VOLUME 3 ISSUE 5
REPORTING ON WHAT MATTERS TO PUBLIC WORKS
Cover Story:
Danger in the Work Zone
Community Engagement
A distracted driving incident puts Street and Bridge workers in danger, and provides us with a “wake up call” on distracted driving.
INSIDE: Success through
How communications with our citizens, other departments, and each other can help solidify our “Department with a Heart” philosophy.
vision
SEPTEMBER 2013
director’s message BY HOWARD LAZARUS DIRECTOR
It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood, A beautiful day for a neighbor. Would you be mine? Could you be mine?
H
ello Public Workers! In this edition of Street Talk, we’re going to look at how we connect our neighborhoods together all around Austin. Can you say “infrastructure”? I knew that you could! Strong neighborhoods lie at the heart of every great city, and Austin is no exception. The character and continuity of the community depends upon many things, including the quality of the physical infrastructure. Over the past five years, we’ve done a tremendous amount of work to improve neighborhood infrastructure, including the following:
reduced The amount of poor or unsatisfactory pavements by one-third by touching over 4,000 lane miles of pavement.
PROVIDED Bicycle infrastructure that has doubled the overall number of persons who commute by bicycle, and in some places in the City the percentage of bicycle commuters is over 10 percent.
installed 84,445 lineal feet of new sidewalk. Miles of new water, sewer, reclaimed water, and storm water lines.
IMPROVed
DELIVERed
Streetscaping along our arterials and downtown roadways.
New support facilities, including the Public Safety Training Facility, the Waller Boat House, and the African American, Mexican, and Asian Cultural and Resource Centers.
Access to 290 bus stops.
REPAIRED OR INSTALLED 1,606 new curb ramps.
COMPLETed The Austin Clean Water and South IH35 Water/ Wastewater Projects. Numerous renovations of branch libraries (including North Village and Twin Oaks), swimming pools (including Barton Springs and Deep Eddy), recreation centers (Northwest, Dittmar, and McBeth), and public safety facilities (Firehouse locker rooms).
CONSTRUCTed The first rain gardens, modernized roundabouts, and new traffic calming devices.
CLEANed Over two million square feet of sidewalk in the downtown area.
TRAINed APPROXIMATELY
Working in neighborhoods requires a special outlook. It’s as if the residents have invited you into their homes, and in a sense they have. Much of our work temporarily disturbs the harmony of the neighborhood, and in some cases it is very intrusive. Although we try our hardest to mitigate and minimize the impacts of our work, the truth is that at times noise and dust invade peoples’ homes and on occasion access to their driveways and yards is obstructed. In these situations, the way we approach our neighbors around the City is the key to the success of our efforts, whether the work is pavement resurfacing, new sidewalk installation, or major street reconstruction. I continually receive great reports and feedback from Austinites about the care we take in our work, and the polite and friendly way in which we interact with our neighbors. Keep up the great work, and…
Almost 200,000 school children on safe walking and bicycling techniques.
So, let’s make the most of this beautiful day. Since we’re together we might as well say: Would you be mine? Could you be mine? Won’t you be my neighbor? 02 STREET TALK SEPTEMBER 2013
VOLUME 3
ISSUE 5
contents
SEPTEMBER 2013
COVER STORY
SUCCESS THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT How communications with our citizens, other departments, and each other can help solidify our “Department with a Heart” philosophy.
The bike share project team demonstrates the system using a sample kiosk. 2013 SEPTEMBER STREET TALK 03
contents
VOLUME 3
contributors
ISSUE 5
SEPTEMBER 2013
EDITORIAL
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Editor in Chief Shannon Wisner
shannon.wisner@austintexas.gov
Chief Reporter Michelle Frith
michelle.frith@austintexas.gov
Contributing WriterS
Howard Lazarus
howard.lazarus@austintexas.gov
Gerald Nation
gerald.nation@austintexas.gov
Sara Hartley
sara.hartley@austintexas.gov
Luciano Tamayo
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COVER STORY: SUCCESS THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT How communications with our citizens, other departments, and each other can help solidify our “Department with a Heart” philosophy.
luciano.tamayo@austintexas.gov
Chelsea Donahue
chelsea.donahue@austintexas.gov
Courtney Black
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Street and Bridge continues their tradition of saving money thorough upcycling equipment.
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Public Workers spent time in July and August doing all kinds of things around town to highlight the work we do in PWD. See what’s been happening and what’s coming up next.
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MILESTONES
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What Public Workers are doing out there to achieve, foster community, impress co-workers and citizens alike, and show we really are the “Department with a Heart”!
Director of Photography: Shannon Wisner
shannon.wisner@austintexas.gov
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GOING THE EXTRA MILE Project Manager Rohini Kumerage sets an example by working closely with the community on the 34th Street Reconstruction Project.
BIKE SHARE WILL GET AUSTIN ROLLING BY 2014 This year, the capital city will be unwrapping the ultimate Christmas present: a Bike Share Program. Get the scoop here.
A ROAD BETWEEN FIRE, GAS AND CAVES The Davis-Deer Lane project team has many environmental elements to consider – including some unusual features of nearby caves.
columns HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOR? Michelle Frith profiles two employees that work hard for PWD everyday, who you may have never met!
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1 04 STREET TALK SEPTEMBER 2013
CD&P
ALL AROUND AUSTIN
A distracted driving incident puts Street and Bridge workers in danger, and provides us with a “wake up call” on distracted driving.
SURPLUS SOLUTIONS
Arin Gray
alexa.muraida@austintexas.gov
The Neighborhood Partnering Program helps brings desired improvements to empowered communities.
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nadia.barrera@austintexas.gov
design
DANGER IN THE WORK ZONE
IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Nadia Barrera
Chief Graphic Designer: Alexa Muraida
divisions 0
courtney.black@austintexas.gov
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JOINING THE BICYCLE COMMUNITY – SORT OF After reading the articles by Max and Chelsea about their adventures in bicycling, Gerald Nation decides to “give it a go”! Read about his experience here.
NEW SAFETY VIDEO TO REACH AUSTIN’S ELEMENTARY STUDENTS Child Safety is developing a “Safe Routes to School” video to teach families how to safely navigate their neighborhood!
safety zone BY GERALD NATION CONTRIBUTING WRITER
W
A distracted driving incident puts Street and Bridge workers in danger, and provides us with a “wake up call” on distracted driving.
ork performed by the Street and Bridge organization has the potential to be dangerous. This group works with heavy equipment, performs manual labor, and works with hazardous materials daily. However, one of the most dangerous elements of their job is not a task, but the location: The work zone.
On Saturday, July 27th, a street crew was working on St. Elmo at the Todd Lane intersection. The crew had set up a traffic control and parked a tandem truck with a trailer in the work zone for protection. At approximately 8:15 a.m., a citizen driving on St. Elmo received a call on his mobile phone. When he attempted to answer the phone, he dropped it and leaned down to pick it up. During that few seconds that he looked away, he drove through the traffic control at full speed, up a trailer and stopped next to the roller. As you can see by the pictures its looks like something straight out of Hollywood! The citizen’s Cadillac was totaled and the engine was ripped out of the vehicle. The dragging engine was probably what stopped the car from going any farther. APD responded and determined the driver of the Cadillac was at fault. If the tandem and trailer had not been parked in the work zone as a safety barricade, the vehicle would have likely driven right through the work crew.
Each day, more than nine people are killed and 1,060 more are injured in crashes that involve a distracted driver. Consider that:
3,331
387,000
1 in 5 crashes
From watching TV shows and movies filmed all over the world, it appears that everyone has a cell phone glued to their ear. Research shows that this may not be the case. Consider a recent study conducted by the CDC (Center for Disease Control). The study found that talking, texting, and reading email behind the wheel may be more of a problem in the United
States than in Europe. The study found that approximately 69 percent of U.S. drivers ages 18-64 years old reported that they had talked on their cell phone while driving within the 30 days before they were surveyed, compared to 21 percent in the United Kingdom. One-third of drivers in the U.S reported that they had read or sent text messages or emails while driving.
Distracted driving increases your chance of being in a crash because it takes your attention away from driving. You may not realize it, but distracted driving can be visual, manual, and cognitive. Taking your eyes off the road, taking your hands off the wheel, and taking your mind off of driving all count as distracted driving, as does using a cell phone, texting, and eating – so put away those French fries!
people were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver in 2011.
people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver in 2011.
In 2010, “distraction” was reported as being a factor in nearly one in five crashes (18 percent) in which someone was injured.
Sometimes even using in-vehicle technologies (such as navigation systems) can also be sources of distraction. While any of these can endanger the driver and others, texting while driving is especially dangerous because it combines all three types of distractions. The accident mentioned above reminds us to NEVER use a mobile telephone when you are driving a City vehicle or equipment. If you are distracted for a few seconds, the results can be severe. Also remember to have a vehicle provide extra protection in a work zone, if possible. Over 1,000 workers are killed every year in a traffic controlled work zone. Always watch the traffic. Do not rely on drivers to follow traffic control directives.
2013 SEPTEMBER STREET TALK 05
Everything you need to know to ride your bicycle with confidence!
Classroom Presentation Wednesday, September 11th 6pm-8 pm One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Road Austin, Texas 78704 Information about the different types of bikes, proper bike fit, basic bicycle maintenance, foul weather and night riding, rules of the road, traffic laws pertaining to bicycles, proper lane positioning, and crash avoidance techniques.
How to Register On TRAIN- Search “Traffic Skills 101�
On-bike skills training
Note Classroom Presentation is a prerequisite to the on-bike portion of the course.
Saturday, September 14th 9am-12:30 pm One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Road Austin, Texas 78704 This second part of Traffic Skills 101 consists of on-bike drills including basic handling skills and critical crash avoidance techniques. Then, take a guided ride through town led by certified instructors to practice traffic skills including lane positioning, hazard avoidance, and group riding..
Contact Nadia Barrera nadia.barrera@austintexas.gov with any questions.
divisions BY SARA HARTLEY CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The Neighborhood Partnering Program helps brings desired improvements to empowered communities.
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n an issue dedicated to the neighborhood, what could be more appropriate than talking about the Neighborhood Partnering Program?
Have you ever noticed something in your neighborhood that you wish was a little better, or a missing amenity you wish you had access to nearby? That’s where the Neighborhood Partnering Program (NPP) comes into play. We are here to help citizens improve their quality of life in Austin by empowering neighborhoods, and building community. The types of projects we accept run the gamut! We’ve seen everything from community gardens, to big bird houses, pavilions and even a beautiful art mosaic wrapped around an ugly old pool pump house in a neighborhood
park. What we do in a nutshell is help neighborhoods become safer, more beautiful, and more connected. With the recent 2012 Bond approval, and the addition of our new Program Manager, Justin Golbabai, the program has had some new life breathed into it. When City Council passed the resolution in 2010 that launched the program, no one knew exactly how popular it would become, but in just a few short years the program has grown and expanded to a robust and broad system of sub-programs under its umbrella.
In addition to the neighborhood cost share and grant assistance programs, our recently revised program guidelines now include a neighborhood watch sign program, a parking benefit district project proposal program, and a soon to be launched adopta-median program. With a streamlined and easier to navigate application process on the NPP website, these various programs are now easier than ever for neighborhoods to access. So would you like to see an improvement in your community? Or have neighbors been asking how they can get something done with the City? Then NPP can help.
How does it work?
[4]
[1]
Project Application deadlines are twice a year: June 1st and October 1st Organizations can go online and fill out the project inquiry quick form, or call Justin at 512-9746439 to request a paper or email inquiry.
Organizations are made aware of their approval status. If funding is not awarded, the applicant will have the opportunity to work with civil engineering students at the University of Texas to further develop their proposal for the next round of funding.
[2]
Justin looks over the initial project inquiry for feasibility. If the initial project inquiry meets feasibility, he sends the neighborhood the full application.
[5]
Approved projects begin finalizing the project agreement and move through the engineering design and permitting process.
[3]
[6]
Applications turned in by the deadline go through a 90-day process for scoping, cost estimation and preliminary design. Then they go through the approval and award process, chosen by a committee of department directors.
Construction begins!
2013 SEPTEMBER STREET TALK 07
divisions BY GERALD NATION CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Street and Bridge continues their tradition of saving money thorough upcycling equipment.
T
he Street and Bridge Organization of Public Works sometimes has to get creative when it comes to obtaining the costly equipment needed to do its job. In doing so, SBO employees are continuing their sustainability efforts by finding alternative approaches to fulfilling departmental needs. As needs were identified, Street and Bridge staff led by Clayton Craig and Tyler Steinberger again turned to the Federal Surplus facility in San Antonio to fill some of those immediate needs in the most cost-effective manner possible. In all cases, needs were filled at a fraction of the cost for new items. Finding storage and getting lifted As you may be aware, Public Works has recently obtained property at Dalton Road. This meant that additional on-site storage facilities would be necessary to store equipment. The staff at Street and Bridge purchased a 40’ storage container and an expandable portable building that satisfied those requirements. And as an added bonus, the new storage container came with a tire shop!
New storage container being inspected by Clayton Craig and Brad Kirk.
It was also noted that a method of climbing above the concrete trucks was needed as they were being filled from the concrete plant located at the new Dalton Facility. It was found that building a platform was cost prohibitive. The solution was reached to purchase collapsible mechanics stairs used for airplanes and a platform that could be rolled from point A to point B. This goes to show that a little imagination can go a long way in finding economical solutions to problems.
08 STREET TALK SEPTEMBER 2013
The “growing” problem
Refueling made easy
Two other items were also required that did not make the fiscal year 2013 budget. The rain that we have experienced, while quite welcome to our drought-stricken area, had caused a nightmare of problems for the mowing crews. Basically, they didn’t have enough equipment to keep up with the “growing” demand. Then, Clayton Craig came up with a great solution. There at the surplus facility was a John Deere 4-wheel drive tractor with a mowing deck. Problem solved.
The other item that didn’t make the budget was a refueling truck. This type of truck can be very useful because it can be sent out to the field to refuel equipment, which can save manpower by eliminating the need to drive across town to fuel up. Again, the solution was located at the surplus yard. A refueling trailer that had two tanks for diesel fuel, a tank for hydraulic fluid, a tank for oil, a grease tank with a grease gun, and an air compressor was found.
The tire shop – bonus!
Cost savings from creative efforts The combined cost of everything purchased was less than half the cost of a new tractor. As other articles in Street Talk have detailed, the Public Works Street and Bridge Division is committed to looking at outside-the-box solutions to real problems. When Clayton Craig took on the role of fulfilling Street and Bridge’s equipment needs, he not only investigated and found new avenues of fulfillment, he received all required approvals to ensure all policies and procedures were followed. This meant interfacing with finance, purchasing, fleet and the appropriate executive offices to get the green light.
The portable “airplane” stairs pictured at the Dalton Facility.
All of the tanks had hoses and dispensers attached and this trailer essentially provides the crew with a traveling service station. Not only was the trailer equipped to meet the organization’s needs, all of the hour meters read 00.00. In other words, it hadn’t even been used!
John Deere Tractor.
“Safety Orange” truck with pothole patcher.
Reels and hoses on the new fuel trailer.
moral of the story here is: if you have a need, don’t “ The hesitate to look for different avenues to fulfill that need. ” - Gerald Nation
2013 SEPTEMBER STREET TALK 09
divisions BY LUCIANO TAMAYO CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The Davis-Deer Lane project team has many environmental elements to consider – including some unusual features of nearby caves.
I
n Southwest Austin, from Brodie Lane to Ovalla Drive, a new road will align the existing East Davis Lane and will curve behind a nearby fire station. One of the challenging aspects of this project is that it will also cross the high pressurized Longhorn Gas Pipeline and south of three preserved caves: Goat Cave, Wade Sink and Hideout Sink. The project’s road improvements will consist of four lanes of roadway, divided by a median and will include bike lanes, sidewalks, landscaping, storm sewer, two detention/retention water quality ponds, pavement marking and striping and water adjustments. East Davis Lane will be widened to include left and right turn lanes to Brodie Lane and a modification of the existing median will be installed at the intersection of Brodie Lane and Davis Lane to allow a left turning lane heading west. Deer Lane will be closed to traffic permanently and the existing median on this section will be closed and
reconstructed. The project is in the Williamson Creek/Slaughter Creek Suburban Watershed and located within the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone and the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan. As the project will involve drainage with complete storm sewer system and water quality work, there are many environmental aspects to consider. Many of you may have passed the “Now Entering the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone” signs on the roadway. “Recharge” refers to water entering an underground aquifer through faults,
10 STREET TALK SEPTEMBER 2013
fractures, or direct absorption. The Edwards Zone specifically is a 1,250 square mile area where highly faulted and fractured Edwards limestones outcrop at the land surface, allowing large quantities of water to flow into the Aquifer. Caves, sinkholes, faults and fractures all are very common within this zone. Critical environmental features of an area are those that are essential to the protection of environmental resources. Examples include bluffs, canyon rimrocks, caves, sinkholes, springs and wetlands. Numerous water-filled caves, sinkholes and smaller openings are located within the Goat Cave Karst Preserve at 3900 Deer Lane, just north of the project limits. This 8-acre preserve sits atop a portion of the Edwards Limestone. There are six endangered karst invertebrates protected by the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan. These animals, called troglobite, are specially adapted to living underground, spending their entire lives in caves. Adaptations to this environment can include small eyes or complete lack of eyes, long appendages, and reduced pigmentation. Most species are believed to feed on tiny insects called microarthropods as well as decomposed organic matter. The following karst invertebrates are protected: The Davis Deer Project [Tooth Cave Pseudoscorpion] was permitted and approved [Tooth Cave Spider ] by the City of [Kretschmarr Cave Mold Beetle ] Austin as a Site Plan Develop[Bone Cave Harvestman ] ment Permit; the Texas Com[Bee Creek Cave Harvestman ] mission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for Water Pollution Abatement Plan (WPAP); and by the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan (BCCP). Construction began on August 19, 2013 and will cost approximately $4.3 million, expected to be complete by August 2014. This project was designed in-house by Luciano Tamayo, and was reviewed, approved and sealed by Bimal Adhikary, P.E. George Jackson, P.E. PWD/PMD, will manage the project.
[Tooth Cave Ground Beetle ]
columns BY GERALD NATION CONTRIBUTING WRITER
After reading the articles by Max and Chelsea about their adventures in bicycling, I decided to give it a go!
R
ecently, I made the jump to riding a bicycle for exercise. Upon reading Max and Chelsea’s articles that discussed their entries into the world of riding bicycles, I found their exchange interesting and encouraging. However, I was still concerned about the fact that I had not ridden a bicycle in 50 years! I decided that since a bicycle was my primary mode of transportation for several years in my youth, I would be able to pick up the ability to ride again in short order. I’ll discuss this later. I had a few criteria in obtaining a bike. Well… I really had one criterion: cost. I solved that when my brother-in-law told me he had several bikes in storage and I could have one. Cost: zero, criterion met! I promptly picked up the bike, which is a very nice 21-speed 27” Schwinn. It had been stored for several years, so it needed some TLC. First, I replaced the tires and tubes. Then, I soaked the chain in lubricating oil, packed the gears with grease, adjusted the brakes and cleaned the bike. After maintenance was completed, I was ready to ride. Let me begin this part by stating that I had never ridden a bike with more than 1 gear (forward); I had never ridden a bike that had handle bars turned under; I had never ridden a bike that had hand-brakes; and I had never ridden a bike that had a seat much too small for the object that rests upon it. My wife offered me a helmet for the ride and I said, “I don’t need a helmet.” After the first five feet, I had a change of heart. I actually picked up riding the bike in a straight line very quickly. What I still haven’t learned is how to shift gears. The bike is in one gear and I have not changed it except to test the gears. In actuality, I have really enjoyed riding the bike. After a week, I am up to riding a minimum of two miles a day. During that
time, I have met neighbors and enjoy the exercise. I learned my balance is not what it was when I was younger. When I am riding at a semi-fast speed, it is easy to balance the bike, but when I slow down, I get a little wobbly. I found that I had to be patient to feel comfortable on the bike. I will continue to practice and I resolve that I will learn to properly shift the gears and I will purchase a new seat that better fits my posterior needs. The only adverse impact to my body has been rubbery legs after the first couple of rides! I believe that if I can take up bike riding, anyone can. It is fun, good exercise, and also an activity in which the entire family can participate and enjoy. And it definitely beats being a couch potato! I only ride in my neighborhood and have no desire to venture out to arterial roadways as Round Rock does not have bicycle lanes in the area where I live. That being said, I have one request: If you happen to be driving in a neighborhood behind the HEB on Pam Valley in Round Rock and you see an old man riding a spiffy bike: honk, slow down, and find an alternate route or pull over until you stop laughing! In closing, I will never wear a “stylish” skintight biking outfit. A tee shirt and a pair of blue jean shorts better reflect my fashion sensibility. Hope to see you on the trails!
Proud facts: [-]
I never once screamed like a small child. (Though I wanted to a few times.)
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I haven’t wrecked. (This is contingent upon what is classified as a “wreck”.)
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I have only run into the garage door once. (Yes, this could be classified as a “wreck”, but I say, since there was no damage, this qualifies as an “incident”.)
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I was able to put my wife’s laughter out of my mind when I began riding.
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I wear my helmet every time I ride. (I am considering wearing it when I walk.)
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I am not intimidated by the kids riding circles around me. (We’ve actually become friends.)
[-]
I have not cursed at an idiot driver. (Most drivers are great, but there are definitely some idiots.)
Bicycling seems to have changed since I was younger. Below are some of my observations. [-]
When you push backwards on the pedals, they just keep going! This used to be the way I applied the brakes – not anymore.
[-]
There are no fenders on my bike – now I must avoid water and mud.
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Today’s bikes are very advanced. The bikes are faster, lighter and much more expensive. Biking is now both a sport and a mode of transportation.
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On the last bike I rode, the tires were big enough for a small car. The diameter of the tires on my new bike is approximately the same size as my finger.
2013 SEPTEMBER STREET TALK
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columns BY MICHELLE FRITH CHIEF REPORTER
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n easy smile and a relaxed demeanor make for comfortable conversations when you talk to Jessica Salinas. Born and raised in Alice, Texas, Jessica was the third of four children. Her dad, Frank, is an insurance broker and her mom, Sylvia, once sold insurance but now is a successful Mary Kay consultant. At just 13, Jessica wrote a list of all the things she wanted to experience and the things she wanted to understand. She was very good at math and sciNEIGHBOR ence. Since Alice Jessica Salinas was a small town and there were DIVISION no computers, Project video games or Management cable television, she took cues from her older TITLE sisters who were Project Manager leaders in their class. Jessica was a member of the tennis team, volunteered in a mentoring program and took advanced classes in calculus and biology. At 15 she had an interest in law. Her father, a former council member, helped her to get a summer job in the office of the City Attorney where Jessica quickly learned she did not want to become an attorney! Following her sisters to UT, Jessica earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering and worked at the UT Center for Transportation researching pavement designs. After college she worked for nine years at Applied Materials as a Manufacturing Engineer, Project Manager and Supervisor. Her job was lost to a reduction in force and unfor-
12 STREET TALK SEPTEMBER 2013
Michelle Frith profiles two employees that work hard for PWD everyday who you may have never met! tunately at the same time, her favorite aunt was sick with pancreatic cancer, so Jessica was able to spend quality time with her aunt during her aunt’s last days. Returning to work, she accepted a position designing pipeline for Texas Gas Service, working on statewide projects for three years, then took a six-month sabbatical to realign her goals. Her next position at Texas Parks and Wildlife entailed being the sole project manager for roadways, docks, bridges, and sidewalks for all parks, wildlife management areas, fish hatcheries and historic sites for the State of Texas. It was very challenging travel-wise, so Jessica accepted a position in San Diego at a lithography light source leader. Just one year later, the economy crashed, the position was eliminated, and Jessica returned to Austin. She accepted a position at Public Works as a Project Manager in 2009. Asked which of her projects stand out the most, she feels that the Rio Grande project with the two-way cycle tracks has been a positive project to work on. “It’s a neat thing to give to the community; it’s very rewarding. The challenging part is meeting commitments and timelines – you have no control over the schedules of contractors, telecoms, gas utility and other City utilities. It is important to establish relationships and be ahead of the game. It can be very challenging to explain [to the public] the complexity of the project and the number of groups and people involved.”
“
Staying physically fit is a very important part of Jessica’s life. She recently went to Whistler, Canada to snow ski. Her tennis league, “For Love’s Sake” made it to the local area championship round this summer and in August 2013 will go to Corpus for the Little State Tournament. She participates in the City’s PE classes, including the Run 2 classes. She is in her second season of Spin classes. “It keeps your energy level up; it’s vital to stay fit and healthy. It allows you to keep doing things you enjoy!” Jessica’s brothers and sisters are also in Austin. Her oldest sister, Pam, is a Director at Mary Kay. Her sister Teresa works for Ernst & Young, but is soon making a career change. Younger brother Andre will likely graduate from Texas State this fall majoring in English/Spanish and hopes to go into sports media. In the future, Jessica hopes to work on the rail project. She enjoys making a difference in her community and building relationships. “I like knowing that what I’m doing is making a difference and that I’m contributing to the community.” That’s a great way of learning how things work.
It’s a neat thing to give to the community; it’s very rewarding... It is important to establish relationships and be ahead of the game. It can be very challenging to explain [to the public] the complexity of the project and the number of groups and people involved.
”
columns
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n the lobby of St. Elmo stands a beautiful sculpture of a blue stone heart with a steel arrow piercing it to the floor. Colly Kreidler, the creator, is an artist in everything he does; and the piece reflects Colly himself – full of heart and passion. Colly is from McAllen, Texas where his family recently celebrated the 100year anniversary of their NEIGHBOR family business, Colly Kreidler Kreidler Funeral Home. The famDIVISION ily originated Street & Bridge from Indiana coming to TITLE south Texas to Program be “gentlemen Coordinator farmers”, but when families were bereaved, the Kreidler’s stepped up to do the funerals. When Colly was 10, the family home was too far from the business, so his family bought a house closer to the funeral home. Years later in Austin, Colly met a man who, they discovered, had moved into his first childhood home. The man introduced Colly to his sister Kathy, and quick as a wink, Colly and Kathy were married. Kathy had moved into Colly’s childhood home when she was ten! Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction! When Colly and Kathy visit family in the Valley, they stay with Kathy’s mom in the house the couple each lived in as children. After high school, Colly moved to Dallas as a laborer and carpenter’s helper, a shade tree mechanic, and an employee for Shakey’s Pizza. He moved to Austin at age 21 where he worked for the State Hospital MHMR in direct care, taking care of adolescents for seven and a half years. He quit to help build a sailboat, and then returned to McAllen where he worked seven more years at the Kreidler Funeral Home. He attended school in Houston studying Mortuary Science and was a licensed funeral director and embalmer. While working for MHMR, Colly
took stone carving classes. He had a natural knack for the art form and soon took over teaching the classes. He prefers to work in local limestone, which is soft. The steel portion of his art is “spontaneous, changeable and quick.” He uses gas to heat, bend, fold and patina the pieces. Colly opened Rain Dog Studio on South First Street next to where Fair Bean Coffee now stands. One of his favorite pieces was of an emperor penguin with the baby penguin between its feet, looking up at his father, symbolizing the relationship he has with his stepchildren. A second favorite was a huge desk he worked on with Kathy. He made a deal with Kathy to break even within a certain period of time, or go to work elsewhere. Unfortunately, he was just short of the mark and gave up his studio. Colly and Kathy have two children, Michael and Rachel. When the couple married, Michael was nine and Rachel was 12. Now Colly wants to adopt them as adults. Michael, now 28, lives in California and is an online game level designer. He has an extremely strong moral compass. Rachel worked for Rockford designing office space, but is now married and stays home with Emma Jean (3) and Ondine Pearl (2). Kathy and Colly have been married for 19 years. Kathy is a retired teacher and still substitutes. Colly says she is “very positive, and chooses to look at things in a different light. She is very, very sweet.” Colly joined the City in 1992 doing street sign inventory. He worked for a couple of years in the Bicycle and Pedestrian Program as an engineering technician and had a short stint as the Acting Bicycle and Pedestrian coordinator. He moved into Street and Bridge Operations seven years ago
where he is currently a Program Coordinator ensuring the maintenance of existing sidewalks, curbs, and gutters, taking citizen calls and maintaining the list of customer requests. As if the rest weren’t enough, Colly is also building a single seat open cockpit wood and fabric Volksplane that he saw on the cover of a 1968 Popular Mechanics. He additionally taught ESL to a Vietnamese family, tutors at Adult Literacy Council, and goes backpacking in West Texas. Colly prides himself on giving his family goofy, weird, odd and good information. A stone heart? Well, that is not a reflection of Colly after all.
2013 SEPTEMBER STREET TALK 13
divisions
Project Manager Rohini Kumerage sets an example by working closely with the community on the 34th Street Reconstruction Project. PROJECT DETAILS The 34th Street Reconstruction Project was needed to replace severely deteriorating water, wastewater, and storm sewer lines. The design and construction team found old terra cotta pipes that were estimated to have been in place since the early 1920s. In addition to needing new water utilities, the road was in bad shape and was a bumpy ride for cars and bicycles alike. The project started on the west at the Shoal Creek Bridge, through Lamar Blvd., and ended at West Avenue. In order to complete this project, the team knew they would have to excavate through rock and bore water utilities under the intersection of Lamar Blvd. The team was also tasked with replacing a retaining wall along Shoal Creek in Cityowned parkland and adding much needed bike lanes. Construction started in June 2011 and wrapped up with a special droughtresistant landscaping effort in February 2013.
project team Project Manager: Rohini Kumarage Construction Inspector: Albert Ramirez Contractor: Cash Construction, BJ Cash
Contractor: Cash Construction, BJ Cash Engineer: MWM Design, Imad Salem Community Relations: CD&P, Arin Gray Cash Landscaper: Stricklin Design, Ron Stricklin
Working with the Community The community around this project was things with the City project on track while St. City of Austin residents. very diverse and included Seton Hospital, Andrew’s was completing a major construction Other steps were taken to minimize several medical offices, restaurants, retail project of their own. This thoughtful planning construction impacts throughout the project. shops, two schools, a post office, and several and additional effort from the team improved On one occasion, a potable water truck was active neighborhood associations. The team safety and traffic conditions for all. brought in so there would be no interruptions began meeting with property owners and In a meeting with Seton during the design to restaurants that needed water access residents very early on in the process to phase, the team learned that employees were during an emergency water shut out. Custom share project details and the construction taking short cuts and not using a crosswalk to signage was made in addition to the business schedule. Individual meetings were held with get from the parking garage to the hospital on access signs for several properties to direct all properties along the limits beginning in 34th Street. The Seton facility manager, Dan their patrons and visitors on how to access fall of 2010 even though construction was six Vickers, reported that after working long hours the businesses and parking. Signage was months away. and dealing with stressful situations it was an even made for cyclists to direct them around The team met with the Brykerwood unsafe situation where employees were just construction to the bicycle trail. Neighborhood Association and coordinated trying to get to their parking garage quickly. The team also coordinated closely with them to distribute project updates to Through close coordination and cooperative with other City departments throughout their neighborhood message board. The commitments, the team added a crosswalk the project. Part of the necessary work was team also attended a neighborhood meeting with speed reducing enhancements and located on Parks and Recreation Department where they set up a booth with project maps, signage. Seton redesigned their walkways land, and by working together this part of the answered questions, and collected emails so employees would be encouraged to use project was seamless. The team also worked from those interested in receiving updates. the crosswalk. This safety enhancement was with Right-of-Way Management to negotiate They also worked with St. Andrew’s Episcopal the result of Kumarage’s willingness to work a staging area for the contractor in exchange School and coordinated construction activities with stakeholders early in the design process for additional trees. This cooperation not only so that heavy work near their property would throughout construction and take action on saved money but also added improvements to occur during the summer break and to keep items that could improve the project for all the area.
14 STREET TALK SEPTEMBER 2013
divisions BY ARIN GRAY CONTRIBUTING WRITER CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT & PLANNING Native Landscaping Due to the extreme drought conditions, Kumarage recognized the need to be proactive and install more drought tolerant, native landscaping in place of traditional sod. She worked with a landscaper to incorporate this design along the right-of-way and in the parkland adjacent to the project. Reclaimed boulders and rocks were used from other City projects diverting them from landfills, and all plants were native species. Once again, Kumarage worked with the community and held an open house for anyone interested to view plans and share their feedback on the design. The community appreciated the opportunity to learn more about the landscaping and share ideas before installation started. Ms. Kumarage’s forward thinking and her team’s dedication to the project has set a great example for how we can all work closely with communities to find ways to make projects better.
Lessons Learned with the Community
Kumarage reported that “the property owners really appreciated having so much advance notice of the work and we were able to coordinate some project considerations such as the crosswalk for Seton employees and landscape elements by having one-on-one meetings early.”
[1] Early coordination is key [2] Take time to meet property owners [3] Regularly communicate project updates and important changes
[4] Listen to requests – do what you can to help reduce construction impacts
[5] Be broad in your outreach – include ad-
jacent neighborhoods and stakeholders
[6] Be open to stakeholder suggestions,
accommodating when prudent, and open and upfront when accommodations are not possible
Outreach at a Glance [1] Collected over 150 email addresses of stakeholders in the project area
[2] Sent more than 25 email updates with information on construction activities
[3] Met individually with Brykerwoods Neighborhood Association
[4] Met individually with large facilities along the project Seton, St. Andrews Episcopal School
[5] Visited businesses individually along
[6] Hosted a Meet the Contractor event and invited neighborhood associations, residents, business owners and staff
the project before and during construction
2013 SEPTEMBER STREET TALK 15
divisions BY CHELSEA DONAHUE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Child Safety is developing a “Safe Routes to School” video to teach families how to safely navigate their neighborhood!
S
chool is already back in session, and the Child Safety team is busy working throughout Austin’s neighborhoods to make sure children and families are able to get to and from school safely. Our crossing guards are placed at crucial locations within the community. Many of our guards know each of the students crossing at their intersection by name and have spent years building positive relationships with families. The expert knowledge about what’s happening in the neighborhoods possessed by our crossing guards is critical to making needed improvements near our schools and keeping neighborhoods safe, walkable, and livable. This fall, we’re excited to roll out a brand new “Safe Routes to School” video produced by the experts over at ATXN (formerly Channel 6). Each scene in the video shows a family navigating a different way to get to school and discussing how to do so safely. We hope that by watching a daughter teach her mother about the dangers of jaywalking, or a son asking his father about bike safety, Austin families can start their own dialogue about a safe, active commute to school. A talented cast of adult and child actors spent a day in the hot sun filming near Bryker Woods Elementary School in Central Austin. Herschell Esquell, our Lead Crossing Guard Supervisor, also filmed a separate segment that will be used in training new crossing guards. The video will be shown in elementary schools throughout Austin as part of our Safety Education training and will also air on ATXN and be available on their website and YouTube channel. Keep an eye out and let us know what you think!
16 STREET TALK SEPTEMBER 2013
GRAND OPENING
ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER Saturday, September 28, 2013 8401 Cameron Rd. Austin, Texas 78754 10:00 AM - 4:00 pm
To RSVP contact AARC@austintexas.gov or ( 512 ) 974 - 1700
The City of Austin is proud to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require assistance for participation in our programs or use of our facilities, please call (512) 974-1700.
Asian American Resource Center In the mid-1990s, a strong desire within the Austin community for an Asian American Resource Center (AARC) emerged. In order to foster the exponentially growing and diverse Asian American community, the AARC is dedicated to the preservation, exhibition, cultivation, and celebration of Asian/Asian American culture and heritage through educational programming and community outreach. The vision is to build a resource center that will increase commerce and showcase the best of Asian/Asian American culture, allowing the community to educate, congregate, and celebrate its heritage.
The AARC will feature nine classrooms, library/computer lab, conference room, assembly hall, and cultural exhibitions/ display spaces celebrating all Asian cultures under one roof. Additionally, the center will serve as an economic and educational catalyst for the region. More information concerning the grand opening, events and programming, exhibits, and facility rentals will be available in early September. For site visits prior to the official opening date on September 28th, please contact aarc@austintexas.gov to schedule an appointment.
events
Public Works builds our city’s future and celebrates our successes with PWD staff and events all around town. “Tour de Bike Share” Reaches Thousands
F
rom Blues on the Green, to the Highland Station Urban Trail, and everywhere in between, the Bicycle Program and Bike Share of Austin were all over town this summer gathering input on where folks would use a bike share station. In cooperation with the Hackathon for Civic Change and Open Austin, the website www.votebikeshareaustin. com was born. This interactive web tool helped users suggest locations by enabling them to drop a pin on a map, indicating
18 STREET TALK SEPTEMBER 2013
where they would use a bike share station in Austin. They could also vote for others’ previously suggested locations. We’d like to take a moment here to thank our awesome volunteers from the Planning and Development Review Department, the Public Information Office and Bike Austin – we could not have done it without you! The feedback has been incredible and the website has logged thousands of suggestions, which will help the project team immensely when planning locations. For more information on the bike share program, see page 24.
STREET AND BRIDGE BRINGS AWARENESS TO THE MASSES Every year the City of Austin’s Public Works Department spends thousands of hours maintaining hundreds of miles of City streets. The Street and Bridge Division has been using a seal coat surface treatment for several decades to help preserve and extend the life our streets. The annual program is part of the ongoing, longterm goal to maintain at least 80 percent of Austin’s streets in fair or better condition - and to keep the roadways safe and clean! By the end of this year’s seal coat season, Street and Bridge crews will have improved nearly 400 streets by using the process near more than 4,800 homes, affecting approximately 13,680 of Austin’s citizens. Street and Bridge crews effectively use door hangers to notify residents of upcoming scheduled street maintenance. In an effort to reach as broad an audience as possible, Street and Bridge and ATXN (formerly Channel 6) created a video to help citizens understand the process. The “Sealcoat Awareness” video is an outreach tool, which can proactively engage and educate residents and stakeholders by creating, sharing, and exchanging
the video through Public Works’ website and YouTube channel as well as adding the video link to the Street and Bridge door hanger notice. The video breaks down the process - beginning with the notification residents receive from City crews, to the process of sealcoating, to providing tips on how they can help crews do a quality job. The video will be promoted via social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube and will be advertised using local media outlets.
Public Works Sends Backpacks to AISD Every year, the Public Works Department donates backpacks and school supplies through the Build a Backpack Program to send to students in the Austin Independent School District. This year, many divisions contributed to the cause. Among them was a teamup of the Project Management, Engineering Services, Quality and Standards Management, and Construction Inspection Divisions. This group donated 6 high school, 2 middle school and 2 elementary school backpacks filled with school supplies. They also donated another full box of school supplies. Pictured: Robin Field, Greg Johnston and Selinda Mendez delivering the backpacks to City Hall.
2013 SEPTEMBER STREET TALK
19
vision
How communications with our citizens, other departments, and each other can help solidify our “Department with a Heart” philosophy. BY COURTNEY BLACK CONTRIBUTING WRITER
20 STREET TALK JULY 2013
B
uilding roads and bridges, repairing streets and sidewalks, constructing bicycle paths and new buildings – these are some of the things that Public Works does. We serve our community by facilitating improvements to make Austin one of the most livable cities in the country. The work we do connects people. In the physical sense, we ensure that roadways are safe and navigable by the public; we create centers that bring people together. In a more figurative sense, we also connect people with ideas and resources through events, public meetings and community programs. I transferred from Austin Resource Recovery a couple of months ago. Since that time, I’ve been familiarizing myself with the department: what we do, who we are, the culture, etc. What I discovered is that there is more to Public Works than I had originally thought. I had always recognized the drastic impact the department has on the community. Everywhere you look, there is a project in motion. Within each project there are hours upon hours of labor, planning and infrastructure that, while apparent, aren’t necessarily obvious to the untrained eye. As a citizen, I only saw the visible product, the road that was repaved, the center that was built, but as a City employee and someone interested in communications, I saw much more. In every stage of a project, there must be a fair amount of communication. This communication, while often public facing sometimes goes unnoticed, but it is easily one of the most important things we can do as an organization to earn trust from the community and earn our place as an honest, dependable organization. In my experience working in public relations, the most common complaint I’ve received from a disgruntled resident is that they don’t feel like their opinion matters. This leads to feelings of resentment, disengagement and the general sense that the government is self-serving and autonomous.
This is the opposite sentiment that we as a City strive for. So, how do we combat that? How do we foster community involvement, open communication and engage our citizens in meaningful ways? The answer is strategic communications. This can mean a lot of things, but in the context of the City and Public Works, I define strategic communications as a form of outreach that continues to evolve and change as technology advances, communication that is inclusive, thoughtful and has the capacity to build lasting relationships. Public Works Director, Howard Lazarus, asserts that, “We build trust as an organization neighborhood by neighborhood, block by block. The bonds we create with a neighborhood are a critical part
of developing support for what we do.” This trust, I argue, is largely built on communication. To increase our awareness of best practices of communication, here is a guide of sorts to help build a more solid understanding of the process and expectations. For those not familiar with communications and public outreach, it can be intimidating to know what to do and where to start. Every project has a different set of requirements, challenges and constraints making developing an all-inclusive plan for communications difficult. As such, each project should have a communications plan that is tailored to the project’s needs. To develop such a plan, there are several elements that should always be considered.
2013 SEPTEMBER STREET TALK 21
feature [1]
continued from pg. 21
Define your objective
In many cases, the objective of the project’s communications could be simple: Notify residents of construction taking place at a certain location during a certain time. There may not be a great need to gather input or host a series of public meetings to have successful, strategic communications. However, for larger scale projects, take for example the construction of the African American
[2]
Heritage and Cultural Center. The goal of this project was to make this a center that was reflective of the public wants and needs and to have a design that represented collaboration between City staff and the public. To achieve this objective, the communications plan, by nature of the desire for public input and feedback, needed to be more robust and include a significant amount of outreach.
Identify project stakeholders
Once we know what we want to communicate, it is important to determine who we want to communicate it to. Stakeholders can consist of a variety of groups. The most important part of identifying stakeholders is to develop a comprehensive and inclusive list. A stakeholder can be anyone.
They can be a neighbor adjacent to a project, a business owner, a non-profit, or a community group. Any member of the community who has an active interest in a project –either due to proximity or project type – should be included in communications.
Next, take it a step further. Really get to know your stakeholders and ask yourself the following questions: • • • • • •
Where do they live, work and congregate? How do they communicate? What language(s) are spoken? What are the levels of educational attainment? Through what family or community structures does communication take place? What do they value?
These questions can serve to guide you as you begin to consider what public outreach should look like in a certain community and how it should be performed. If a neighborhood is predominantly Spanish-speaking and receives the majority of their information from a specific outlet, then that should be considered to ensure inclusion.
22 STREET TALK SEPTEMBER 2013
[3]
Create a dialogue
Sometimes the purpose of communications is solely to disseminate information. When this is the case, a simple form of communication may be sufficient. However, often we require community input and feedback. This feedback helps us determine priorities of the public and can help shape a project. To gather this feedback, creating a dialogue is not only helpful, but it is imperative to the process. Recently, the Public Works Bicycle Program and local nonprofit Bike Share of Austin launched a campaign to solicit feedback from the public to determine the location of bike share stations throughout Austin. To
do this, staff set up an interactive website at www.votebikeshareaustin.com and hosted a series of community events, utilized social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter, and appealed to the media to spread the message. The public responded. Over the past month, we have received thousands of suggestions from Austin residents. The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive and serves to remind us that Austinites do have opinions, and it is important that we listen. Creating dialogue and asking for the public’s opinion is an excellent way to show our constituents that we care and that their opinion does matter.
[4]
Maintain regular communication, diversify mediums
The foundation of good communication is to communicate often and communicate accurate, relevant information. By offering stakeholders information before they have to ask for it, and by responding to requests for information in a timely manner, expectations can be managed and frustrations avoided. People appreciate honesty. Our job as a government is to maintain transparency and we can do this by making information readily available and accessible.
An essential element of making information available is to utilize a variety of mediums that the majority of the public can access. In the past, communications were often limited to door hangers, flyers or mailings. While these mediums are effective, as technology advances, the variety and number of options to communicate to the public continue to increase. Web and email communications are becoming more and more prevalent mediums for disseminating information. Making sure a project web site is up-to-date and accurate and that emails are sent in the agreed upon timeframe help keep the public happy and up to speed on progress. Consider using Facebook for your next outreach campaign. Post project photos to Flickr. Try an online forum like Speak Up Austin to gather feedback. Send a Tweet to spread the word about an event or project update. The City of Austin has nearly 23,000 followers making every Tweet very valuable. Talk to your division’s communications representative to make your project’s social media dreams a reality. Lastly, use the media to your advantage. Proactively pitching a community interest story and gaining the advantage to tell it in your unique voice is always a big plus.
[5]
Have a heart: Build lasting relationships
There’s a reason we are called the “department with a heart.” Underlying every successful communications or public outreach effort are strong, meaningful relationships. The relationships we form with our residents, local businesses, community groups, and nonprofits are the reason our projects are successful and the reason we have support to serve our community. When our residents trust us and believe that we will leave an area better than we found it, then the foundation of a lasting relationship is formed. In a recent discussion with Howard, he reminded me that every point of contact and every conversation a staff member has with the public makes an impact. We are all Public Works ambassadors and we all have a responsibility to represent the department in the best way
possible. Part of that is earning the trust of the public. Simply put, Howard said that we instill the faith that “we’re going to solve problems. That is what gains respect.” Every time a resident observes a City employee at work or in the field, they see their tax dollars at work and can trust that we’re serving their needs and interests. He continued by relaying that, “People may not always get the end result that they want, but the process should always be friendly, responsive and transparent.” I think that is an important sentiment to recognize. We are all involved in public relations, public outreach and communications on a daily basis, regardless of role or job title. The way we communicate and what we communicate are a reflection of the department and the City.
If there is one thing to take away from this article, it is that proactive communications and public outreach do more than just educate the public; they create community by bridging the gap between the City and the people we serve. With communications, we have the ability to create relationships that are based on fundamental elements of trust and transparency. We may not please everyone all the time, but we sure can try.
“
In an age where community involvement and partnerships with civil society are increasingly being recognized as indispensable, there is clearly a growing potential for cooperative development and renewal worldwide. – Kofi Annan
”
divisions
This year, the capital city will be unwrapping the ultimate Christmas present: a Bike Share Program.
A
fter more than two years of preparation, research, workshops, and interviews, the City of Austin has partnered with Bike Share of Austin, a local non-profit, to bring a bike share program to our great city. Many of you may have experienced similar programs in other U.S. cities, or even in other countries. Bike share is also already active in three other Texas cities: San Antonio, Ft. Worth and Houston.
Before the New Year fireworks light up Austin’s skyline, the first 10 bike share kiosk stations with 100 shiny new bicycles will be in operation. The remainder of the system will follow in the spring of 2014. In total, there will be around 40 stations, 400 bikes, and 600 docks. This program aims to complement existing transit options in the downtown area, and is meant to help complete the “first and last mile” transit gaps. For example, you could ride Capital Metro’s Red Line to the Convention Center, then pick up a bike and ride it to your office several blocks away. The best part is that not only are the bikes sturdy and maintenance free, but they are also great for your wallet and for your health!
The ins and outs First things first: How much will the service cost? Much like Car2Go, riders will have the ability to purchase one-day, weekly, and even an annual membership to use the bicycles. A credit card is required to become a member, which will run you about $80 per year (at the time of writing, the cost structure had not yet been finalized for Austin). All memberships
FEATURES OF THE BIKE Bikes are built to accommodate varying heights. The bikes come equipped with: lights
Front and rear lights that are “pedal powered”
kickstand A kickstand on both sides
protection Protect yourself! Fenders included.
locking system A kryptonite cable lock with its own key for stop-overs
GEARS Shimano 7-8-speed internal gear hub with alloy rims
will cover the cost of your first 30 minutes of travel. Usage past the first 30 minutes will result in additional charges (around $2-5 per 30 minutes). Annual members will also be able to access a password-protected member portal with personalized data such as calories burned and miles traveled for trips made with the bike share bikes. To check out a bike, you will use the touchscreen kiosk (located at every station) to enter your information. You’ll follow instructions, swipe your credit card, select the dock number of which bike you want to check out, and off you go! If you’re a member, you’ll receive a membership card (much like Car2Go) that enables you to bypass the kiosk entirely by scanning at the dock for quick service. You might ask, “What is preventing these bikes from being stolen?” The answer: each bike is equipped with GPS. Through the use of GPS, the bike share system also boasts live mapping, and a website and phone application to identify bike share stations. The live mapping feature can also indicate when a bike share station is full or empty. How do you return a bike? When you reach your final destination, you’ll simply return the bike to a nearby station and dock. Place the front wheel in an empty dock and it will lock in automatically – simple as that. If you plan on making a quick stop-over during your rental, perhaps to get coffee, simply use
the built-in lock to secure the bicycle while you run your errand. It is important to note that time spent at stop-overs still counts toward your bike rental time.
The “Tour de bike share” This summer, the Bike Program and Bike Share of Austin engaged in six weeks of public outreach. They attended and held events to gain feedback from the public on where they’d like to see a station and launched an interactive website that allowed users to suggest station locations as well as the color of the bicycles. At these events were enthused staff members and volunteers, iPads for suggestion-gathering, a sample bike share bike, and in some cases a sample kiosk! The feedback has been incredible and the website has logged thousands of suggestions, which will help the project team immensely when planning locations.
Who’s footing the bill? Funding for the program was provided by a Federally funded grant and private contributions. Bike Share of Austin has been awarded the contract to be the managing partner and will be responsible for day-to-day maintenance, operations, marketing, sponsorships, and memberships for the system. The City of Austin will be represented on the Board of Bike Share of Austin and will also maintain ownership of the bikes and kiosks.
divisions BY NADIA BARERRA CONTRIBUTING WRITER SHANNON WISNER EDITOR IN CHIEF
Bike share and traffic alleviation As stated in the Council-approved Bicycle Master Plan, the City of Austin hopes to have bicyclists comprise 5% of all commute traffic by 2020, which would more than double the existing percentage of cyclists. Many cities have found that after bike share has been launched, they see a sharp peak in the number of cyclists of all ages and abilities. We recognize that obtaining a bike, lock, and lights can be a barrier to many who would like to use a bike, but are not interested in spending the up-front capital to do so. We anticipate that the Bike Share Program will not only remind potential new bicyclists how easy and convenient it is to use a bicycle, but more importantly, how much fun it is to discover Austin by bike! We hope that you will consider becoming a Bike Share of Austin member and trying bike share for short trips around town. You can also find out more about bike share on our website at www.austintexas. gov/bikeshare.
2013 SEPTEMBER STREET TALK 25
Milestones CITY SLACKERS WIN gold! This year, the City Slackers won it all at the City Olympics sand volleyball tournament. The team was comprised of members from Public Works, Watershed Protection, and Economic Growth and Redevelopment Services. We can’t wait till next year! Pictured from left to right: Top: Joe Pantalion (WPD) Middle: Stacey Mason (EGRSO), Rebecca Zapata, Clint Evans, Eli Mendoza Front: Mike Kelly (WPD), Alexa Muraida, Susan Garnett, Jana Renfro (WPD) Not Pictured: Molly Ritter, Byrt Reza
h t 6 e h t m o r f s Tale
a Sr.
ip By: Charles Fel
...NIGHT AND DAY Working on 6th street, the crew and I encounter all sorts of people. We see everyone from your “average Jane”, to people who have spent too much time at the bar, to state hospital patients. I’m not sure that before this we have ever encountered someone who may have been a little mixture. So, there was a lady walking down 6th street in the middle of the road flashing people and cussing like a sailor. “You wish you could get some of this… but you can’t!” was her phrase of choice. But, oh what a difference a few hours can make… Once the sun came up, she was a totally different person. She appeared to be coherent and aware of her surroundings. She even came up to me and said, “I am really impressed with the work that those little machines do. You guys make the sidewalks look so much better and I want to thank you for your hard work.” Talk about a head scratcher!
PWD PARTICIPATES IN PE ROWING PILOT The Austin Rowing Club and the PE program have partnered to pilot a rowing class this quarter. If all goes well, the class could become ‘official’, and adopted into the regular PE schedule.
26 STREET TALK SEPTEMBER 2013
Pictured from PWD: Howard Lazarus, Gary Jackson, Shannon Wisner
street talk extra
UPDATES FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
awcaorgdnsi& tion re The following employees received awards during the cipid division meeting: pat on the back
CARMEN MORGAN
Received a “Pat on the Back” award for her dedication, professionalism, and excellent customer service to the public.
above & beyond
RICK GLOSSON
Received an “Above and Beyond” award for his commitment and help to fellow inspectors on their projects.
above & beyond
ROMERO HERNANDEZ
The following employees have reached City service milestones: 5 years of service
JOHN BOWMAN
5 years of service
FREDDIE ALONZO
EMPLOYMENT ANNIVERSARY
Luciano Tamayo will celebrate 15 years of service with the City of Austin on September 8th. He has worked for the same department and same division and is getting closer to the finish line!
EXECUTIVE ACADEMY SELECTION ANNOUNCED!
Charles Muela, Gail Hamrick-Pigg, Carlos Garcia, and Yuejiao Liu have been accepted into the 2013-2014 Executive Academy program. The Executive Academy is intended for high-potential employees who desire to develop their skills and competencies in order to compete for future executive vacancies in the City. The Academy will focus on the development of the executive competencies identified by City leaders. Please extend your congratulations to those selected!
.R. S.Ta.A aw rds
30 years of service
Project Management Division S.T.A.R. award recipients are:
PAT WEBre
chris calvery
Received an “Above & Beyond” award for his commitment in working with the AWU Spot Repair Project and with Maps and Records on turning in 80 sites in a timely manner.
robin field darryl haba jules parish jon thompson
WHO’S
THAT? WARM WELCOME Please join ESD in welcoming their new temporary employee Istvan Voiculescu. Istvan will join Design Team 2 and will be working on Second Street, Sixth Street and the Green Alleys project. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge in AutoCAD Civil 3D. He has experience working for Consulting Engineers designing civil infrastructure projects and performing CAD management. Istvan is also proficient in developing 3D visualizations.
2013 SEPTEMBER STREET TALK
27
milestones
continued from pg. 27
Shuv L. Reddy: on the move
Oh, the places he’ll go! Check out Shuv L. Reddy’s recent travels with Louise Madden from the Human Resources Office. Over the Fourth of July, Shuv flew aboard a B17! My husband, a retired Army vet, is a flight engineer and a member of the Gulf Coast Wing, Commemorative Air force. We thought, “What better way to show Shuv’s
patriotism than to take him on board a vintage B17?” My daughter will be attending OU this fall so she has to support the ‘home team’ and I cannot tell you how much fun we had taking Shuv to all the different locations. At the Oklahoma City
Memorial, one of the Park Rangers actually laughed and asked my husband if he was carrying “Flat Stanley”. I explained the character and said that I worked for the City of Austin Public Works Department. We had a great time visiting
Dear Mr. Lazarus, I write to simply say thank you for the courtesy shown to me a few weeks ago by a couple of members of your staff. Our daughter, Kate got married here in Austin on July 5th. We had a large gathering of family and friends at our home the night before. This date fell close in time to an overlay project on our street and there was concern within the wedding party (my wife) that if things did not fall into place, we may have a lot of guests with nowhere to park. Doubtful, but a concern all the same. So I called the City and was fortunate to find Stephen Robles who could not have been more responsive and professional in explaining the status and progress of the project. He also directed me to Tony Lopez. Tony was every bit as helpful and responsive. As someone who works in government, 19 years at the Attorney General’s, I have an appreciation for the challenges we face in being responsive to our citizens. Not this time. On behalf of my wife, daughter, and the whole gang of new family, thank you.
David H. 28 STREET TALK SEPTEMBER 2013
Oklahoma, and no disrespect to UT Fans, but OU will be kicking butt this year! We watched some of the team practicing. The schedule is out and OU will be playing UT on October 12th in Dallas! -Louise Madden
S KUnDeO cor r Kudos to Street and Bridge! I’d like to say thanks for a great job by Street & Bridge. Johnny Colvin and crew responded promptly when I called 311 last week with concerns about a hole under the sidewalk by our building. They did the job quickly, efficiently and professionally - another reason I’m proud to live in Austin.
David F.
in every issue
WHERE IS SHUV-L-REDDY?
Where In The World Is Shuv-L-Reddy?
Remember Carmen San Diego? Waldo? Well, Shuv wanted in on some of the action…play our guessing game as he wanders around the city at various PWD-related sites...and beyond!
Can you correctly identify both project site locations that Shuv-L-Reddy has visited? Write in to: streettalk@austintexas.gov for a chance to WIN A PRIZE! location 2
location 1
ANSWERS FROM LAST ISSUE: Location 1: The Central Library Groundbreaking Location 2: OTC 13th floor, outside of conference room (with Henry).
events calendar 2013 Monday
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New Employee Safety Orientation (NESO) class 1-5 PM LRC@ABIA
1
1 CPR/FirstAid/AED 7:30AM-4:30 PM LRC@ABIA
CPR/FirstAid/AED 7:30AM-4:30 PM LRC@ABIA
5
1 $ PAY DAY
0
9
1
1
4
1
Sunday
CDL D&A Orientation 8:00AM-9:300 AM 105 Riverside Room 200
8
7
6
1
3
2
1
2
1
1
2
Sunday
Vehicle Collision Review Committee
3
4
2
5
2
6
2
7
2
2
OSHA 10
New Employee Safety Orientation
class 1-5 PM LRC@ABIA
0
3
30 STREET TALK SEPTEMBER 2013
7:45 AM to 3:45 PM LRC@ABIA
CDL D&A Orientation 8:00AM-9:300 AM 105 Riverside Room 200
8
GRAND OPENING Asian American Resource Center 10:00AM-4:00 PM 8401 Cameron Road
2
Sunday
7:45 AM to 3:45 PM LRC@ABIA OSHA 10
2
2
1:00-4:00 PM TBD
QUARTER 3: PE classes end
$ PAY DAY
9
2
Monday
Tuesday
1
0
8:30-9:30 AM OTC-325
7
QUARTER 4: PE Classes Begin
0
class 8-9 AM Cheathem Facility
8
New Employee Safety Orientation class 1-5 PM, LRC@ABIA
Safety Plus Meeting (SBO District Maintenance, IMG) class 8-9 AM Cheathem Facility
0
class 8:30 AM-4:30 PM OTC-325
0
1
1
CDL D&A Orientation 8:00AM-9:00 AM 105 Riverside Room 200 CPR 8:00 AM-12:00 PM LRC@ABIA
1
3
1 $ PAY DAY
8
7
1
1
1
class 8:30-9:30 AM 105 Riverside Room 200
1
ROAD-E-O 7:30 AM-12:00 PM
Safety Meeting 3 PM-4 PM, OTC-325
New Employee Safety Orientation Online Defensive Driving Class Registration
8
2
2
2
class 1-5 PM, LRC@ABIA
Safety Meeting (ATD) 8 AM- 9 AM, OTC-325
9
2
ROAD-E-O 7:30 AM-12:00 PM
ROAD-E-O 7:30 AM-12:00 PM
3
2
2
9
1
Sunday
Computer Ergonomics
Online Defensive Driving Class Registration
2
1
Sunday
ROAD-E-O 7:30 AM-12:00 PM
ROAD-E-O 7:30 AM-12:00 PM
5
0
6
Defensive Driving
6
1
4
Saturday
Sunday
0
5
4
1
0
9
0
Safety Meeting (HRO, OOD SSD, QSMD, ESD, NCD, FINANCE, SYSTEMS ENGINEERING) 8:30-9:30 AM OTC-325
Online Defensive Driving Class Registration
3
2
0
Safety Plus Meeting (SBO Pavement & Infrastructure)
Safety Meeting (PWD/PMD/CID)
0
Friday
0
3
Online Defensive Driving Class Registration
Wednesday Thursday
5
4
2
2
0
2
6
2
Health Expo Palmer Events Center Safety Meeting (PWD SBO Utility & Structures) class 8-9 AM Cheathem Facility
Sunday CDL D&A Orientation 8:00AM-9:00 AM 105 Riverside Room 200
0
7
2 $ PAY DAY
1
3
3
Online Defensive Driving Class Registration
Sunday
Safety Meeting 8:30 AM- 4:30 PM OTC-325
HALLOWEEN
2013 SEPTEMBER STREET TALK
31
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