of pedestrian Manager and Project Engineer and facilities / sidewalks / ramps to ADA requirements as well as public is well experienced in PS&E for involvement. METRO bus lines and location of bus plazas were transportation. His diverse experience analyzed and considered during the design process. Alleviating includes project management and congestion, enhancing access to properties as well as creating an coordination, paving and drainage inviting pedestrian friendly streetscape environment were priorities design, traffic analyses, structural throughout the planning and design process. analyses, site development, hydraulic studies and construction phase services. His career has included serving as task leader for roadway design on many projects, from residential to large urban freeway David Hamilton, PE reconstruction design for projects throughout the state. Principal in charge Mr. Hamilton, a Senior Vice President of the firm, has over 33 PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES: years of engineering experience with municipal governments in the Name & Phone: Jamie Brewster / Tel: 713.524.8000 Houston and surrounding areas. He has significant experience in Title: Executive Director Project Name (Time Frame): Kirby Drive Paving, Drainage and the design and management of public infrastructure and surface transportation. His experience also includes the design of bridges, Streetscape (2007 – 2009) storm sewer and detention facilities, drainage channels, wastewater Location: Houston, Texas collection systems, water distribution systems, utility relocation for numerous projects in the Houston Metropolitan Area. He has worked Name & Phone: Jerry Lowry / Tel: 281.874.2144 with regulatory agencies including TxDOT; METRO; the City of Title: President Project Name (Time Frame): Greenspoint Drive Paving, Drainage Houston; Harris County; Fort Bend County; Galveston, Hays, and Montgomery County; USACE; Texas Parks and Wildlife; TCEQ; and Streetscape (2008 – 2009) and other state and local agencies. Mr. Hamilton project experience Location: Houston, Texas includes: Tomball Tollway: SH249 (HCTRA) - Harris County, Texas; Kirby Drive Beautification and Improvement of Roadway and Stella Link Boulevard (City of Houston) - Houston, Texas; Cullen Pedestrian Facilities: Richmond to Westheimer (Upper Kirby Parkway - F.M. 865 (City of Pearland) - Pearland, Texas; Kuykendahl Redevelopment Authority and City of Houston) - Houston, Road Reconstruction and Widening (Harris County, Montgomery Texas: Deputy Project Manager and Project Engineer for this County, The Woodlands RUD No. 1, and TxDOT) - Harris County, TIRZ project consisting of the reconstruction of Kirby Drive from Texas; Senate Avenue Widening and Reconstruction (Harris West Alabama to Richmond Avenue. The project scope was a County) - Harris County, Texas; Cypresswood Drive Improvements complete reconstruction which included a new 4-lane boulevard (Harris County) - Harris County, Texas section designed to current City of Houston standards, storm sewer, water and sanitary installation, relocation of overhead power to underground as well as a pedestrian-oriented streetscape. Responsibilities include project coordination with client, subconsultants, landscape architects and Trees for Houston as well Joel Schramm, PE as public involvement. Other tasks included roadway / storm sewer Quality Assurance/Quality Control design including grading and traffic control / construction phasing, utility coordination, preparation of cost estimates and construction Mr. Schramm is focused on directing transportation projects phase services, designing all pedestrian facilities, sidewalks and including: program management, project management, ramps to ADA requirements. Challenges for this project included: preliminary engineering, and the preparation of construction plans, utility coordination, enhancing access for properties, preserving as specifications, and estimates. Mr. Schramm has led transportation many trees as possible, alleviating congestion while maintaining program management throughout Texas. He is an expert at the a pedestrian-friendly environment. This was the first major project transportation project development process including expertise designed and completed for planned District-wide streetscape from sketch level initial needs assessment to final construction Improvements and was used as a model for many projects to follow. management, operation, and administration. He has facilitated and developed numerous funding agreements between public entities Greenspoint Drive Beautification and Improvement of to ensure efficient and timely project development, including Roadway and Pedestrian Facilities (Greater Greenspoint toll feasibility and financing studies. Mr. Schramm has extensive Redevelopment Authority and City of Houston) - Houston, experience managing large teams of various private consultant Texas: Deputy Project Manager and Project Engineer for this TIRZ firms in developing projects through to successful opening and project consisting of the reconstruction of Greenspoint Drive from operation. Mr. Schramm’s project experience includes: Ella Beltway 8 to Greens Road with an emphasis on landscape and Boulevard Extension: Tomball Tollway (SH 249) (HCTRA) - Harris hardscape improvements including METRO stops. This project was County Texas; IH 35 Improvements Project from Loop 340 South the flagship project and entrance to the invigorated Greenspoint to Loop 340 North (TxDOT) - Waco, Texas; Westpark Tollway: IH Mall area. Responsibilities include project coordination with client, 610(W) to FM 1464 (HCTRA) - Harris County, Texas; Sam Houston sub-consultants, landscape architects and METRO. Other tasks Tollway: US 59(S) to IH 45(S) (TxDOT and HCTRA) - Harris County, included roadway / storm sewer design including grading and traffic Texas. Page 5
THE TEAM IS SUPPORTED BY: TODD CALVIN, PE
Wet Utility Location/Coordination Key Support Personnel YEARS OF EXPERIENCE: 27 EDUCATION: Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering (cum laude) - Texas A&M University, Masters in Business Administration - University of Houston LICENSE: Professional Engineer, Texas No. 71767 TxDOT PRECERTIFICATIONS: 4.1.1, 4.2.1, 7.1.1, 8.1.1, 10.1.1, 10.2.1 PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS: American Society of Civil Engineers, Underground Construction Technology Association EXPERTISE: Roadway & Drainage Design, General Municipal Infrastructure, Municipal Water & Wastewater Design Value Added Expertise: Mr. Calvin’s vast knowledge of construction methodology allows him to bring invaluable experience to clients in all wet utility coordination, relocation and location.
GUILLERMO SALCEDO, PE
Dry Utility Location/Coordination Key Support Personnel YEARS OF EXPERIENCE: 15 EDUCATION: Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering - University of Houston LICENSE: Professional Engineer, Texas No. 98499 EXPERTISE: Utility Design, Roadway Design, Bridge Design, Municipal Engineering, Hydraulic Analysis Value Added Expertise: Mr. Salcedo has a diverse background with strengths not only in Utility Engineering but roadway construction and municipal projects.
BENJAMIN HART, PE
Street/Pavement Design Key Support Personnel YEARS OF EXPERIENCE: 7 EDUCATION: Bachelor of Engineering, Civil Engineering - Texas A&M University LICENSE: Professional Engineer, Texas No. 107379 EXPERTISE: Roadway Design, Transportation Design and Planning, Light Rail Design Value Added Expertise: Mr. Hart has worked with Mr Lyng (your Project Manager) since 2006 on the Light Rail projects. The knowledge of the project and its intricacies is valuable to this project.
CHARLES STEVENS, PE, PTOE, LEED AP
Traffic Design Key Support Personnel YEARS OF EXPERIENCE: 11 EDUCATION: Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, Master of Science, Civil Engineering - Texas A&M University. TxDOT PRECERTIFICATIONS: 1.2.1, 1.3.1, 1.4.1, 1.5.1, 3.1.1, 3.2.1, 4.1.1, 4.2.1, 4.4.1, 7.1.1, 7.2.1, 7.3.1, 7.4.1, 7.5.1, 8.1.1, 8.2.1, 8.3.1, 8.5.1, 9.1.1, 18.2.1 EXPERTISE: Roadway Design, Transportation Design and Planning, Light Rail Design Value Added Expertise: Mr. Stevens is an award winning traffic engineer (2014 and 2011 Texas Society of Professional Engineers Young Engineer of the Year) who brings innovative design solutions to his role in different projects.
RELEVANT PROJECT QUALIFICATIONS: Uptown Light Rail (LRT) Corridor METRO Solutions, Houston, Texas Design considerations and Relevant experience
Binkley & Barfield’s (BBI) Design Team has substantial experience in the Uptown Corridor. The team of over 20 experienced urban street design and drainage engineers, of whom there are 20 licensed Professional Engineers, 3 EIT’s and seven supporting technicians, Quality Control and Document Control experts have all been made available for this project. The project manager, Mr. Tim Lyng, PE, for the original Uptown GRT (BRT) and LRT design is BBI’s designated Project Manager for this important BRT project. In addition, BBI’s staff of private utility engineers provided professional design services for CenterPoint Gas and Electric, and a wide variety of telecommunications companies (AT&T, Verizon included). Several of these engineers have prior METRO GRT (BRT) and LRT experience, are still BBI employees, and are committed to this project. Further, BBI’s Traffic Engineering group, led by a 2014 “Young Engineer of the Year”, Charles Stevens, PE, PTOE, LEED AP are ready to support traffic engineering capabilities needed. They have the right kind of experience needed to support this multimodal application. Real Estate/ROW: The Uptown District contains some of the world’s highest valued real estate. ROW impacts not only affect the net worth of these properties, but also have potential to impede ingress, egress and internal movement of vehicles, employees and shoppers. With Mr. Tim Lyng’s direct Uptown GRT and LRT project management and lead design experience, and as your Project Manager, Mr. Lyng, will be highly cognizant of these facts in directing his staff in the design for the Post Oak Boulevard reconstruction. BRT: The concept of BRT along the median of Post Oak Boulevard is not new for Mr. Lyng, or for BBI’s current staff. As DPM and, later as PM for the METRO Uptown Corridor, Mr. Lyng and staff have the knowledge and experience to consider all of the potential pitfalls that other firms will need to learn in order to climb the corridor’s learning curve. Examples of this are found in the fact that Mr. Lyng personally authored the METRO Solutions GRT Uptown Corridor Preliminary Engineering Design Report, (December 29, 2006), which included an analyses of the BRT option for the corridor. Some issues confronting the corridor are as true today as they were in 2006-2010. To name a few, we have: Horizontal and vertical alignment of the BRT Guideway and Post Oak Boulevard: The design of the station stops for the BRT must closely coordinate with the Boulevard’s alignment, making sure that the station “platform”, the bus Page 6
access, and the adjacent cross pavement are both pedestrian and vehicle friendly and will drain. One example where our experience would matter is at the Post Oak Boulevard north-to-east horizontal curve, just north of San Felipe. Today, there is a significant difference in the Northbound (NB) and Southbound (SB) lanes at that location. Both Mr. Lyng and Mr. Ben Hart, PE. were instrumental in the re-design of the street’s alignment, eliminating the vertical differences, easing the cross median movement, easing access to adjacent properties, and improving drainage. Design of The South Portal and the Small “Park” at Post Oak Boulevard and IH-610 South Bound Frontage Road Approach to Post Oak Boulevard: We understand that there is a very special tree memorializing Mr. Breeding’s mother which should not be disturbed. BBI has nearly exclusive knowledge within the engineering community of this and will honor this as if it is our own mother’s memorial. Mr. Lyng supervised the complex guideway alignment for the South Portal, an “opening” provided by TxDOT under IH-610 at Post Oak Boulevard, and successfully navigated through existing bridge columns, over utilities and across a busy SB frontage road. Traffic Control along Post Oak Boulevard during Construction. As Project Manager for the earlier METRO GRT/BRT project, Mr. Lyng was, and continues to be, acutely aware of the impact of major construction within the corridor to the businesses and residences along Post Oak Boulevard during construction. As Project Manager, Mr. Lyng was, and continues to be, acutely aware of the impact of major construction to the businesses and residences along Post Oak. Access will be continuously provided through careful planning of construction activities, much of which will be done at night, with high-visibility signage directing customers and delivery vehicles around construction to access the shops and parking. Sidewalks will be maintained as best as possible through phasing of construction, so that the new sidewalks can be usable when the existing walkways need to be demolished. Signalization will be modified to facilitate movement through intersections, and left turn bays selectively maintained to accommodate traffic. Holiday construction will be ramped down from Thanksgiving through January 1, so that the Uptown merchants will not look at the construction as an impediment to their most important sales period of the year. All in all, an excellent traffic control plan, in collaboration with the Uptown District Management, METRO and other stakeholders will facilitate the construction schedule, and will serve multiple purposes: • Safety and convenience for the thousands of pedestrians who walk daily along the corridor • Safety and convenience for the public traveling in personal or transit vehicles; • Minimize impact to businesses. Other special roadway/street design successes during the past Uptown LRT project were: Starbucks drive-thru was saved; sidewalk widths normalized to minimum 6-ft. widths; pedestrian crossings enhanced, especially within each station platform’s 300-ft. length (Station areas); IH-610 alternatives developed for over 12 situations (requested by METRO); guideway tie-in with NWTC; guideway tie in with Westpark; preliminary designs for Westpark Transit Center; minimized relocation of 24” new water line under median of Post Oak Boulevard; added Four Oaks Station platform as requested; addressed Dillards garage issues; addressed Wolfe Properties parking lot access issues; street and utility ties to San Filipe street; identified Traction Power Sub-station (TPS) locations; coordinated traffic projections; prepared intersection designs; Interfaced with University corridor.
Private (Dry) Utility Relocations: As an integral part of the Uptown Design team between 2006 and 2010, Mr. Youssef Laham, PE, and members of his staff were tasked with activities listed below. Within the criteria of the private utility, relocations were avoided, resulting in opportunities for savings. Much of the work experience from those years has been preserved in with dedicated staff and in the design files that are archived within BBI. Some specific accomplishments, still part of our BBI corporate project intelligence are: • Verification of all facilities owned by CenterPoint Electric and Gas within the project limits. • Performance on site reconnaissance to aid in utility verification and design. • Verification of each individual property service line owned and maintained by CenterPoint Electric and Gas. • Performance of conflict assessment and prepared conflict lists for both BTR and LRT for CenterPoint facilities • Maintenance of close coordination with CenterPoint Engineering and METRO to resolve conflicts • Preparation of Plan and Profile Drawings per CenterPoint Energy Electric and Gas Standards, and all quantities. • Preparation of gas control servicing ties with overall system tie-ins. • Preparation of required details for gas shut down and tie-in procedures. • Preparation of Traffic Control Plans. • Submission of Plans for review to CenterPoint Energy Electric and Gas Engineering/Corrosion. • Submission of Plans for review to appropriate Governmental Agencies for Review and Approval. • Preparation of “Full Issue for Permit” documents including signed and sealed drawings and specifications PROJECT REFERENCE: Mr. Mike Williams, METRO PHONE: 713.739.4661 EMAIL: mw01@ridemetro.org
RELEVANT PROJECT QUALIFICATIONS: Downtown Light Rail (LRT) Corridor METRO Solutions, Houston, Texas
Design considerations LRT for Rusk and Capitol Streets, Downtown Houston and Relevant experience BBI’s Design Team has project-relevant design experience and capabilities from its work in the Downtown Corridor: BBI’s design team is available for this project. The BBI project manager, Mr. Tim Lyng, PE, was PM for the Downtown Line, as well as the for the original Uptown GRT (BRT) and LRT design.
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BBI’s expert staff of private utility engineers, provided professional design services for CenterPoint Gas and Electric within the Downtown LRT Corridor, similar in scope to its work in the Uptown LRT project. Many BBI employees who worked on the Downtown LRT, are still BBI employees, and are committed to the Uptown BRT project. Further, BBI’s Traffic Engineering group, led by Houston’s “2014 Young Engineer of the Year”, Charles Stevens, PE, PTOE, have a combined experience in the traffic engineering field of over 50 years in Houston and Harris County projects. They are ready to lead or assist in any and all traffic engineering solutions needed. They have just the right kind of experience needed to support this multimodal application. Real Estate/ROW: Downtown is also the site of high-dollar real estate. Mr. Lyng led the design team to mitigate and process ROW impacts along the corridor. The Downtown LRT alignment was carefully “tweaked” so as to not affect valuable real estate parcels, such as those owned by Hines, and such as parcels managed by the Houston First Corporation. As your Project Manager, he will be highly cognizant of real estate values in directing his staff in the design for the Post Oak Boulevard reconstruction. LRT Guideway: Due to his success with the project management of the Uptown GRT/BRT corridor, Mr. Lyng was directly and personally approached by HRT to take over the management of the faltering Downtown LRT Segment of the East End Line. Through his leadership, and an excellent support staff of engineers, technicians and administrative staff, the design team, numbering over 50 personnel, fast-tracked the design, starting with the utilities, and immediately followed that with street and guideway design. Some issues confronting that corridor and successfully overcome were: Horizontal and Vertical Alignment of the Guideway along Rusk and Capitol Streets: Designing a train or a BRT within the footprint of a busy business district is always a challenge. The Downtown LRT is no exception. One instance of creative design was the design of the guideway interconnecting with the existing Red Line along Main Street. An AT&T manhole fell inside the conflict zone of the guideway. Through alternative analyses, discussions with AT&T engineers, and in cooperation with the City of Houston and HRT/METRO, Mr. Lyng’s engineers were able to present a solution that modified the guideway alignment, combined with bridging one manhole wall and relocating the manhole access, to avoid a potential $25 million relocation of the manhole and thousands of feet of fiber optic, copper cable and conduit. With this solution, the project stayed on schedule, avoiding an otherwise costly delay in the schedule. Bridge Widening and New Bridge Construction: The Downtown Corridor team, under Lyng’s leadership, was tasked with the widening of the Rusk Street Bridge over a major Theater District underground parking lot. The widening was accomplished through a thorough understanding of the structure, adjacent land use requirements (COH Park), LRT vehicle loading, and pedestrian patterns. After several meetings with City engineers, City Park officials, the Downtown District staff, HRT, and Theater District staff, a solution was arrived upon that met the needs of all stakeholders. Temporary electrical transformers were specified to supply power to the garage, while special coverings were structurally designed to cover the underground facilities during construction to avoid flooding below. In addition, a new LRT bridge over Buffalo Bayou was needed. This location was wrought with design challenges from the onset. The bridge was basically “shoehorned” between 2 other bridges, causing construction issues which Mr. Lyng’s structural and traffic engineers solved. The geotechnical report failed to unveil an existing foundation within the footprint of the east abutment, allowing Mr. Lyng and his
structural engineers an “opportunity” to design an alternative abutment that included partial removal and partial relocation of the shafts, thus economically solving this potentially expensive issue. Crash Wall Innovative Design under US 59, east of Downtown: Under normal conditions, TxDOT requires an expansive, thick crash wall to protect all columns within 25 feet of the rail line. Upon receiving this comment from TxDOT, Mr. Lyng quickly assembled a select group of the project’s engineers to immediately develop an alternative to this unsuitable design. Since the wall would have hidden from normal view a major walkway accessing MinuteMaid Park from the adjacent parking lots, Mr. Lyng contended that the TxDOT requirements would place pedestrians in jeopardy due to the isolation that a 12 foot high concrete wall would cause, and that a derailment there, at the designed speed of 5-10 MPH, would not require such measures. Mr. Lyng’s structural engineers designed a modified SSTR concrete rail to accept the design loads of derailed train. Mr. Lyng authored a letter to TxDOT’s Austin Bridge Division, presenting his case for structural review. In the end, TxDOT agreed to the modified rail, thus saving not only thousands of dollars in construction, but possibly the well being of many of future fans and pedestrians. Private (Dry) Utility Relocations: As an integral part of the Downtown Design, Mr. Youssef Laham, PE, and his staff were tasked with the following activities, which design resulted in the relocation of major lengths of CenterPoint Gas lines and numerous services to high volume gas customers. Specific accomplishments in the Downtown LRT gas relocations were: • Verification of facilities owned by CenterPoint Energy Electric and Gas within the project limits. • Performance of site reconnaissance to aid in research and design. • Verification of all service lines owned and maintained by CenterPoint Energy Gas. • Performance of conflict assessment and prepared conflict list between proposed guideway/roadway and utility improvements with existing CenterPoint Energy Gas facilities. • Meetings with CenterPoint Energy Gas Engineering and discussed conflicts and resolutions with proposed gas and electric facility relocations. • Meetings with CenterPoint Energy Gas Corrosion Department concerning cathodic protection. • Preparation of Plan and Profile Drawings per CenterPoint Energy Gas Standards. • Preparation of gas control servicing associates with overall system tie-ins. • Preparation of required details for gas shut down and tiein procedures. • Preparation of Traffic control Plans. • Performance of Quantity Take-offs. • Submission of Plans for review to CenterPoint Energy Gas Engineering/Corrosion. • Submission of Plans for review to appropriate Governmental Agencies for Review and Approval. Page 8
• Preparation of Full Issue for Permit Documents including sealed and near MLK and Griggs. Within the criteria of the private utility, signed drawings and specifications by a registered engineer in the state relocations were avoided, with the BBI utility design team presented opportunities for savings. Much of the work of Texas. experience from those years has been preserved in our PROJECT REFERENCE: dedicated staff’s minds and in the computerized design files Mr. Roberto Trevino, METRO that are archived within BBI. Some specific accomplishments, PHONE: 713.739.6062; still part of our BBI corporate project intelligence and were the EMAIL: roberto.trevino@ridemetro.org same as the Uptown LRT experience previously mentioned. Mr. Matt Strother, Houston Rapid Transit (HRT) The challenges faced by BBI and Mr. Laham included the PHONE: 713.875.4438 location of utilities lines in the basements of high-rise building EMAIL: matt.strother@hrt-jv.com with the route. These challenges were met with timely coordination with property owners and utility entities.
RELEVANT PROJECT QUALIFICATIONS: METRO HOT Lanes, Houston, Texas Design of LRT HOT Lanes for US 59, IH-45 and US 290, Houston, TX
BBI’s Design Team has project-relevant design experience and capabilities from its work in the Downtown Corridor under its Project Manager’s (PM) experience in the METRO HOT Lanes project. Although the focus of the project was to provide tolling operations along each of the corridors, an important design element was to provide tolling capabilities within the METRO Park and Ride lots along each corridor. Mr. Lyng assumed Project Manager responsibilities well into the project, due to the departure of the designated PM. None the less, Mr. Lyng had other METRO Uptown Corridor responsibilities that tied the HOT Lanes project to the Northwest Transit Center (NWTC). As PM of the Uptown Corridor LRT, he coordinated the work of the HOT Lanes engineers with the major re-design of the NWTC, which was one of the most important elements of the LRT system continuity in the future. In addition, Mr. Lyng worked closely with METRO’s Mike Williams in the conceptualization of a new transit center/mixed use site development along Westpark Drive, at the southern end of the Uptown LRT line. Once the concept emerged, Mr. Lyng led his design team to re-align the LRT guideway to allow two station platforms to be built (one as a transfer station to the University Line) which also provided for the development of structured parking, an aerial pedestrian walkway, escalators to ground level access to the light rail, and connectivity to development on the south side of Westpark Drive of a commercial use. It was then that Mr. Lyng suggested that the CenterPoint city gate station be moved, as it was reported that the ordinary, daily gas releases would be considered not only noxious, but could be cause for alarm to some users. Currently, BBI’s Utility Group under the leadership of Mr. Laham, is preparing the design for the relocation of that facility to a location removed from this site. PROJECT REFERENCE: Mr. Nader Mirajamali, METRO PHONE: 713.739.4375 EMAIL: nm02@ridemetro.org
PROJECT REFERENCE: Mr. Louis Cardenas, CenterPoint Energy PHONE: 713.207.4605 EMAIL: louis.cardenas@centerpointenergy.com
RELEVANT PROJECT QUALIFICATIONS: University Light Rail (LRT) Corridor, METRO Solutions, Houston, Texas BBI’s Utility Group led by, Mr. Youssef Laham, PE, were tasked with the following activities, whose design resulted in the location of all private utilities mentioned below for the entire route. The University Line is approximately 10 miles from the Hilcroft Transit Center to the Eastwood Transit Center. Within the criteria of the private utility, relocations were avoided, with the BBI utility design team presented opportunities for savings. Much of the work experience from those years has been preserved in our dedicated staff’s minds and in the computerized design files that are archived within BBI. Some specific accomplishments, still part of our BBI corporate project intelligence and were the same as the Uptown LRT experience previously mentioned. The challenges faced by BBI and Mr. Laham were the same as those for Uptown and South East. The challenge of utility location in high-building was met the same way. PROJECT REFERENCE: Mr. Louis Cardenas, CenterPoint Energy PHONE: 713.207.4605 EMAIL: louis.cardenas@centerpointenergy.com
RELEVANT PROJECT QUALIFICATIONS: South East Light Rail (LRT) Corridor METRO Solutions, Houston, Texas BBI’s Utility Group led by, Mr. Youssef Laham, PE, were tasked with the following activities, whose design resulted in the location of all private utilities mentioned below for the entire route. The South East line is 6.6 miles of light rail line beginning in Downtown Houston to the Palm Center Page 9