​Virtual Zoom Presentation Thursday, November 5, 2020 at 11:30AM PST
Presentation:
Smart Mobility with Smart Partnerships: How the West is leading the way in advancing automation. This presentation will discuss how Minnesota and California are leading their respective regions – and the country – in finding innovative solutions to age-old problems. By leveraging connected vehicle, autonomous vehicle and related technologies Minnesota’s Department of Transportation and the Contra Costa Transportation Authority are advancing safety through data sharing, collaboration, testing and other innovations. 

Presenter (LEFT):
Randell H. Iwasaki, P.E., Executive Director Contra Costa Transportation AuthorityRandy Iwasaki was appointed by the CCTA Board on April 16, 2010. In his role as Executive Director, he administers the one-half percent sales tax program. The Authority is also the Congestion Management Agency, so he makes recommendations on how state and federal funds will be used in Contra Costa. He created GoMentum Station the largest secure autonomous/connected vehicle proving grounds in the US. He continues to work with Silicon Valley companies to provide innovative solutions to congestion relief.Randy serves on a number of national transportation panels and committees. He is the past Chairman of ITS America. He was appointed to the National Freight Advisory Committee and served as the Chair of the Committee.Most recently in 2019, WTS International honored Randy by giving him the Ray LaHood award. The award was created to recognize the men that have been key to WTS International's efforts to attract, retain and advance women in transportation. Eno Transportation and Shared Mobility Strategies identified Randy as one of the top 10 public sector transportation innovators. In 2013, he was inducted into the ITS America Hall of Fame in recognition of his ability to deliver innovative ITS solutions for the transportation system in California. in 2009, he was named to Government Technology's list of 25 "Doers, Dreamers and Drivers." This annual award is given "to recognize the hardest working and most innovative individuals in the public sector" and in 2008 was the recipient of the Thomas H. McDonald Memorial Award, which is considered the highest award presented by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials for "rendering continuous outstanding service over an extended period of time or have made some exceptional contribution to the art an science of highway engineering."
Randy earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, where he currently serves on the School of Engineering's Industrial Advisory Board. In 2017, he received the Sandra Gardebring Ogren Leadership Award as one of the honored alumni from Cal Poly. He also earned a Master's of Science Degree in Engineering from California State University, Fresno.
Presenter (RIGHT):
Kristin R. White. J.D., Executive Director Minnesota Connected and Automated Vehicle ProgramKristin White is Executive Director of Minnesota's Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) Office, one of the nation’s leading tech startups and incubators within state government. Her program harnesses innovative technologies to advance transportation safety, equity, mobility, health and sustainability. Kristin is a lawyer and policy strategist who oversees a multidisciplinary team to innovate policy, strategy, research, testing and deployment of emerging transportation technologies. Over her 20-year career, Kristin has been involved in policy and innovation at the international, national, state and local levels. She began her career as a Fulbright Fellow with the U.S. State Department in Japan. After obtaining her law degree and her certificate in global arbitration, she represented Fortune 500 companies as a global patent lawyer, arguing in front of the London Court of International Arbitration. She’s represented the City of Minneapolis and Minnesota DOT in various legal matters before leading the State of Minnesota’s CAV Innovation Alliance and CAV-X program. Kristin graduated from St. Olaf College with a B.A. in Political Science and Asian Studies and received her law degree from Hamline University School of Law.
Currently, Kristin co-chairs the Joint National Strategy for Transportation Automation, the AASHTO AV Community of Practice, and the MAASTO CAV Committee. Kristin’s work in developing innovative public-private partnerships has been awarded with a Governor’s Innovation Award nomination, and America’s Transportation Award nomination, the National Cronin Award for Innovation the AASHTO Transportation Innovation Award.

​Virtual Zoom Presentation Thursday, October 8, 2020 at 11:30AM PST

Presentation:
California wildfires damage millions of acres of land adding up to billions of dollars in damages. This presentation will cover facts and statistics gathered from wildfire research including information on: forward rate of speed (FROS), temperatures, and the effects of high temperature on various materials. Dirk will cover mitigation measures, USDA recommendations, and guidelines for equipment separation and buffer zones. In addition there will be a conversation on material selection as well as heat deflection techniques. In addition to facilities and infrastructure being threatened, safety is another critical element that can be protected. Learn how you can help your business and community to design and plan for wildfires.

​Presenter:
Dirk Van Oostendorp, CChem FRSC FICorr
Dirk L. van Oostendorp is Director of Engineering & Technical Services for Corrpro, based in Houston, TX. Van Oostendorp has more than 39 years of global experience in all aspects of pipeline and structural integrity, encompassing cathodic protection, corrosion control, material selection, protective coatings, inspection technologies and risk assessment. More recent experience includes integrity monitoring, failure analysis and pipeline integrity issues. Van Oostendorp holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in chemical technology and physical chemistry. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Fellow of the Institute of Corrosion and a NACE Corrosion Specialist. The author of 22 technical articles and 34 conference papers, Dirk has also delivered invited lectures at international institutes on topics of laser diagnostic techniques, hydrocarbon combustion, pollutant formation and pipeline integrity. He was a member of the original INGAA-Battelle team that developed what has now become the Direct Assessment methodology.

Presentation:
Guadalupe Dam is a 129-foot-high, 650-foot-long compacted earth embankment constructed in the mid 1930’s, owned and operated by Santa Clara Valley Water District. The Guadalupe Dam facilities are located in Santa Clara County about 9.5 miles south of the City of San Jose. Construction of the facilities occurred in the mid 1930’s with completion in 1936.
A seismic stability evaluation of the Guadalupe Dam completed in 2012 indicated inadequate seismic stability of the dam from postulated design earthquake events. As a result, Guadalupe Reservoir is currently subject to operational restrictions imposed by the California Division of Safety of Dams (DSOD). Retrofit of the 80-year-old Guadalupe Dam and associated facilities is necessary to address seismic safety concerns and other identified dam issues; to meet current regulatory requirements; to satisfy District operational requirements; and to remove the reservoir operating restriction and restore normal water supply capacity.
GEI is currently designing the seismic retrofit of the dam and will discuss key aspects of the project including engineering planning studies completed to identify the dam safety issues, alternatives considered for retrofit, critical dam safety design features and the current status of the overall retrofit design.

​Presenters:
Matt Powers, P.E.
Matt is a Senior Engineer with 14 years of experience in geotechnical evaluations related to flood management and water resources. He has managed complex design projects involving evaluation and design of dams and levees, dam safety monitoring, flood and erosion control, slope stability and landslide stabilization, and operations, maintenance, and emergency response procedures and include coordination of interdisciplinary task leaders and sub-consultants. Currently Matt is working with Valley Water as the Project Manager for the Guadalupe Dam Retrofit Final Design effort
Matt holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and a Master’s degree in Geologic Science from the University of British Colombia, in Vancouver. He is also the Branch Manager for the GEI Oakland office, where every day feels like happy hour on a tropical island.
Mark Freitas, PE, GE - Principal Engineer, GEI Consultants (since 2009)
Mark is a registered civil and geotechnical engineer in California with over 39 years’ experience in all aspects of geotechnical engineering, for a variety of structures. Over the last 15 years his emphasis has been on the evaluation and design of dams and levees. He has led the planning and execution of extensive field investigation programs, geotechnical data interpretation, site characterization, seepage and stability evaluations and overall dam and levee assessment programs. Mark is currently the Lead Geotechnical Engineer managing evaluations and seismic retrofit design of the 140-foot-high, 85-year old Guadalupe Dam owned by Valley Water.
Mark holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and a Master’s degree in Geotechnical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. He is also GEI’s Oakland Branch ‘office putt-putt’ expert holding the all-time record for putts in regulation and related use of the phrase “damn-it!” outside of professional context.

Caltrans Encroachment Permit Process
Presentation will focus on overview of Caltrans encroachment permit (EP) process. 

​The following items will be discussed:
1. Various encroachment permits
2. Which department to contact within Caltrans to start the EP process.
3. Difference between permit review and oversight project review.
4. Major documents required to obtain EP in a timely fashion.
5. Brief overview of the encroachment exception request
6. Brief overview of the design standard decision document. 
7. Frequently asked questions 

Speaker Bio:
Mr. Ajay Sehgal is currently Branch Chief in District 04 Encroachment Permits since 2016. 
​
Mr. Sehgal started at Caltrans 31 years ago in 1988 when he worked on the Schulyer Heim vertical draw bridge in LA.  It was recently replaced. In 1995, he worked on the seismic retrofit of the Presidio Viaduct in SF, southern approach to the Golden Gate Bridge.  By the way this bridge has been replaced under the Doyle drive project. Then, in 1996 he continued to work in SF on the Eastern Approach to the Bay Bridge. Again, this bridge was replaced with new Bay Bridge. In 2008, he worked on the new Self-Anchored Suspension Bay Bridge. He went to China, and later to South Korea, on special assignments regarding the inspection of the shear keys and bearings of the Self-Anchored Suspension portion of the Bay Bridge.

Mr. Sehgal is responsible for East Bay region consisting of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. 
• Chairman of the Caltrans Falsework committee 2009-2015. 
• He was Co-chair of the 2013 & 2019 International OBG Conference, CA. 
• VP (Education) ASCE Capitol Branch 2011 thru 2014.
• Sept 2015 was the Key note speaker at the 4th OBG Conference in Tianjin, China.  
• Co-chair 5th OBC in Santa Clara, California

Keeping Up - California’s Fastest Growing City
Recently the U.S. Census Bureau named Dublin as the fastest growing city in California by percent of population change between July 1, 2017, and July 1, 2018.  Also, since 2010, Dublin’s population has increased by over 37%.  Dublin’s growth in the past decade, as well as changes in the Bay Area region, have required the Public Works Department to adapt to these changes, while striving to maintain a high level of service to the community.  This presentation will provide an overview of the methods, programs, and tools the Dublin Public Works Department is using to keep up.


Presenter: Andy Russell, P.E., City of Dublin, Public Works Director
Andy Russell is a civil engineer with over twenty-two years of experience.  After doing structural design for a few years in Tucson, Arizona, Andy started his municipal engineering career as a junior civil engineer with the City of Fremont.  He recently became the City of Dublin’s Public Works Director, after being Dublin’s City Engineer for almost six years.  He currently oversees a Public Works Department with an annual operating budget of $16 million, a 5-year Capital Improvement Program of $162 million, a staff of 18, and several contractors and staff augmentation consultants. Andy is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno, and spends his spare time with his wife and three kids.

Presenter: Alameda County Transportation Commission
Gary Huisingh
Deputy Executive Director of Projects
ghuisingh@alamedactc.org
As Deputy Executive Director of Projects, Gary Huisingh is responsible for project delivery and oversight of Alameda County Transportation Commission’s (Alameda CTC) $3 billion capital program and programming of the various fund sources administered by the agency. He brings over 28 years of experience, from both local government and private sector, ranging from major transportation and residential development projects to maintenance and redevelopment projects. He has extensive experience in eminent domain proceedings having served as an expert witness on technical issues for public projects. Huisingh is a graduate of the University of California at Davis and is a registered professional engineer in California.


Presentation:
Update on key issues in Alameda County, SB1 and upcoming projects.