Street Talk | May 2013 Issue by Austin Public Works

director’s message BY HOWARD LAZARUS DIRECTOR

Knocking it Out of the Park

pring is here, and with it the start of the best season of all - baseball season (I know in Texas there are really only two seasons - hot and football, but please bear with me). Baseball is more than a sport, it’s an analogy for life. The good guys (the home team) wear white; you have to overcome curveballs, to sacrifice when asked, and beware of the high heat. Occasionally you’ll have to “lean in and take one for the team,” and the ultimate goal is always to reach home safely. One of my favorite movies is The Natural, with (among others) Robert Redford, Glenn Close, Kim Basinger, Davin McGavin, and Wilford Brimley (of Quaker Oats fame). It is a real “add” to your Netflix queue. In the movie, Robert Redford plays a mysterious older player who shows up for a tryout to make the New York Mammoths, a team mired in last place. While on the surface it’s a tale of an aging baseball player seeking one last swing at greatness, it’s really a story about second chances, redemption, and the triumph of good over evil. In the movie, the Mammoth’s manager (Wilford Brimley) asks Roy Hobbs (the Robert Redford character) why he wants to play ball at an age when most men have moved on, and Hobbs replies, “When I walk down the street, I want them to say, ‘There goes Roy Hobbs, the best there ever was.’ So, what’s the connection? (I’m sure you thought I’d never get here). This issue of Street Talk centers on the theme of the “Clearing the Bar”, which examines among other things the State of the Department. While we are generally doing an excellent job, when our citizens see one of our bright orange trucks roll by, will they say, “There goes Austin Public Works, the best there ever was?” (Or is). Are we really the best managed and best performing public works agency in the country? (the US, not just the Republic of Texas). We do a wonderful job of producing “stuff,” but are we really helping to create a sustainable quality of life for future Austinites? Are we really making progress toward being a workplace of choice? I have a couple of thoughts that I’d like to share, and to have you consider in pondering these questions. Over the past year, we have experienced a department-wide increase in the number of vehicle accidents. The direct causes of the individual accidents vary, but collectively they are an area of concern.

In discussing the accidents with the Safety staff and your supervisory chain over the past couple of weeks, I came to the painful realization that safety is a pretty good indicator of the health of our overall culture, and our recent performance may be indicative of some deeper issues. A safe work environment is reflective of staff taking the time to do things properly, watching out for each other, and caring deeply about the resources with which they are entrusted. Conversely, poor safety performance is equally reflective of a workplace where people cut corners, don’t pay attention to detail, consider themselves more as individuals than a member of a team, and don’t appreciate the public trust they hold. The decision to adopt one approach or the other is an organizational choice about values, and not the result of a “carrot and stick” approach to rewards and punishments. Which set of these sets of values are reflective of the way you approach your job? This year’s ethics training focuses on voice and respect. The “Department with a Heart” motto we have adopted should address both of these factors. How we treat each other, the type of language we use, and how we conduct ourselves and present ourselves to the public is as critical to our mission’s success as are our technical skills. I am asking as directly as I can that each of you embrace a culture that is free of threatening and unacceptable language, and is respectful of each other and our citizens, businesses, and visitors. The state of Public Works’ present and future is in our hands - all we are and all we can be, but only if we take ownership of our culture. After all, when all is said and done, when we roll down the street we want to be known as “the best there ever was!”

Voice and Respect The state of Public Works’ present and future is in our hands

“

How we treat each other, the type of language we use, and how we conduct ourselves and present ourselves to the public is as critical to our mission’s success as are our technical skills. I am asking as directly as I can that each of you embrace a culture that is free of threatening and unacceptable language, and is respectful of each other and our citizens, businesses, and visitors. -Howard Lazarus

”

02 STREET TALK MAY 2013

VOLUME 3

ISSUE 3

contents

MAY 2013

COVER STORY

CLEARING THE BAR Dreams are just that until you take action. It takes goals and the agility to achieve those goals. Find out here how Public Work’s Divisions, Projects, and individuals are ‘making it happen’.

20ft WIDE: Alley Activation Project Photo Courtesy of Michael Knox, EGRSO.

contents

VOLUME 3

contributors

ISSUE 3

MAY 2013

EDITORIAL 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

Carmen Morgan

carmen.morgan@austintexas.gov

Kit Johnson

kit.johnson@austintexas.gov

Denise Riad

denise.riad@austintexas.gov

Max Eby

max.eby@austintexas.gov

Chelsea Donahue

chelsea.donahue@austintexas.gov

Robin Field

robin.field@austintexas.gov

Nadia Barrera

nadia.barrera@austintexas.gov

Gerald Nation

gerald.nation@austintexas.gov

Susan Garnett

susan.garnett@austintexas.gov

David Smythe-Macaulay

26 features 2

david.smythe-macaulay@austintexas.gov

Karim Helmi

karim.helmi@austintexas.gov

Molly Ritter

molly.ritter@austintexas.gov

COVER STORY: clearing the bar: The Art of Agility Dreams are just that until you take action. It takes goals and the agility to achieve those goals. Find out here how Public Work’s Divisions, Projects, and individuals are ‘making it happen’.

be a safety hero It may take a few extra minutes to work safely but it can safeguard your life, your coworkers, and your livelihood.

MILESTONES 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’!

getting the ged These two inspiring Street and Bridge employees have what it takes: dedication and perseverance.

04 STREET TALK MAY 2013

amy.petri@austintexas.gov

design Chief Graphic Designer: Alexa Muraida

alexa.muraida@austintexas.gov

Director of Photography: Shannon Wisner

divisions 7

ALL AROUND AUSTIN Public Workers spent time in March and April 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.

Amy Petri, Office of Sustainability

shannon.wisner@austintexas.gov

cipid gets orgazined How SharePoint has helped the Construction Inspection Division deliver.

scoring big by repurposing and streamlining

Street and Bridge makes new strides in sustainability- focusing on concrete, millings and tree trimmings.

take a load off! Turner Roberts Recreation Center undergoes load testing to ensure the safety and integrity of the existing building’s foundation.

omg! What am i going to wear? Some find it difficult to decide what to wear every morning, let alone what to wear when you’re commuting by bicycle.

PUTTING THE WHEELS IN MOTION: Part II Max and Chelsea pick up where they left off to update us on their adventures in bicycle commuting.

Street and Bridge knows the name of the game is innovation, renovation and rethinking.

IT ISN’T EASY BEING GREEN

columns

putting the puzzle together The Sustainability Office discusses what it takes to create a complete sustainability picture.

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOR? Michelle Frith profiles two employees that work hard for PWD everyday, who you may have never met!

clearing the strings Public Works helps ‘string together’ an imaginative project to transform one of Austin’s alleys.

safety zone BY DENISE RIAD CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Be a Safety Hero It may take a few extra minutes to work safely but it can safeguard your life, your coworkers, and your livelihood.

ll employees have a right to a safe workplace. These rights are mandated by law as well as a personal, moral obligation on the part of management and fellow employees. Along with rights, we must also focus on responsibility. Responsibility of workplace safety belongs to everyone and it should be your number one goal. By modeling safe work habits, you set a good example for others, and are much less likely to be injured on the job.

Public Works is one of the City’s busiest departments, and we often welcome newcomers into our work groups. New hires benefit by seeing operations conducted the safe way, especially if they have never held a job before or came from a firm that had a weak safety program. Seasoned employees can mentor new hires by “walking the talk” and demonstrating safe work practices. As with many things in life, actions speak louder than words. The actions these new employees will “hear,” and ultimately copy, are yours. Think back to your first day on the job. You watched the “old hands” to see how they did things. So I’d like to ask each of you “old hands” to do your new co-workers and yourself a favor: set the bar high for safety and set a good example for your crew. Don’t be

tempted to take shortcuts and bypass guards and safety devices. Be a hero and do the right thing. You may think, “I don’t have anybody new in my area.” And that may be the case. But you never know when someone with less experience is watching, and copying, what you do. New employees aren’t the only ones that benefit from a good safety example. Old hands get hurt too. How many times have you heard grumbling comments like “safety equipment is for sissies” or “I don’t have time to do it the safe way”? A careless attitude toward safety not only puts you at risk, but makes it harder for people who do want to work safely to do so. Don’t be responsible for someone getting hurt because you talked him or her out of wearing proper safety gear or doing a

job the safe way. It’s also important to remember how unsafe work practices look to outsiders. As City employees, we’re highly visible and work in full view of our customers, the media, and other departments. A poor safety record and poor compliance with safety sends the message that we do sloppy work. So please be mindful of how “public” a job in Public Works really is. I’d like for each of you to be a hero for safety. It’s good for business and helps us all on the job. It’s good for your co-workers, new and old alike, because it sends the message that safety is important and the right thing to do. But most importantly, it’s good for you and your family because it will help keep you from getting sick or hurt on the job.

2013 MAY STREET TALK 05

divisions BY CARMEN MORGAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

CIPID Gets Organized How SharePoint has helped the Construction Inspection Division deliver.

hen Patricia Wadsack first arrived in Construction Inspection, all of the division’s information and files were stored on the G drive. More than forty employees had access to the drive, which over time led to the drive becoming disorganized with outdated and duplicated information. Employees had a difficult time trying to locate information quickly and it became obvious that they needed to find a new way of storing their files. Jacque Driskell, Business Systems Analyst, helped the division meet its goal to get organized by introducing the division to SharePoint. SharePoint is a content management system that allows teams to share information easily. Unlike a software application, SharePoint users can create websites on an organization’s intranet that allows them to work collaboratively on documents, manage projects and communicate more efficiently. Jacque helped to get the Construction Inspection team up and running by creating a SharePoint site just for them. She met with the team and discussed how to best

suit their needs. Jacque was instrumental in building the foundation of their site. She taught them the basics of the program and how to maintain it on their own. From then on the sky was the limit! Peggy Howard, Engineering Technician C, with the help of intern Nicole Debevoise, was chosen to be the site designer. Together, they played a key role in expanding the site and personalizing it for CIPID. Peggy and Nicole included not only everything the inspectors might need in order to perform their daily duties, but also included the division calendar, current policies and procedures, useful forms, links to frequently

Peggy Howard proudly points to the division’s SharePoint site. used sites and weather information. They even went a step further and added information such as who CIPID is, what the division does, as well as what their mission and vision is. You too can access their site at http://coawss3a.coacd.org/sites/PWD/CID. With everyone’s hard work, dedication, and focus, the CIPID team was able to reach their goal to work much more efficiently with a new tool on their belts. SharePoint allowed them to gain quick access to all sorts of useful information by cleaning out the clutter and getting organized again.

2013 MAY STREET TALK

divisions BY GERALD NATION CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Scoring Big by Repurposing and Streamlining Street and Bridge knows the name of the game is innovation, renovation and rethinking.

very year, the addition of city streets, sidewalks, mobility trails and bicycle lanes causes an increase in city assets that Public Works must maintain. At the same time, the existing inventory of assets is also getting older each and every year. This means the workload placed on Public Works is continuously increasing. Under the direction of Howard Lazarus and Robert Hinojosa, the Street and Bridge organization has adopted repurposing and efficiency-improving strategies as a critical element of daily operations in order to balance out the rising need for equipment and manpower. Employees from every level in the organization are encouraged to bring ideas forward to management that would create savings or would be beneficial to the organization. Suggestions are analyzed and ideas that have the most merit and will offer the most organizational benefit are

08 STREET TALK MAY 2013

implemented. Cost savings have been realized in equipment purchased, manpower requirements, and in materials used. Efficiency evaluations of department operations over the past few years have identified and yielded the implementation of numerous changes, but it is still imperative that all Public Workers continue to find ways to do more with our funding.

Recently the department has taken steps to repurpose existing equipment instead of purchasing new equipment. We have additionally ordered new equipment that reduces the number of employees required on a crew. This enables us to perform more work with the same number of employees, thereby lowering costs. Public Works is piloting a program to provide expanded maintenance coverage, which will reduce the dollars associated with afterhours call back. By expanding the normal hours of coverage, Public Works has the opportunity to realize up to $100,000 of annual savings. If this pilot program proves to be successful, the savings could be diverted to other areas such as purchasing asphalt.

Repurposing Equipment Public Works has been tasked with tree trimming in the Rights-of-Way, and in order to perform this task, new equipment is required. One of the major purchases was “catch trucks” which are trucks that are used to catch the output of the chipper/shredders. The Street and Bridge staff researched the price of purchasing new trucks, learning that each new truck was a whopping $70,000! Evaluation of the existing Street and Bridge fleet found that several 6 cubic yard (CY) dump trucks in the fleet were underutilized. With more research, staff determined that the underutilized trucks could be converted to catch trucks at a cost of $20,000 - $25,000 each. This is a savings of $45,000 per vehicle! Maintaining mobility trails was also added to Public Works’ task list. To get the job done, a new type of vehicle that would carry equipment and material down the

trails was needed. The Street and Bridge staff located a used Kawasaki Mule and a used electric vehicle at the Federal Surplus location in San Antonio. Both units were purchased, painted and brought up to operating condition for around $3,000 instead of the $8,000 - $9,000 new units would have cost, saving approximately 33%. Both units were registered with Fleet for scheduled maintenance. Insulated storage containers and a forklift were also purchased from the Federal Surplus facility, allowing Public Works to obtain much-needed equipment at a fraction of the cost it would normally require. Executive management has directed the staff at Street and Bridge to evaluate every aspect of the job to find additional efficiencies. Staff determined that of the annual hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on equipment purchases, a large percentage of these expenses are associated with equipment replacement. An evaluation of all of the replacement equipment and new equipment purchases led to changes in purchasing choices resulting in savings for both the initial purchase of the equipment and in the operating expenses. For example, a skid steer with attachments was purchased instead of replacing a backhoe with another backhoe, thus saving thousands of dollars without adversely impacting the business. In actuality, the versatility of the skid steer increased efficiencies. Additionally, new 6 CY hot-mix trucks were purchased instead of the standard 10 CY hot-mix trucks, resulting in savings on several levels. The 6 CY truck requires a two-person crew instead of the 3-4 person crew required by the 10 CY trucks, enabling Street and Bridge to assign these employees to another job. The new 6 CY truck isalso equipped with a hydraulic tamper and a hydraulic jack hammer, as well as a spreader attachment that can be used for spreading dolomite in the event of a spill or ice on the

roadway. The truck also has an electric heater in the storage container, which allows the heating of the materials stored in the container, controlling waste. For example, in the past if a crew did not use all of their asphalt, the asphalt would be dumped and the investment was lost. The heater in the container on the truck will keep the asphalt hot overnight and the asphalt can be used the next day – saving money and cutting down on waste. Another efficiency improvement is being achieved with the purchase of traf-

fic control devices that enable one person to control traffic on both ends of the impacted area. These devices can eliminate the need for one person assigned to traffic control in specific situations. The electronic traffic control devices have green and red lights and control arms that are lowered and raised by electronic command. The operator is situated in a central location on the equipment where he/she can observe both directions of traffic and can control both ends of traffic using a control device.

The Street and Bridge Infrastructure Management Group (IMG) organization is constantly evaluating new products that are more efficient and allow us to repurpose our materials. A few examples of products that are being evaluated include: A new polymer additive that is used with milled (removed-surplus) asphalt:

Presently, milled asphalt is mainly used in alleys. If this new additive passes the test, milled asphalt can be used on some of the roadways, providing a wider range of use for the excess asphalt.

Recycled glass used as a base: The use of

recycled glass as a base is being evaluated and if proven satisfactory, can be repurposed as part of the road.

Employee suggestions: Public Works is evaluating the purchase of a warm-mix asphalt plant, a recycle plant and a concrete/

asphalt crusher. A concrete plant has already been purchased and installed at the Public Works location on Dalton Road. This demonstrates that employee suggestions are valued!

Electronic timekeeping: Public Works

has migrated to electronic timesheets and is in the process of transitioning to MAXIMO. These implementations will enable “real-time” analysis to be performed on all aspects of the organization. A future of interworking programs will develop a path that leads to a paperless environment, yet again saving time, money and resources.

As an employee in the Public Works Street and Bridge organization, I am excited about the direction of the business. The changes can be seen daily. Identified future changes are discussed with the staff and additional employee suggestions that are proven beneficial to the organization could be implemented in the future. This type of commitment to the future of the organization by management is truly exceptional in today’s environment.

2013 MAY STREET TALK

columns BY MAX EBY & CHELSEA DONAHUE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Putting the Wheels in Motion Part 2 Max and Chelsea pick up where they left off to update us on their adventures in bicycle commuting. Max

Max Eby

Chelsea Donahue

In March, I bought a bicycle and pledged to commute to work once the weather improved. In spite of my great intentions, the cold mornings provided the perfect excuse for getting a late start! For a few weeks, I habitually considered then dismissed my plans to make the maiden voyage. However, I did begin riding in my neighborhood and in a nearby park to train. I was easily able to make the ten-mile round trip distance that I’d cover when commuting and I didn’t experience any real discomfort at all after my training rides! In a sudden burst of determination, on March 20th, I decided there was no better time than the present! I packed up my supplies in my pannier bag (like a saddlebag for bikes) and gave the five-mile St. Elmo commute a try. I had rehearsed the route in my mind many times. Helmet on and ready to conquer a challenge, I pedaled off! Until my first real-world experience, I didn’t appreciate the value of bicycle lanes. It’s amazing what a difference those stripes make in how motorists drive. I easily navigated the first half of the trip in bike lanes, and when they ended, I made my choice. I needed to cross an interstate and make two immediate left turns, so I moved into the left turn lane and stayed there until I reached my side street. I feared the worst, but this was the safest option, and I was able to ride fast enough to avoid delaying the motorists behind me. The remainder of the ride was simple and returning home was a snap! It really is wonderful to get exercise all while completing a needed trip to work and home. My single biggest challenge turned out to be the additional cargo I tried to carry using a standard gym bag attached to the bike rack with bungee cord. On the way home, the bag nearly fell off my bike and created several unnecessary stops for me. I learned that it’s important to attach cargo properly and when possible, use a basket or pannier bag. I will be commuting by bicycle to St. Elmo at least 2-3 times a week once our workgroup office move is complete. If you’ve ever considered bicycle commuting, now’s the time to jump in!

CHELSEA In the past few months, I’ve become much more confident on two wheels. I haven’t been riding every day as I initially hoped, but I’ve been averaging a steady three days per week and am happy with that. I still haven’t braved any of the few rainy mornings, but as a native New Englander, the “cold mornings” haven’t bothered me so much. I’m more worried about what happens when the temperature goes up, as my rides home have already gotten pretty sweaty. When I started out, my primary concern wasn’t traffic, but simple bike handling skills. I knew all the traffic laws and do’s-and-don’ts from my work in the Child Safety Program teaching kids the rules of the road. But as a child myself, I never spent much time cycling, so I didn’t have the background experience to rely on. Riding in a straight line, using one hand on the handlebars to signal, and even just getting used to shifting gears were what I needed to practice. After repeating my route so many times, I feel much more comfortable in my abilities. I even retraced my route downtown from a previous nerve-wracking ride that felt like a breeze the second time around. I’ve yet to do much riding beyond my commute, but as the summer gets underway, I plan to increase my social biking as well. I’ve really loved having exercise built into my day, and the smell of the flowers in bloom has made my commute so much more pleasant… definitely not something you can notice inside a car! If I can start riding and get comfortable quickly, anyone can.

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Join the energetic fun at VIVA STREETS! 足-- a free festival that invites you to bicycle, play, get fit, people watch, and celebrate good health. On Sunday, May 19, over two miles of Sixth Street will become a car-free and tobacco-free playground for thousands of Austinites. This is a born-in-Austin take on the Ciclovia, has become an international phenomenon.

Sunday, May 19th Where: Sixth Street From Brazos to Robert T.

Martinez Street

12-5 pm I Sixth Street I Austin, TX

columns BY AMY PETRI, SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Putting the Puzzle Together The Sustainability Office discusses what it takes to create a complete sustainability picture.

emember what those first few weeks of starting a new job are like? Beginning a new job can feel like assembling a complicated jigsaw puzzle – a combination of the “aha!” breakthrough moments when connections are made, and times that feel uncertain when it’s hard to see the picture the completed puzzle will reveal. The puzzle confronting Lucia Athens when she started her new job in October of 2010 involved hundreds of pieces. The City had a strong track record for being green, with numerous environmental projects and programs underway. The City’s first Chief Sustainability Officer is asked to provide a centralized hub for tracking and reporting on numerous environmental projects and programs, and to create new programs and special initiatives that help make Austin one of the greenest, most livable cities in the country. She will work with elected officials and City personnel while monitoring sustainability activities implemented within her own office and other overseen by 38 City departments. WHICH PIECES BELONG IN THE PUZZLE?

Sustainability balances three goals: 1) prosperity and jobs, 2) protecting the environment, and 3) community health, equity, and cultural vitality. In addition to meeting this “triple bottom line,” sustainability involves taking positive, proactive steps to protect our quality of life now and for future generations. For instance Lucia worked closely with Circuit of the Americas to develop green guidelines for design and construction of their facility, plans for guest alternative transportation, onsite recycling, and green racing; the development of comprehensive wildfire mitigation strategies as well as community outreach and education programs, a Green Alley Demonstration Project showing the potential for City alley redesign to provide possible affordable housing, stormwater treatment, community gardens, gathering spaces and public art displays.

“

Details create the big picture. - Sanford I. Weill

”

what about the picture beyond the puzzle?

SEEING THE BIG PICTURE

How does the Action Agenda work? Let’s look at Mobility & Air Quality as an example. Multiple departments, including Transportation are working on projects that reduce traffic impacts by getting people out of their cars and the Sustainability Action Agenda is tracking 78 of them. Here’s a sampling of what Public Works is doing:

The entire community will need to take action to keep Austin green. Soon, the Office of Sustainability will promote simple actions that individuals can take to ensure the City’s bright green future. We’ll be asking people to re-think their commute – by using alternate modes of transportation or teleworking, observing the anti-idling ordinance, or purchasing an alternative fuel vehicle. The pieces of the puzzle comprising the Sustainability Action Agenda will continue to change and evolve over time as Austin evolves, but the puzzle has taken shape.

PUT TOGETHER THE FRAMEWORK FIRST

Lucia realized that she needed a framework that would provide an organizational structure for City sustainability initiatives and point to community-wide actions that could be taken to advance Austin’s “bright green future”, including initiatives that address the triple bottom line for sustainability. The framework named the Sustainability Action Agenda identified 10 areas of innovation, 40 signature plans, and more than 180 projects City-wide, all of which would be complete by 2014.

12 STREET TALK MAY 2013

Launch of a downtown bike-share program in 2013 (PWD). Add 70 miles to the Austin Bicycle Route Network and 10 more miles of sidewalk by 2014 (PWD).

Construction of the Shoal Creek Trail Extension and Rio Grande Bike Bridge (EGRSO, PWD, Office of Sustainability). Complete construction of the Boardwalk Trail at Lady Bird Lake (PWD, PARD).

Implement a Safe Walking and Biking public education campaign (PWD). Using the Sustainability Action Agenda provides a more complete picture of the City’s sustainability efforts as they relate to Mobility & Air Quality. Since the launch of the Sustainability Action Agenda, more than half of the 78 Mobility & Air Quality initiatives are underway and roughly 13% of the 78 initiatives are complete.

divisions BY MOLLY RITTER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

It isn’t Easy Being Green

Street and Bridge makes new strides in sustainability – focusing on concrete, millings, and tree trimmings.

ll the buzz around Townview these days is the sound of Street and Bridge going green. Specifically, the environmental enhancement project that recently began adds a water quality facility and slope stabilization to what was a traditional maintenance yard. So, what happened to all the material used on a daily basis by our Street and Bridge crews? The answer is Dalton Lane. A newly acquired facility dedicated to sustainability and employee development. The new property is approximately 46 acres in total, and through partnering with Watershed Protection on the purchase, both departments gained approximately 23 acres of greatly needed space. Because of the increase in responsibilities for pond maintenance as well as leasing issues, Watershed had outgrown their space and needed a new

residence. Street and Bridge has expanded its responsibilities including right of way maintenance, increased lane miles, and ongoing utility and concrete requests throughout the city – resulting in a need for more area to stockpile daily materials. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “You must be the change you wish to see in the

world.“ Public Works strives to help realize Austin’s goal of a sustainable city, and to get closer to the goal of becoming Zero Waste. Asphalt pavement is America’s most recycled product. Every year, around 70 million tons of asphalt pavement material is reclaimed and more than 99 percent of that total is reused or recycled. Concrete recycling is becoming an increasingly popular way to utilize aggregate left behind when structures or roadways are demolished. In the past, rubble was disposed of in landfills. Concrete recycling allows for reuse, while also keeping construction costs down. Concrete and Asphalt are two of the largest and most expensive materials that Street and Bridge uses, stores, and purchases on an annual basis. Street and Bridge is working to use recycled materials in an effort to preserve the natural environment, reduce waste, and provide a cost-effective material for maintaining the transportation network in the City of Austin. Dalton lane will be the location for the bulk of the sustainability efforts, and Public Works is looking at acquiring a concrete and asphalt crusher that would process waste material currently taken to the dump. But, that’s not all that the new space at Dalton Lane has to offer. Public Works is dedicated to the development of its employees. Recently, the PW University has been established to coordinate, train, and develop employees. With the development of the PW University, a key component will be an operator’s academy. The academy would be a place where employees can develop their equipment operation skills, and the recently purchased 46-acre Dalton Lane facility is dedicated to that use. The purchase of Dalton Lane is just the beginning, allowing for new opportunities to lead the way in becoming more efficient, environmentally conscious, and sustainable – both as an organization and a city.

2013 MAY STREET TALK

columns BY MICHELLE FRITH CHIEF REPORTER

How well do you know your neighbor?

n the book “$3.33” Jarod Kintz writes, “There is safety in numbers. And science. Clone your way to being safe. Nobody can protect you like you. And you, and you and you.” While it’s fun to think of our futuristic clones on a safety mission for us, it isn’t likely to happen. So, we count on those who NEIGHBOR are safety experts. EnDenise Riad ter Denise DIVISION Riad. Denise hails from Safety Oklahoma City, the TITLE youngest Occupational Health of four, inand Safety Manager cluding one brother and two sisters. Her mother was a special education and early learning teacher and her father was the assistant principal at her high school. Denise played the clarinet and also learned to play piano, guitar, and violin, even though she really wanted to play the cello. Learning to play the clarinet was probably relatively easy since her mother played the clarinet and helped to teach her. Attending Catholic grade school, she recalls with fondness Sister Lucille, who taught French, music and Christian values. Sister Lucille appreciated Denise’s strong will, and became a good friend and mentor.

14 STREET TALK MAY 2013

Michelle Frith profiles two employees that work hard for PWD everyday who you may have never met! After graduation, Denise attended Langston University in Oklahoma. Originally intending to study Physical Therapy, Denise visited her sister who was working in a hospital and observed patients in a burn ward. Denise disclosed that she couldn’t bear to see pain inflicted on the patients to heal their wounds, so she earned her degree in Biology. She worked at the local hospital as a medical technician and went to chemistry lab for approximately five years. She returned to college at Central State, now the University of Oklahoma Central, for a second B.S. in Industrial Safety. As a senior in college she accepted an internship with the Department of Labor OSHA organization, inspecting businesses for environmental hazards. After college, Denise took a position as Safety Administrator for Seagate Technology and chose to return to school once again, earning a Master’s Degree in Industrial Hygiene and getting married during this busy period of her life. Technology changed and eventually the business had a large reduction in force. Denise next applied for a position with Raytheon where two positions with the company were open. Denise applied for the Texas job – or so she thought. She got the job – the one in Guam! She became the Health and Safety Manager for the Commander Naval Forces Marianas, better known as “Big Navy.” Raytheon manages operations for the base, including food, inventory, lifeguards, moral welfare, transportation, water, public works

and more. Denise was thrilled to work in Guam from 2001-2005, until the contract ended and she was sent to Raytheon in Denver, where she worked with the National Science Foundation and was sent 5 times for 8-week stints to Antarctica from 2005-2007. From the tropics to the Antarctic – what a shock! Denise has traveled to all seven continents. In 2007, Denise’s husband accepted a transfer with Raytheon to McKinney, Texas. They moved to Texas with their daughter Jamila, better known as Mimi. Denise worked for CBRE, a real estate company, as the Safety and Health Manager for five years, until her marriage ended in 2012. Starting a new chapter, Denise was hired as the Occupational Health and Safety Manager for Austin’s Public Works Department. Her challenge is to bring health and safety to a scattered group with a limited staff. The Safety group is currently limited to two and she hopes to restructure the program for even more efficiency. Denise feels it’s important that managers and supervisors expect, encourage and support a culture of safety first. First line managers can act as consultant trainers. Technology can help to cut some hours normally spent in group training that can be used to work with individuals or small groups. Sadly, Denise’s mother recently passed away. Mimi lives near Dallas, so Denise sees her when she can. Being new to Austin, she is looking forward to making new friends and spending more time cooking and traveling – her favorite activities. No clones necessary!

columns BY ROBIN FIELD CONTRIBUTING WRITER

oxanne Cook was born in Montreal, Canada but grew up in Galveston, Texas. Her father is a Hungarian immigrant and is married to her Brazilian step-mother. Roxanne’s French-Canadian mother married into a Texan family, all making for a very interesting mix of cultures and food! With a father in the medical industry, Roxanne initially dreamed of becoming a doctor. She moved to Austin to NEIGHBOR attend The Roxanne Cook University of Texas; she DIVISION and her husband loved Project Management the city so much that TITLE they never Division Manager left. Realizing that medicine was not her true calling, Roxanne earned a BA in Geography in 1985. After she spent a summer internship with the Water and Wastewater Department (now Austin Water Utility) designing and hand drafting plans to relocate water and wastewater utilities, she found engineering was more her forte. She returned to college, graduating with honors with a BS degree in Civil Engineering from UT, with a concentration in environmental engineering. She hoped to work for the City, but due to a hiring freeze, she took a job as an Engineer’s assistant, and later as an Enforcement Officer at the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (now TCEQ). The economy picked back up and Roxanne returned to the City in January 1998. Prior to joining Public Works as the new Division Manager for Project Management, Roxanne spent 15 years as an Engineer in the Watershed Protection Department (WPD). She started by reviewing and approving engineering plans for subdivision plats, street and drainage construction plans, and site plans. She later moved to the Creek Flood

Hazard Mitigation Program, helping plan CIP projects to reduce the impact of creek flooding. Sponsoring CIP projects, she oversaw them from preliminary design through post-construction and became a supervisor in 2005. Roxanne is particularly proud of the still ongoing Onion Creek Floodplain Buyout, a project that will culminate in construction of a new park; the completed Upper Walnut Creek Regional Detention Dam Facility, and the Lakewood Drive Low Water Crossing Upgrade project. Most recently, Roxanne served as a Supervising Engineer in the WPD’s Watershed Engineering Division. There she managed the Creek Flood Hazard Mitigation Program and the Stormwater Pond Safety Program, a program that ensures large stormwater ponds can safely withstand extreme rain events. She also helped initiate and manage a contract for professional services to update and integrate the Drainage Criteria Manual with the draft Watershed Protection Ordinance and the newly adopted Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan. A true public servant, to Roxanne the work we do is not ‘just a job’. Rather, we enhance and improve the quality of life and public safety for Austin’s residents. She prides herself on her strong work ethic and impeccable customer service skills. As Division Manager, her goals are to provide top-notch customer service to sponsors, find ways to improve processes and procedures, and improve communication and relationships with sponsor departments. She explains, “We have a great group of professionals who know what they are doing; my job is to provide project managers with the support they need to get their jobs done efficiently.” She adds her favorite motto, “Get ‘er done, but let’s have some fun doing it!” Roxanne is married to

Barry who works in the Human Resources Department as a civil service administrator for Police, Fire and EMS. Their two daughters attend The University of Texas. The youngest is studying social work and the oldest will graduate this month and pursue a career in financial planning. In her free time, Roxanne enjoys spending time with her family and friends, cooking and collecting cookbooks, yoga and jewelry making. She is also an AISD mentor and encourages her co-workers to participate. “After all, if Marc Ott can make the time to mentor, then we can all find the time to do it.”

2013 MAY STREET TALK 15

divisions BY KIT JOHNSON CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Clearing the Strings Public Works helps ‘string together’ an imaginative project to transform one of Austin’s alleys.

ublic Works recently supported an exciting event entitled “20 ft. Wide”— an alley activation. This special event was an effort to call attention to the fact that our downtown alleys are public spaces too. Like our streets and parks, our alleys can be catalysts for meaningful public engagement. At this point you may be asking yourself, “Are we talking about actual alleys?” Yes, we are talking about alleys—as in the small streets behind buildings where service trucks deliver goods and trash dumpsters reside. The alley chosen for the “20 ft. Wide” event is within block 111 between Congress and Brazos and 9th and 10th. This alley is like any other alley in downtown Austin. Complete with utility connections, back doors, piles of trash, and smells we would rather not think about, this alley is nothing special. However, during one week in mid-April, this alley became a vibrant, active public space. The first step in transforming any alley is to give it a good bath. Public Works will be providing the street cleaning services,

16 STREET TALK MAY 2013

and the Austin Resource Recovery will be fine-tuning their dumpster placement. Step two is to fill the alley with a fresh splash of colorful art. Architect Dan Cheetham of FYOOG and Architect Michelle Tarsney will be creating a ceiling of translucent warped planes of vibrant pink from nothing more than construction string. Hanging beneath the string will be a flock of white origami “peace cranes.” During “Art City Austin”, Austin children will write messages of peace and blessing on paper and fold them into peace cranes. Our hope is to have close to 1,000 cranes by the end of the weekend. The alley artists will collect the cranes and suspend them below the string to form a flock taking flight. Public Works is providing a man-lift to help stitch the string

across the alley and hang the peace cranes. Adding to the wonderful art overhead, will be a mural painted on the wall of the Austin Club, colorful bird silhouettes painted on the floor of the alley, and a symphony of bird songs projected from hidden speakers. The third step is to create reasons to linger and enjoy the art. Landscape firm TBG, led by Chris Jackson and Nicole Warns, will creatively transform the alley from a utilitarian service corridor into a funky outdoor living room. Making use of painted wood pallets and burlap bags stuffed with donated clothing to form cushions, the alley will be filled with intimate seating areas to gather and hang out with friends. The donated clothing used to stuff the cushions will be delivered to those in need after the event. Step four in the alley activation process is to program the space with activities that will provide the most important ingredient of alley activation… people! To kick things off, the Fuse Box Festival will move

from the Paramount Theater into our alley by bringing musical ensemble Convergence to play a short live set. Thursday night will bring a gathering of Pecha Kucha fans, and the alley will become a fantastic backdrop for PK’s oration and imagery. A commuter pop-up breakfast is planned for Friday morning, and that evening, passers-by will find the alley filled with a dinner under cranes to celebrate all the efforts of the alley activation team taken to get this event off the ground. During the work day, we hope to find office workers getting a bit of fresh air and shade by tapping into the free Wi-Fi that will be provided. The weekend will be packed with activity as well. Tai Chi in the alley will start the weekend off, and soon after, kids will fill the alley to make more peace cranes, enjoy Story Time, and watch juggling. Lest we forget, Austin is after all the “Live Music Capital of the World,” and live music will be woven throughout the alley activation. After reading this, you may be saying to yourself, “Sounds cool, but what does 20 ft. Wide mean?” Twenty feet was the typical alley width as designed by Edwin Waller in Austin’s original City Plan. Our subject alley retains its original twenty foot width making our alley just another typical alley. However, what we hope to display in this case study project, is that any alley can become a vibrant public space. As you can imagine, this event was not the easiest event to pull off, but with a lot of hard work, creativity, and imagination the event was a huge success. Public Works played a key role in helping the event ‘clear the bar’… or in this case, clear the strings!

2013 MAY STREET TALK

events

Public Works Connects You... All Around Austin!

Public Works builds our city’s future and celebrates our successes with PWD staff and events all around town. GETTING GROOVY AT EARTH DAY

Bicycle Program Reaches out to Middle School from New York

ver wonder how concrete can be ‘green’? If you had a chance On Tuesday, March 12th, the Bicycle Program had the pleasure of presenting to to stop by the Street and Bridge taa group of 6th graders from the Genesee ble in the City’s Earth Day tent, you Community Charter School in Rochesprobably learned! At this year’s ter, NY. The kids even got to participate Earth Day, held in the Mueller hanin a tour of some of our facilities with the gar on Saturday April 20th, Public Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Office Works’ Street and Bridge Divi(CAMPO). As a ‘thank you’, they made some sion, Bicycle Program, and Child adorable bicycle drawings for staff. This is safety Program were on-hand to what it’s all about! discuss how our department is embracing – and encouraging - sustainability. The Bicycle Program handed out bicycle maps and talked to event-goers about navigating the city by bike. The Child Safety Program had cool prizes for kids who could answer safety questions. And Street and Bridge jazzed it up with a cool interactive display on how choosing the right materials for your parking lot or driveway can actually filter out contaminants from our waterways. If you missed it this year, be sure to join in on the fun next year – it was a blast!

18 STREET TALK MAY 2013

CENTRAL LIBRARY GROUNDBREAKING

Public Works Partners on Decker Lake Project Recently, Public Works partnered with Travis County and a developer to extend Decker Lake road from FM 973 to SH 130. The City took extra measures to ensure longevity in the road by adding extra depth to the road base. This was done to combat the expansive soils in the area. The unity and partnership between the three entities was the first of its kind, and will help anchor development in the area and spearhead future joint ventures where all entitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; interests are met.

2013 MAY STREET TALK

divisions BY David Smythe-Macaulay, Karim Helmi, SUSAN GARNETT CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Take a Load Off!

Turner Roberts Recreation Center undergoes load testing to ensure the safety and integrity of the existing building’s foundation.

magine walking around for an entire day holding one and a half times your own body weight and then measuring the impact the weight had on your skeletal system. Well, that’s essentially what PWD staff did to test the structural integrity of the existing foundation of the administrative side of the Turner Roberts Recreation Center (TRRC). In 2008, TRRC opened its doors to the public. Shortly after, cracks began to appear in the walls of the recreation center, which led to further investigation. Third party engineers were brought in to investigate the building, found structural defects, and concluded that those defects could be repaired. COA Project Manager, David Smythe-Macaulay and COA Senior Structural Engineer, Karim Helmi were called in to lead the repair efforts. David´s primary focus was the overall management of the project, while Karim focused on the structural repairs. Before completing the structural repairs on the TRRC foundation, tests needed

20 STREET TALK MAY 2013

to be done to ensure its structural integrity, as well as to reassure the community that the building would be safe for use. Staff specifically chose Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) for their particular expertise in testing concrete structures. Karim and WJE determined that a uniform load test was needed to verify that the foundation could withstand a live load of 100 pounds per square foot (psf ), as required by the 2009 International Building Code (IBC). The existing foundation, comprised of concrete piers supporting a concrete beam and slab system, needed to be tested per the American Concrete Institute require-

ments to determine the integrity of an existing structure. Calculations were performed to determine the uniform test load, which needed to be applied in a manner to ensure that uniform distribution of the required load would be transferred to the structure being tested. Water was the chosen material to provide the weight for the load test because it provided the required weight in the least amount of space, while distributing the weight evenly. In order to perform this test, five separate water tanks were custom-built to cover the area on top of the foundation. Hypersensitive monitoring equipment, called potentiometers, was placed beneath the building structure, at the mid-span of the slab and beams to determine the deflection of actual members, or amount of bending. Potentiometers measure the slightest of movements in the foundation, up to a thousandth of an inch (see diagram). The piers were also monitored to verify if the existing foundation would settle due to the test load. Water was then slowly added in to all of the tanks in four separate intervals of 7.5 inches to test each stage of applied weight to the foundation. Every time the water level reached an interval, the water was shut off to allow the building to acclimate to the new weight. Data was collected in real

Existing Wall (metal stud) wood bracing

PVC Pipe TANK

Stage 4 Stage 3 Stage 2 Stage 1

TANK

Max Water Elevation

30”

Liner Material

22.5”

Bot Plates

15 “ 7.5 “

Liner Material

Existing Concrete Slab

Existing Concrete Beam

Existing Pier

Aircraft Wire

Concrete Slab

time, meaning that as the water was added to the tanks, monitoring equipment was sending the deflection of the foundation to a computer that compiled and reported the information. With the data that was received, WJE was able to determine whether the structure was safe to continue testing. This process continued until the tanks were filled to the required total test load of 30 inches in depth, or a weight of 156 pounds per square foot (psf ), which is approximately one and a half times more than what the foundation is required to carry per the IBC – and that’s one heavy load! Once the required load was reached, engineers let the water-filled tanks sit for a period of 24 hours and then performed a visual inspection of the slab, beams and piers for any signs of damage. When they

were satisfied that no visual damage had occurred, they unloaded the water from the tanks and recorded any final deflection to the foundation. Over the course of a couple of weeks, the engineers analyzed all of the data that was collected and prepared their report with the final results. These results were compared to the American Concrete Institute (ACI) building code requirements. The code provides equations that are used to calculate the required deflection per member span, per the total test load. For example, two existing beams at TRRC were calculated to have an allowable deflection of ¼ of an inch per the ACI requirements for load testing. From the data collected from these two beams, the maximum deflection was .056” with the required total test load of 156

String Potentiometer

Dirt

Concrete Slab

psf – much less than the allowable deflection. In fact, the entire foundation passed with flying colors! When staff received the results of the load test, they were ecstatic. TRRC was found to be safe for occupancy and structurally sound. Talk about taking a load off! They knew they could now complete the remaining repairs to the existing structure of TRRC so the communities who depend on it could return to using the facilities. The construction is currently underway and is scheduled to reach its goal of re-opening in September 2013. Way to go guys!

2013 MAY STREET TALK

The Game Plan for Public Works

Sing it out loud! The left and right brain work differently, but together. The right hemisphere or left side of the brain (creative/vision) and the left side (logical/practical) are both necessary to bring those dreams into reality. Envision your success, write down your goal (in longhand or hand print, not a text message), or sing or say aloud your goal; this imprints the information into your right brain as if it were already achieved or a current fact. Your left brain then takes over, watching (logically and practically) for any ways to manifest the goal. Strangely, you’ll start to meet more people who can help you achieve your goal, see more samples of how to make it work, find more instruction or –bingo- you get an insight of how to achieve the goal while you’re taking a shower.

Try, try again!

According to Athletes.com “agility, in terms of sports performance, refers to an athlete’s ability to change direction quickly and appropriately while maintaining maximal speed, balance, and power. Agility can also refer to how well an athlete laterally changes directions”. Agility, is not just a function of action, it Pulling Together for is also planning and adaptation to circumstances. How does that fit in the Team with Public Works’ game plan? When When individual employees set personal setting departmental goals, execuwork goals in support of their team’s overtives identify our strengths, weakreaching goals, the group will excel. When nesses, opportunities and threats everyone works together toward the (SWOT Analysis). same goal, it’s called synergy. “The whole is more than the sum of its parts” is provIdentifying our weaknesses. en time and again. If your team’s goals are in support of the division’s ambitions and Our largest weakness in the short the division’s goals are in alignment with term, according to Howard Lazathe departmental targets amazing things rus, is our facilities. Public Works will spend $12 million replacing Harold can happen in Public Works.

A bad outcome does not mean failure. It is a lesson. Thomas A. Edison, no stranger to “failure” took over 2 years of failed attempts, 3,000 various theories and the testing of over 6,000 types of fiber for a carbon filament that led to a 16 watt bulb that burned for 1500 hours. Albert Einstein did not speak until he was four years old and did not read until he was 7. Henry Ford went broke five times before he succeeded. Abraham Lincoln was defeated in his first try for the Illinois legislature, defeated in his run for Congress, defeated in his run for the commissioner of the General Land Office, defeated in the 1854 senatorial election, defeated for vice-president in 1856 and senatorial election of 1858. Yet, he became one of the greatest leaders of all time. Finally, Michael Jordan has been quoted as saying “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot – and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. That is why I succeeded.”

Court with a new facility in the next few years. A committee of employees formed from the Partners in the Workforce Committee will identify the desired characteristics of the newest Street and Bridge facility. In the more distant future, One Texas Center (OTC) will undergo extensive renovations, but in the meanwhile, basic revisions to the workplace environment will enhance our everyday work life. Plans are to one day encourage more telecommuting opportunities and flexible schedules. Progressive definitions of “workspace” will include the deletion of high-walled partitions, allowing more light into workspaces, the utilization of common areas for “plugging in” portable computing devices and shared workspaces. By adapting laterally and replacing individual’s “assigned” desks, in particular for those whose work takes them out of the building 80% or more of the time, we are increasing our agility. By sharing workspace and utilizing mobile devices, we can save energy, space and commuting costs. Our work tools may change too. Public Works can provide for storage of electronic documentation, encouraging the option to work remotely, especially for the large number of staff spending most of the day in the field. By using mobile devices to document work, create reports or communicate with each other we can eliminate some of the need to drive back and forth between the job site and the office, helping Public Works to become less impactful on the environment. Additionally, since computer lives are now no more than 18-24 months long, CTM is exploring the possibility of new computer/equipment lease programs or “bring your own device”.

Assessing our strengths.

Staying Safe on the job. One of our largest opportunities for excellence is to reach for the highest standards in safety. Austin roads are becoming more congested and many drivers are distracted while driving. A recent spike in accidents in Public Works has highlighted the need for each of us to review on a personal level how to best protect ourselves, our co-workers and our work teams and the need to identify in our workgroups the necessary behavior and skills to make conscious decisions that will create a culture of care and safety. Safety accidents are an indicator of a larger corporate culture of rushing, taking chances or ignoring safety procedures. We each have a role to play in making sure our team members are playing by the rules for safety’s sake.

Creating a Positive Work Environment.

Making Public Works the workplace of choice is a longtime aspiration of Howard Lazarus. With the passage of Proposition 10, granting “civil service” status to City employees, a Civil Service Advisory Group, which he serves on, has been formed to create consistency between departments. The Civil Service Advisory Committee will work to create more rigor in personnel matters and will commit themselves to change the workforce. Employment decisions are no longer “at will” but instead based

divisions BY NADIA BARRERA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

OMG! What am I going to wear? Some find it difficult to decide what to wear every morning, let alone what to wear when you’re commuting by bicycle.

hen you first begin biking to work, it’s important to consider what to wear. Below are some tips and tricks that can help you look great, stay safe, and have a great bike commute:

bring a change of clothes For trips over 20 minutes (or 4 miles), a fresh shirt and/or pair of pants can leave you feeling like new. For longer rides, hit the showers available at One Texas Center or St. Elmo. Both locations have lockers that allow for storage of soap and towels. If you don’t have access to a shower, it is good to keep a stick of deodorant and wipes in your bag. I have some make-up remover wipes that I keep with me all the time and they work great for a quick cleanup. Others bring a washcloth to work and freshen up in the sink in the bathroom at the office. There is also a product called “Rocket Shower” that some cyclists use to stay fresh and smelling great. roll your clothes This will help keep them wrinkle–free. Simply lay your clothes out, start at one end and roll. If rain is in the forecast, wrap your rolled-up outfit in a plastic bag. Use reflective gear and lights If you are commuting in early morning or late evening hours, use reflective gear, a front white light, and a red rear light. For daylight commuting, wear bright colors that can easily be seen by motorists. wear a helmet In the unlikely case of an accident, you want to protect your head – the source of all those great ideas! consider cycling shorts If your commute is longer than 20 or 30 minutes, cycling shorts can significantly improve your comfort. You can also pair

26 STREET TALK MAY 2013

these with a skirt or dress. Cycling shorts come in all kinds of different styles and sizes, but you definitely want them to have a chamois (the cushiony padding in the seat) for maximum comfort. Don’t make a big deal out of special clothes and gear Depending on the distance of your commute, you might be able to commute in your work clothes. If you take a slower route that includes trails and other off-street connections, you can take your time and might not even need to change clothes when you get to work. consider the weather Every morning I check the weather. In the cooler months, I often wear multiple layers including tights, long underwear, a ski mask, headband, and gloves. Ski pants and snow shoes come in handy on wet, cold days. My co-workers have some great rain pants that go over their work pants and some panniers (bags made for bicycle use) come with a rain cover. A good rain jacket and having fenders on your bicycle can come in handy. When it’s hot, I wear shorts, flipflops and a tank top with a good bit of sunscreen. Wicking t-shirts and light materials like linen are good choices for a summer commute wardrobe. I enjoy wearing skirts and dresses when I ride, although this can be tricky. Be sure the length is below the knee and that it is an A-line type, narrower skirt – ideally something that allows you to pedal but isn’t billowy enough to be caught in the spokes.

roll your cuff In order to protect your work slacks roll your pant cuff, stick your pants into your socks, or use a special cuff made just for cycling. This will prevent your pants from getting unsightly grease stains and will keep them out of the chain. If anyone is interested in a FREE reflective Public Works cuff, let me know! get your cargo in gear Many new bicycle commuters think, “Oh – I’ll just carry my stuff in my backpack,” forgetting that it’s extremely hot here for several months out of the year, and carrying a sweaty backpack while climbing the hills of Austin is not fun. For this reason, I recommend a rack for the back of your bicycle. You can choose to outfit it with a crate, pannier, or simply bungee your workbag to the rack. A back rack is easier to balance than a front basket and lets you carry much more cargo.

Milestones

street talk extra

UPDATES FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

Getting the GED

or 20 years, Ildefonso Carbajal has been working with the City of Austin. He is originally from Mexico, where he lived until the age of 17. His father, Antonio Carbajal, brought him to the United States in 1988, and four months later he had a legal permit to work in this country. He started working construction, and in 1994 was hired with the City. About a year and a half later he became a Crew Leader, which gave him the opportunity to learn how to operate a concrete mixer, bucket truck, and backhoe. Jose Perez has been working with the Utility Cuts Division for 10 years. Jose performs various duties with Street and Bridge, including operating the bucket truck, hot-mix truck, and the crew cab truck. He works hard with his crew everyday to preserve the life of our city’s streets. Both of these men are hard-working individuals, but until recently, they both faced a barrier – neither had completed high school or received a GED. Ildefonso and Jose’s Superintendent, Clay Rivers, knew that there were members of his crew facing this obstacle, so he started to investigate the possibility of getting those workers into ACC classes to obtain their GEDs. Ildefonso describes Clay as an innovative person who wants to see his employees reach their goals. Both Ildefonso and Jose were included in Clay’s original group of employees seeking their GED. Unfortunately, some of the participants stopped going for different reasons, but Ildefonso and Jose both stuck with it. Ildefonso attended classes for almost three semesters until he finally got his GED. “All the sacrifices my wife Veronica and my three kids Marina, Marco and Miguel had to make were

These two inspiring Street and Bridge employees have what it takes: dedication and perseverance.

well worth it,” he says. For Jose, getting his GED took a year and four months, and when he received the good news he was very happy. He says, “Combining work with school was a huge challenge. After work, I would be so tired and I would have to make time to study at home and attend classes at ACC. Trying to balance all that while spending time with my family was very difficult.” Having a GED opens up more opportunities for both Ildefonso and Jose. Both of their families are incredibly proud of them. Ildefonso says, “It is an amazing feeling. Now, my kids don’t have any excuses not to go to school and graduate!” His oldest child Marina will graduate from Cedar Creek High School and has been admitted to the University of Advanced Technology in Tempe, Arizona. His other children, Marco and Miguel, are using what Ildefonso accomplished as an example so they can keep attending school. Both of these men have their own inspiring spirit and dedication to thank, and both relay that they couldn’t have done it without the help of their supervisors. In particular, they’d like to thank Rene Guerrero, Mike Girod, Eli Mendoza, their fellow co-workers, and especially Clay Rivers for always pushing them to achieve.

“

Ildefonso Carbajal

Jose Perez

All the sacrifices my wife Veronica and my three kids Marina, Marco and Miguel had to make were well worth it. Illdefonso Carbajal

”

2013 MAY STREET TALK

milestones

continued from pg. 27

h t 6 e h t m o r f s Tale

ipa Sr. By: Charles Fel

Don’t put your minds in the gutter, but size really didn’t matter in this issue’s tale from the 6th… During our nightly sidewalk cleaning efforts, a guy of shorter stature - about 5’2” - was outside a bar on 6th street picking on everyone. He finally got what he was asking for when he thought it was a good idea to poke the chest of a man who was about 6’7” and intoxicated! It didn’t take long for the little fella to end up on the ground introducing his face to the glass of the establishment. Now here’s the kicker… APD was right across the street and they diffused the situation quickly by putting both men in handcuffs. A few folks looking on quickly approached the officers and told them about the shorter guy’s antics. That’s all it took for them to release the giant and take the lil’ fella to jail. This situation calls to mind the saying “pick on someone your own size!”

check it out

.R. S.Ta.A aw rds Project Management Division S.T.A.R. award recipients are: dennis crabill

for exhibiting the perseverance and determination to manage the completion of the Barton Springs Pool repairs.

robin field

for her willingness to help others in PMD despite her substantial workload.

yuejiao liu

for the citizens’ recognition of the positive impact her work on the William Cannon Bridge had on the community.

david for his diligent work on smythe- the Turner Roberts Recmacaulay reation Center, which

helped him gain the trust and recognition of the neighborhood.

PWU – Ready, Set, Go! The Public Works Department is proud to announce the formation of the Public Workers University (PWU). The mission of PWU is to provide a means for all Public Works employees to develop the skills and competencies necessary to advance their careers within the City of Austin. We will assist in meeting the growing needs of PWD employees by training a workforce that is flexible, productive, and able to competently function in more than one area of the operational structure. We are designing the “Blueprint for the Future of PWD” by creating a talent management initiative. The first phase will focus on Street and Bridge Operations (SBO). The project is in the planning stages and is expected to be initiatied by October 1st. All Divisions and positions within PWD will be phased into the Career Progression process over time. Career Progression is a program in which employees will evaluate the training and experiences necessary to excel in their current positions and other more senior-level positions. An Individualized Development Plan will be crafted to allow the employee and their supervisor to evaluate the employee’s success in their current position, identify training to enhance existing skills that will ensure that they meet the minimum qualifications of the next senior-level position, and successfully complete an evaluation process prior to competing for the next available job title. The Public Workers University will continue our work in offering courses on a wide variety of topics, managing data for Leadership, Supervisor, and Management Academies, and contributing to Street Talk. Members of the Public Workers University team are: Max Eby, Michelle Frith, Katherine Hernandez and Erin Fox, and the team is led by Jeff Travillion. Public Workers University Offices are at St. Elmo in the former conference room C. You can email us at PWU@austintexas.gov or give us a call at 974-7252.

28 STREET TALK MAY 2013

street talk extra

UPDATES FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

Davis Lane from Leo Street to Westgate Boulevard

sbo:

sam west

Did you know?

While researching an ordinance for his division, Sam West with Street and Bridge came upon the original council ordinance that created the beginnings of our department. The ‘Department of Public Property’ was officially created on July 13th, 1926!

judy die

Judy Die started with Public Works in 2004 in the Construction Inspection Division. She was always in a good mood, and because of this, she was frequently asked by project managers to have her assigned to their projects. No matter how bad your day was, talking to Judy seemed to brighten it up. Her oldest daughter is an electrical engineer running a plant in the Fort Worth area the other is a helicopter pilot that flies tours over the Grand Canyon. She is leaving to live with her daughter and will take on a job there as an inspector. Judy takes with her many years of experience that we will definitely miss along with the big smile that she carried all the time. cipid:

arthur gatica

Arthur Gatica, from the Street & Bridge Division’s sealcoat crew, will retire on May 17th. Arthur has worked for the City for 28 years – 24.5 of them in the Street and Bridge Division! Please join us in congratulating Arthur!

Retirement

It is not every day that a sponsor chooses to obtain engineering services provided by ESD over those of a private sector firm. But for the Davis Lane project, that is exactly what happened. In late 2011, ESD inherited a troubled project that was being designed by a private sector firm before their assignment was cancelled. The project team – Shirin Helmi, project engineer; John Thompson, designer; and a mysterious project manager, who will remain anonymous – tackled a slew of challenges such as designing a roundabout at Davis Lane & Leo Street, proposing alternative storm drain designs to eliminate the need for a drainage easement, and proposing special non-standard sidewalks to eliminate the need for retaining walls. Fitting all these new creative features inside of an existing right-of-way without obtaining any additional right-of-way was the biggest challenge - but ESD did it! Not only did ESD solve the challenges head-on and manage numerous scope creep, but upon completion, the new section of Davis Lane will boast wider medians, bicycle striping, new bulb-outs and sidewalks, a roundabout, rain garden, and much more! The site plan permit was issued in March 2013 and bidding occured in April. Great work, ESD! The project was sponsored by the Austin Transportation Department and the Austin Water Utility.

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Farewell

projuetctout sho

2013 MAY STREET TALK

Milestones austin-bergstrom project gains leed gold Austin-Bergstrom International’s ground transportation staging area received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, according to the airport. The taxi and ground transportation driver waiting area is the first Austin airport construction project to earn the certification. “Constructing this building to such a high standard of energy efficiency meets the airport’s sustainability goals,” said airport Executive Director Jim Smith. “It further demonstrates our commitment to reduce the airport’s impact on our environment.” Congratulations to the project team - Project Managers Robin Camp and David Smythe-Macaulay helped this project triumph!

awcaorgdnsi& tion re ncd:

Since 1998, Austin’s Young Women’s Alliance (YWA) and Young Men’s Business League (YMBL) have partnered to host one of the city’s premier awards events, Austin Under 40 (Au40). These awards are focused on Austinites who excel in their prospective professions, as well as exhibit a solid commitment to community service. Keri Juarez, Assistant Director for Public Works, was nominated in the Engineering, Architecture, and Design category. The awards ceremony serves to spotlight these individuals and their achievements. Congratulations, Keri!

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Austin

keri juarez

under 40’s Awards

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Woman

Annick Beaudet, Bicycle and Urban Trails Program Manager, was nominated for the Women’s Transportation Seminar’s 2012 Heart of Texas Chapter Woman of the Year Award! She was nominated by members of the organization based on her outstanding achievements, leadership, and contributions to the field of transportation in general, and to the advancement of women in transportation in particular. Congratulations, Annick!

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of the Year

annick beaudet

kalpana sutaria

The Austin chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) has named Project Management Supervisor Kalpana Sutaria AIA, LEED-AP (BD+C), PMP, as its 2013 recipient of the prestigious Edwin Waller Award for Public Architecture. Kalpana was nominated and recommended by peers in the AIA Austin chapter for her many contributions to City projects and initiatives. Kalpana has been a leader in integrating sustainability into facilities and operations, participated in drafting the City Council’s 2007 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Resolution, has been a chair of the Interdepartmental Sustainability Work Group, and helped with implementation of the LEED and Green Infrastructure resolutions. Kalpana has managed many City projects including the James P Pfluger Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge, Mexican

street talk extra

UPDATES FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

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The following employees received awards during the cipid division meeting:

pat on the back

simon orta

For his dedication to his project, our customers and his desire to solve problems and make a difference.

above & beyond

jim evans

For taking the initiative in developing, implementing, and training the Construction Inspection Division staff in Community Outreach and Impact Awareness.

August “chip” hirsch

5 years of service

david menhard

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howard lazarus

APWA

The American Public Works Association (APWA) has announced that our very own Director Howard Lazarus has been named to the APWA National Top Ten Public Works Leaders of the Year list. While everyone who works with Howard knows what a dynamic leader he is, the Top Ten award is one of the most prestigious honors a public works professional can achieve. Each year, the APWA recognizes ten of the most outstanding public works professionals from across the U.S. and Canada for their career-long dedication and service, professionalism and knowledge of public works infrastructure management. The Association took into consideration Howard’s leadership expertise as well some of his key initiatives such as “Accelerate Austin” and the Neighborhood Partnering Program. The selection committee also cited Howard’s progressive approach to multiple modes of transportation-oriented public works projects as a factor in his selection, “Austin’s bicycle program is one of only six cities chosen by Bikes Belong to participate in a two-year Fellowship to help find ways to improve bicycle infrastructure through the Green Lane project. It has allowed the Public Works Department to learn and share on an international level, making Austin an up-and-coming example of best practices and thoughtful planning,” said Laura Bynum, APWA spokesperson. Each Top Ten Leader will be honored during the Awards Ceremony of the APWA 2013 International Public Works Congress & Exposition taking place in Chicago, IL during August 25-28, 2013. Howard will also be recognized during National Public Works Week at the May 23 meeting of Austin City Council. Great job, boss!

Top 10

Edwin Waller Award

for Public Architecture

American Cultural Center Phase I, Carver Museum and Cultural Center, and the Carver Branch Library. Both Carver facilities received LEED certification. Most recently Kalpana managed the high-profile Animal Services Center project. This facility was completed in November 2011 and received LEED Gold certification. The Waller Award was created in 1998 to recognize achievement in public architecture, to recognize public-service architects, public officials or other individuals, by their role as architects or as advocates. The Edwin Waller Award for Public Architecture was named for the mayor of Austin in 1840 who was the creator of the original Austin plan and recognizes the work of individuals whose service has made an impact in the public sector.

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2013 MAY STREET TALK

milestones

continued from pg. 31

WHO’S

THAT?

not pictured: Jeremy Mosley (SBO), Lewis Wilkerson (SBO), Quintin Leday (SBO), Jacob Diden (SBO), Robin Murray (HRO), Danny Renteria (SBO).

New Employee Breakfast

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SHELLEY KILDAY

LIONEL CEBALLOS

erin fox

EDDIE COOPER

LAWRENCE WILLIS

Shelley is originally from Palos Verdes Estates, California. She has 2 girls, age 10 and 7. Shelley received an MPA from the LBJ School and spent 3 years at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, focusing on local government. She was originally with Public Works in the Bicycle Program in 1995! Shelley likes tennis, travel and outdoor activities.

Lionel recently joined Street and Bridge as a Tech 1. He was born in Taylor, TX but raised here in Austin. Lionel got his GED and has since worked in many different trades including forklift operation, landscaping, framing, sprinkler installation, shipping & receiving, and asphalt repair. His hobbies are supporting his kids’ sports teams, playing washers, playing horseshoes, and spending time with his family.

Erin recently joined the Workforce Development team as a Technical Writer. She is originally from Corpus Christi, TX. Her background is in writing, instructional design, training, web development, graphic design, and video. She likes to write, ride her bike (road and mountain), cook, listen to music, and enjoys being in the outdoors. She also likes to smile and spread laughter!

Eddie is a new Inspector with CIPID. He recently retired from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) after 23-years of service. Eddie is married and has two daughters and a son. He also has two grandchildren and spends a lot of his spare time with his horses and running team-roping events at his property. He loves to hunt and fish and spend time outdoors.

Lawrence is a Business Systems Analyst Sr. with Shared Services. He is from Jacksonville, FL and has 3 Master’s Degrees! He has worked on satellite programs with Lockheed Marten and various GIS projects. He loves auto racing and holds the lapping record at Harris Hill Road in San Marcos (road course) in a streetcar. He has a 1-year old daughter, while all his high school friends are becoming grandparents!

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shane kistner

JOSE BENITEZ

gumecindo lopez jr.

ADAM SAUCEDO

hernandez

Shane is a new Forestry Tech Senior and hails from Toledo, OH. He worked for the past 7 years at family owned and operated landscape and tree company in Ohio, and moved to Austin last summer. He is currently studying to become a certified arborist. Shane loves to skateboard, play guitar, listen to music, and study trees.

Jose has joined CIPID as an Inspector C. He is originally from Austin and attended Bowie High School. He was a foreman in underground utility construction for 13 years. Jose loves spending time with his girls – specifically taking them to the park and to go shopping. He also enjoys working out and watching boxing.

Gumecindo, or “JR”, is a Forestry Tech Senior from Grand Rapids, Michigan. He moved to Austin when he was 5 years old. He got his GED, and is a certified arborist. He has previously worked with Davey Tree, Wright Tree, and PARD. He loves fishing, BBQing, and being with his family. He is a big Longhorn fan!

Adam is a new Tech 1 with the Street and Bridge Division. He is from Austin, TX and has previously worked with the City. He received his GED last year and loves working with heavy equipment. Adam enjoys hanging out with his kids, fishing, movies, and anything else he can do with his kids.

katherine

Katherine is a new Program Coordinator with the Workforce Development team. She is proud to be an Austinite! Katherine received her Associates Degree in Applied Science and has previously worked for Austin ISD as a Program Coordinator with Adult ESL. She also has worked as a Parent Support Specialist.

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RAMIRO HERNANDEZ

EMILY DUDA

cARMEN MORGAN

ROXANNE COOK

ROBERT CURRIN

Ramiro is a new Construction Inspector with CIPID. He was born and raised in Burnet, TX and moved to Austin in 2001. He has attended trade school, studying electronic design, and received a computer aided drafting certificate. Ramiro has been drafting/designing for 10 years! He likes running on Lady Bird Lake, biking, playing golf and being outside “wherever there is green grass” with his daughter Gabriella.

Emily is the new Administrative Assistant for the Quality and Standards Management group. She is from Youngstown, Ohio and received her undergrad at OU. She has a MA in Geography from UT Austin, and worked for PARD at the Northwest Recreation Center prior to starting with Public Works. She enjoys cooking, watching movies and swimming. She’s also a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan!

32 STREET TALK MAY 2013

Carmen recently joined CIPID as an Administrative Specialist. She was born and raised in Austin, Texas. Carmen and her husband Roy have three children, Ashley, Jacob, and Zachary. Carmen enjoys watching her children play sports – she is their number one fan! She also enjoys bike riding, reading, walking and anything relaxing. She also loves seeing the City she was born and raised in become as marvelous as it is. She loves walking the trails, ACL and SXSW – Austin is her home!

Roxanne is the new Division Manager for Project Management. She was born in Montreal, Canada and moved to Chicago, LA, and Galveston as a child. She came to Austin for college and hasn’t left! Roxanne has a degree in Geography and Civil Engineering, and worked for TCEQ and the City’s Watershed Protection Department. She loves jewelry making, bead shopping, yoga, cooking, and hanging out with friends and family. She was an intern in the water utility in the mid 1980’s, which made her want to pursue engineering.

Robert recently joined the Utility Cuts section of Street and Bridge as a Tech 1. He is originally from Lubbock, TX. Robert was previously the floor supervisor for the household garbage transfer station in Burnet, Texas before coming to Austin. He also owned his own businesses, doing remodeling and home repair for 15 years. He likes to ride his motorcycle and day trip around central Texas. He is the father of 3 humans, and 3 felines.

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!

location 1

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

ANSWERS FROM LAST ISSUE: Location 1: Dalton Lane Service Yard Location 2: Southern Walnut Creek Trail

events calendar 2013 may Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday Thursday

Contact Denise Riad

Bike to Eat Week

Sunday Cinco de Mayo

1 OSHA 10

7:45 AM to 3:45 PM LRC @ ABIA

Women’s Health Week Bike to Work Week

OSHA 10

Sunday

New Employee Safety Orientation class 1-5 PM LRC@ABIA

1 $ PAY DAY

Bike to School Day

7:45 AM to 3:45 PM LRC @ ABIA

Computer Ergonomics class 8:30-9:30 AM 105 Riverside Room 200

Mother’s Day

Barton Springs Cycle Track & Bicycle Improvements Ribbon Cutting 7 AM to 9:45 AM

Sunday

BIKE TO WORK DAY

Viva Streets! 12 PM-5 PM

class 1-5 PM LRC@ABIA

New Employee Safety Orientation

34 STREET TALK MAY 2013

Sunday

OSHA 30

$ PAY DAY

Central Library & Lower Shoal Creek Area Project Groundbreaking 11 AM

CITY HOLIDAY Memorial Day

7:45 AM to 3:45 PM LRC @ ABIA

8:30 AM-4:30 PM OTC- 325

First Thursday Professional Truck Driver Defensive Driving Class

Saturday

ONLINE: Defensive Driving (6 hours)

Friday

Annual CORE Breakfast @ Givens Recreation Center

OSHA 30 7:45 AM to 3:45 PM LRC @ ABIA

JUNE Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday Thursday

Friday

Saturday

National Trails Day

Sunday

8:30-9:30 AM OTC-325

ONLINE: Defensive Driving Contact Denise Riad

class 1-5 PM LRC@ABIA

PE Q3 Registration Begins @ noon

Safety Meeting (HRO/OOD/SSD/QSMD/ ESD/NCD/FSD/SED)

National Men’s Health Week

8:30-9:30 AM OTC-325

OSHA 30 7:45 AM to 3:45 PM LRC @ ABIA

class 8:30 AM-4:30 PM OTC-325

Safety Plus Meeting (SBO District Maintenance) class 8-9 AM Cheathem Facility

1 Juneteenth

Health & Lifestyle Expo @ Palmer

OSHA 30 7:45 AM to 3:45 PM LRC @ ABIA

class 1-5 PM LRC@ABIA

2 Safety Plus Meeting (ATD) class 8-9 AM OTC- 325 Safety Plus Meeting (ATD) class 3-4 PM OTC- 325

Sunday

Sunday Defensive Driving class 8:30 AM-4:30 PM OTC-325

FATHER’S DAY

Flag Day

Sunday

New Employee Safety Orientation

Defensive Driving

class 8:30-9:30 AM 105 Riverside Room 200

$ PAY DAY

Computer Ergonomics

class 8-9 AM Cheathem Facility

Safety Plus Meeting (SBO Pavement & Infrastructure)

New Employee Safety Orientation

Safety Meeting (PWD/PMD/CID)

Summer Begins $ PAY DAY

Sunday Safety Plus Meeting (PWD SBO- Utility Structures)

PE Q2 Ends

class 8-9 AM Cheathem Facility

2013 MAY STREET TALK