Christmas and the New Year are fast approaching. Recent Discoveries have found that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating, stretching the fabric of Space, and perhaps pushing Time faster with it. Nothing so elaborate - I’m just showing my age. But I swear each year seems to go by faster. So let me quickly tell you about what San Bernardino/Riverside County Branch of ASCE has in store for you in the New Year – before 2009 disappears as well. Our January Membership Meeting is planned to be a discussion of Legislation before our Sacramento Lawmakers. Of primary concern - the Sacramento Delta and water sources for California’s San Joaquin Farmers and the 20% remaining for Southern California. Again we are having the meeting at the Mexicali Grill in Riverside. Thereafter, Our Represen-tatives, Past President Terry Renner M. ASCE and Past President before Terry, Chris Turnage M. ASCE, will be traveling to Sacramento to attend an ASCE Legislative seminar and on their second day, February 25th, meet and discuss with our lawmakers items of concern to the Engineering Community. You are encouraged to bring your concerns to the table at the January 21, 2009 Luncheon meeting. We are sending our Branch Secretary, Rita Escobar M. ASCE, January 23-24 to Workshop for Section and Branch Leaders to San Francisco, as our Branch representative.

In February we participate in the Inland Empire Council of Engineers and Scientists meeting at the University of Redlands. Always an interesting topic from a prominent Inland Professional, arrangements are being made by the IECES committee to secure the speaker for this event to be announced early in 2009. The Dinner meeting will be held Tuesday, February 17, 2009. The Concrete Canoe Competition will again see our Cal Poly, Pomona, Student Chapter of ASCE held in Hawaii this year. We heard from two students who spoke at our Board meeting this last Friday, needing additional funding for the competition (see page 7)– since it is being held a long distance from home - and we voted to redirect Branch funds away from the National ASCE meeting in Pittsburgh (that I was too ill to attend) to assist with their pursuits to the tune of $1000. Each Year, the Student Chapter presents their activities at our April Meeting. We are looking forward to hearing about their Island Engineer-ing adventure. The Younger Engineers Forum and the Storm Water Committee have also been

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President’s Message I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

President’s Message Engineers History

1,2

November Lunch-eon meeting recap

3

Advertising Rates Membership Info Spotlight Info

4

ASCE assures Infrastructure, Education and licensure changes, and Gusset plates

5

Mentoring Program 6

Stormwater Committee

7

Student Flyer 8

Business Spotlights 9

Business Spotlights 10

Business Card Advertisements

11

Meeting Calendar

12

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 9 V O L U M E 1 9 , I S S U E 1

Los Angeles Section, Region 9 - Since 1953

San Bernardino & Riverside Counties Branch

© Copyright 2008 ASCE San Bernardino & Riverside Counties Branch

NEWSLETTER

P A G E 2

Roebling’s reputation

established, in 1857

Roebling wrote a letter

suggesting that a

suspension bridge be

built over the East

River to connect

Brooklyn with New

York City.

Great Civil Engineers in History

quite active. But I will differ discussion of these since you will hear of their activities through Project Partners. Looking forward to seeing you in 2009! Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to you all! With the Spirit of Christmas, warmest regards, Timothy R. Wilson PE, RA, M. ASCE President, San Bernardino/Riverside Counties Branch of the LA Section of ASCE

(Continued from page 1)

Carl boarded a ship for America. They settled in Pennsylvania and established a farm, dubbing the area Saxon-burg. Now going by John, rather than Johann, Roebling married in 1836, and his first son, Washington Roebling, was born the following year. Meanwhile, Roebling had realized he was ill suited to farm work. He began taking on small mechanical jobs, then accepted a position as an assistant engineer working on a Beaver River canal, even though he had to accept small wages because his English was poor. While working on the canal, he witnessed an accident in which two men were killed when a hemp rope broke, and he hit upon the idea of replacing the fiber rope with stronger wire rope for greater safety and economy. He began transform-ing his Saxonburg farm into a factory to produce wire rope, and in 1841, he filed a patent application for a cable made of parallel wires. The wire rope business thrived. When it eventually outgrew the Saxon-burg site, he moved it to Trenton, New Jersey.

Still fascinated by suspension bridges, Roebling decided to bid for a contract to rebuild a canal bridge across the Allegheny River at Pittsburgh. He theorized that the wire rope for suspending the bridge could be wound at the site, with each wire individually strung with the necessary droop between towers, forming a bundle that could then be compressed into a single compact cable. Suspension bridges of the time were highly vulnerable to wind loads, and many eventually collapsed under the strain of high winds. Roebling devised a system of diagonal stays to stiffen his structures against the force of the wind. In 1851, he began construction on a railway bridge over the Niagara River below the falls amid immense skepticism that a suspension bridge could with-stand the force of a train's roll-ing load. There, he added heavy iron trusses to the bridge's deck for stiffness along the 821-foot span and used four cables, in-stead of two, to ensure that his bridge could support the live load of a moving train. The first train passed safely over the bridge in 1855.

(Continued on page 3)

"It will no longer suit the spirit of the present age to pronounce an undertaking impracticable. Nothing is impracticable which is within the scope of natural laws." John Augustus Roebling showed early promise in con-struction, earning a certificate as a master builder in his native Germany by the age of 14. Born Johann Augustus Roebling in Muhlhausen, Germany, he traveled to Berlin to study engineering at the Royal Polytechnic Institute, which boasted among its faculty the philosopher George Hegel, who later declared that Roebling had been his favorite student. At the institute, Roebling studied bridge construction and became intrigued with efforts to build bridges that were sus-pended from chains or wire rope. He wrote a thesis on a suspension bridge constructed at Bamberg, Germany. After graduating in 1826, Roebling took a job with the Prussian government, working on roads and small bridges in Westphalia. His future was secure, but he grew restless, and in 1831 he and his brother

Johann Augustus Roebling

N E W S L E T T E R

JOHN AUGUSTUS ROEBLING (1806 - 1869)

P A G E 3 V O L U M E 1 9 , I S S U E 1

His reputation established, in 1857 Roebling wrote a letter suggesting that a suspension bridge be built over the East River to con-nect Brooklyn with New York City. Mean-while, he went on building bridges else-where, including the Cincinnati-Covington Bridge over the Ohio River. After the Civil War ended, Roebling sub-mitted a design for what would become the Brooklyn Bridge, and two years later, he was given the contract. Although he had conceived and designed this monumental project, he would not live to see it

(Continued from page 2) completed. While surveying the location on the Brooklyn side near the Fulton Ferry slip, a boat entering the slip crushed his foot between a piling and a timber. He contracted tetanus as a result of the injury and died two weeks later. Shortly after his funeral in 1869, the Brook-lyn Eagle newspaper called Roebling a great hero of science, commenting, "One such life as Roebling's was worth more than those of a whole convention full of jabbering and wrangling politicians."

Our November meeting had a great turn out. Our speaker, Faisal Zahlout a Senior Bridge Engineer with Caltrans gave an insightful yet technical overview of the de-sign of the project complete with a few dry humor quips. The interchange improve-ment project is the largest transportation project ever built in District 8, and is al-most complete. Construction on the 60/91/215 Interchange Improvement Project began in February 2004. All the significant road improvements, which include mixed-flow lanes, carpool lanes, connectors and ramps, were finished and open to traffic by September 20, 2008. The final construction and finishing touches will be done by mid-December 2008. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC), and the

(Continued on page 4)

November Luncheon Meeting 60/91/215 Interchange Improvement Project

Aerial view of the interchange 1

2008-2009 Board of Directors President Timothy Wilson, PE (951) 658-7463 GTSAssoc@aol.com President Elect Brian D. Wolfe, PE (909) 989-9789 bwolfe@westlandgroup.net Vice President J. Scott Petersen (951) 352-4100 Ext 206 spetersen@adams-streeter.com Treasurer Lauren Popescu, PE (909) 350-7663 lpopescu@fontana.org Secretary Rita Escobar (714) 878-7283 rves@hotmail.com Newsletter Editor Matthew Addington, P.E., P.L.S. (909) 477-2710 Ext 4202 matthew.addington@cityofrc.us Past President Terry Renner, PE (951) 680-0440 trenner@tkeengineering.com

Committees Cal Poly Pomona Student Advisor Lauren Popescu, PE (909) 350-7663 lpopescu@fontana.org YMF President Kamyar Razavi Ghods, PE (951) 788-9142 krghods@co.riverside.ca.us Temecula/Murrieta Committee Ron Moreno, PE, LS (909) 676-8042 RMORENO@rbf.com Stormwater Committee Bill Flores, CPESC, PE (951) 320-7311 Bill.flores@hdrinc.com Assistant Newsletter Editor Position available volunteer today! Mentorship Committee Neil Nilchian, PE. (951) 955-6782 nnilchia@rctlma.org

N E W S L E T T E R

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) worked in partnership to make this project a success. The following features are now making life easier for drivers in Riverside and San Bernardino counties: The Northwest Flyover Connector, which goes from northbound I-215 (from Moreno Valley) to west-bound State Route 91 in Riverside The Southeast Flyover Connector, which goes from southbound I-215 (from San Bernardino) to southbound I-215/eastbound State Route 60 towards Moreno Valley A new truck bypass from southbound I-215 to east-bound State Route 60 Four miles of carpool lanes and widened freeways on I-215, State Route 60 and State Route 91 3 new wider bridges at Linden, Iowa and Blaine streets 8 reconstructed bridges to accommodate widened lanes 84 new sound and retaining walls Improvements to local drainage Project Benefits Relieves congestion and improves mobility Improves safety Improves access to local streets and the University of California Riverside Separates slow-moving trucks from other vehicles and improves traffic flow with a truck bypass Minimizes weaving Reduces air pollution and commute times with carpool lanes Aesthetic wall treatments enhance freeway views and complement the community’s culture

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V O L U M E 1 9 , I S S U E 1 P A G E 4 N E W S L E T T E R

Advertising Rates Approximate number of mailings: 600 per month.

Professional Directory Per Card (10 issues) $250 (Business Card Ads) Display Ads Full Page (per issue) $235 One Half Page (per issue) $125 Quarter Page (per issue) $75 Advertising Information: To place ads, contact the editor. Pay-ments are due 30 days from the date of publication. Copies must be received by the Editor by the first Friday of the month prior to publishing.

Membership Information Type of Membership and Annual Dues (National)

Students: Free Associate Member: $50 year of baccalaureate degree and first year after, then incremental increases to $205 over five years Member: $205 annually Affiliate: $205 annually Section (Branch) Dues $45/year 1. National ASCE Student Membership is now FREE! Those who

have chapters or clubs still must be a member of them before join-ing National. Log onto https://www.asce.org/online/ fill out the short application and instantly become a member of ASCE or call 1-800-548-ASCE (2723)

2. Online Membership renewal available, go to https://www.asce.org/renewal/inforenewal.cfm. You need your membership number, all payments must be made with a major credit card. An e-receipt is transmitted to the member upon completion of the transaction.

Company Spotlights/Projects If you paid for a monthly business ad and you would like your company or one of your projects spotlighted in the monthly newsletter please contact the Newsletter Editor, Matthew Addington at matthew.addington@cityofrc.org We will be happy to place your spotlight in an upcoming issue.

Publisher: San Bernardino-Riverside Counties Branch American Society of Civil Engineers Design and Published by Lenore Gueste (jgwdsolutions)866-220-5908 Identification Statement: ASCE San Bernardino & Riverside Counties Branch News is published periodically by the San Bernardino & River-side Counties Branch, American Society of Civil Engineers. Annual subscription rate: $45 San Bernardino & Riverside Counties Branch of ASCE members (included in dues). POSTMASTER: Address Correction Requested. Return Postage Guar-anteed. Send Mail to Editor at address shown on back cover.

V O L U M E 1 9 , I S S U E 1

Reinvestment in the nation's infrastructure is virtually a given as a key component of any economic stimulus package that Congress and the White House will approve in the coming weeks. ASCE's longtime, respected leadership on infrastructure issues is giving the Society a prime seat at discus-sions with Congress and the Obama transition team over responsibly funding projects of greatest need and greatest potential. With a stimulus the best opportunity in many years to accomplish long-neglected works, ASCE will keep mak-ing the case for infrastructure projects in terms of jobs now and economic benefits later. Other steps by ASCE senior leaders are

forthcoming and will be announced here as they are made. • Get updates on the status of the stimulus and ASCE's actions in response. http://blogs.asce.org/

govrel/ • for Our Failing Infrastructure, the ASCE Government Relations blog. • The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chairman has proposed an infrastructure package

for the stimulus that is very similar to the recommendations ASCE made to the committee in late October. Get details on the $45 billion plan http://www.asce.org/pressroom/news/grwk/event_release.cfm?uid=5683.

• Read the testimony given by ASCE last fall before the committee http://www.asce.org/pressroom/publicpolicy/testimony_correspondence.cfm.

Civil Engineers Push for Historic Education and Licensure Changes

Next fall's class of civil engineering freshmen will witness historic changes in education and licensure during their careers. Guided by the Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge for the 21st Century, changes already under-way in accreditation, curricula and licensure will better prepare them to be leaders and innovators. ASCE has released the second edition of the Body of Knowledge. In this new report, many of the original concepts and ideas have been clarified and sharpened, and their implementation will lead to the revision of current under-graduate and post-undergraduate education. Gusset Plates' Flaw Led to I-35W Collapse, NTSB Rules

The I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis on August 1, 2007, was caused by inadequate gusset plates that could no longer support the combined weight of bridge improvements over the years plus additional construc-tion equipment and supplies. The plates' failure caused a collapse that killed 13 people and injured 145. About 24 of the gusset plates, which held the bridge's beams together, were made with only half the thickness re-quired, a failure not caught when the bridge was built in the mid-'60s. Along with its findings, the NTSB has issued nine safety recommendations to federal and state highway officials. "Bridge designers, builders, owners, and inspectors will never look at gusset plates quite the same again, and as a result, these critical connections in a bridge will receive the attention they deserve," said NTSB Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker.

P A G E 5

ASCE Ensures Infrastructure's Critical Role in Stimulus

N E W S L E T T E R

P A G E 6

San Bernardino & Riverside County

Branch Mentorship Committee

Presents

Mentoring Program

N E W S L E T T E R

The San Bernardino & Riverside County Branch Mentorship Committee along with National ASCE and the ASCE Committee on Career Development began a local ASCE Mentoring Program on May 17, 2008. The goals of this mentoring program are to:

• Provide an opportunity for our members to enter into mentoring relationships that will facilitate the growth of young engineers and the profession by means that may not be available through typical work relationships or training.

• Host an Annual Dinner and other mentoring related activities. These events will bring to-gether all of the mentor and protégé pairs to celebrate the Mentoring Program.

• Utilize an online Mentor Database. This database would be separate from the Mentoring Relationships and would serve as additional means for younger engineers to locate experi-enced engineers who are willing to answer questions related to engineering. The database would appeal to those who have questions about a particular field of engineering but aren’t seeking a long-term mentoring relationship.

There are numerous benefits for being a Mentor/Protégé. Mentors can influence the leaders of to-morrow to ensure the future success of our profession and they can learn about some of the challenges younger engineers face today. Protégés can learn what it takes to become a leader through experiences and wisdom of their mentor. Participation is key. We request that you commit to working with your mentor/protégé for at least 6 months, and encourage a 12 month mentoring relationship. It is recommended that mentor/protégé pairs have contact (e-mail or call) at least once every two weeks and meet in person (or have a longer phone conversation) once a month. ASCE will be holding a training workshop in May 2009 to give you the tools and tips on how to gain the most out of the mentoring relationships. Examples of topics to be discussed include:

• Meet your mentor/protégé in person • Discuss the purpose of the program • Mentoring: What It Is and Isn't • Mentoring Benefits: Case Study and Testimonials • Do's and Don'ts ("Ground Rules")

Sign up to participate. The attached application will assist the Committee in matching each mentor and protégé appropriately. If you interested in participating as a Mentor or Protégé, please complete the application and return via email or fax to:

Protégé Applications: Alfred Pedroza, PE APedroza@BoyleEngineering.com (909) 933-5225 Phone (909) 933-5228 Fax

Mentor Applications: Neil Nilchian. PE nnilchia@rctlma.org (951) 955-6782 Phone (951) 955-3164 Fax

OR to submit via mail send to: ASCE SB/Riv Mentorship Committee Attn: Neil Nilchian, Chair P.O. Box 124 Riverside, Ca 92502

Protégé Applications: Alfred Pedroza, PE APedroza@BoyleEngineering.com (909) 933-5225 Phone (909) 933-5228 Fax

Mentor Applications: Neil Nilchian. PE nnilchia@rctlma.org (951) 955-6782 Phone (951) 955-3164 Fax

OR to submit via mail send to: ASCE SB/Riv Mentorship Committee Attn: Neil Nilchian, Chair P.O. Box 124 Riverside, Ca 92502

V O L U M E 1 9 , I S S U E 1

REGION 9, LOS ANGELES SECTION SAN BERNARDINO & RIVERSIDE COUNTIES BRANCH

Stormwater Committee

ASCE Central (800) 548-ASCE National Website www.asce.org Branch/Section Website www.ascelasection.org Civil Engineers – Designers and Builders of the Quality of Life

2008-2009 COMMITTEE Bill Flores Jr., P.E.,CPESC, CPSWQ Chairman (951) 320-7311 bill.flores@hdrinc.com Arlene Chun, P.E. (951) 955-1330 abchun@rcflood.org Cynthia Gabaldon, P.E., CPSWQ, CPESC (909) 980-4000 cynthia_gabaldon@urscorp.com Neil Nilchian, P.E. (951) 955-6782 nnilchia@rctlma.org Roy King, P.E. (909) 383-4555 roy_king@dot.ca.gov

Wednesday, January 14, 2009 Topic: Mojave River Watershed Stormwater Management Program Synopsis: The Mojave River Stormwater management program will be reviewed including the current plan, the proposed requirements for the next four years and a review of accomplishments. The Mr. Dan Ilkay with San Bernardino County will be making the presentation. Time: Location: 6:00 - 6:30 pm: Check-In/Networking San Bernardino Hilton 6:30 - 7:00 pm: Dinner 285 East Hospitality Lane 6:45 - 7:15 pm: Presentation San Bernardino, CA 92408 7:15 - 7:25 pm: Q&A (909) 889-0133 7:30 pm: Adjournment Cost: Members $35 prepaid; $40 at the door (with reservations); Non-members and walk-ups $45. Send your request for a vegetarian meal to ascesbr.sc@gmail.com Reservations: RSVP by January 7, 2009 at 12 noon to http://www.projectpartners.com/ps/ps_show_events.asp?id=19 . No refunds after this date. Include the names of all persons attending with membership number (if applicable). Your advance reservations, made and honored, are essential to fulfilling our catering commitment. No shows will be billed. Seating is limited and payment at the door will be accepted based on availability. Reservation response is still necessary. By mail, please make checks payable to “ASCE Stormwater Committee” and mail to:

Bill Flores Jr. ASCE Stormwater Committee Chairman HDR Engineering, Inc. 2280 Market St. Suite 100 Riverside, CA 92501

Parking: Parking is free. To reduce your carbon footprint, carpooling is encouraged.

Contact us about Dinner Sponsorship opportunities. This may assist you with your marketing efforts.

ASCE Pacific Southwest Regional Conference University of Hawaii, Manoa on April 2-4, 2009

In PSWRC, civil engineering students from eighteen universities in the Pacific Southwest region gather to compete against each other in various engineering competitions. A majority of our time, efforts, and funding is dedicated to preparing for PSWRC. The conference is extremely competitive and each event is a critical and valuable component to the overall competition. PSWRC provides opportunities for students to work on engineering projects and learn valuable engineering and team building skills. Students not only gain valuable experience, but also have the opportunity to interact, network, and build relationships with hundreds of other engineering students. The knowledge and experience gained from these competitive events is something that can’t be taught in the classroom. Students work together in these events to achieve a common goal and demonstrate practical engineering knowledge. PSWRC builds school spirit and is a tremendously memorable event for all who participate. The different events and rules can be found at http://pswrc2009.asce-uhmanoa.org/, http://concretecanoe.org/, and http://www.nssbc.info. Conference Budget for 80 people: School Registration =$100.00 Student Registration @ $70 each =$5,600.00 Hotel @ $480/ 4night (5 people/room) =$7,580.00 Transportation (2 vans for 4 days) =$700.00 2 shirts @ $10 each =$1,600.00 Canoe Team =$12,000.00 Bridge Team =$2,000.00 TOTAL $29,580 Flights @ $650 (Student Contribution) =$52,000.00 Sponsor Levels: Bronze: $500 – Logo on www.csupomona.edu/~asce ; sponsor plaque Silver: $1000 – Bronze + Logo on team apparel Gold: $2000 – Silver + membership shirt; invitation to CE banquet Contact Information: ASCE President- Amanda An (714)402-2953 aean@csupomona.edu ASCE Advisor- Dr. H. Farran (909)869-2643 hjfarran@csupomona.edu ASCE Advisor- Dr. W. Kitch (909)869-3147 wakitch@csupomona.edu

P A G E 9 V O L U M E 1 9 , I S S U E 1

SPOTLIGHTSPOTLIGHT

Company Spotlight

TKE Engineering, Inc. 2305 Chicago Avenue Riverside, CA 92507 (951) 680-0440 ph (951) 680-0490 fax http://www.tkeengineering.com

TKE Engineering, Inc. (TKE) was established in July of 2000 with the goal of providing Public Works Engineering Services to local Cities and Water District and Agencies. TKE has a total of 15 employees, 2 PE’s and 2 LS’s providing the services desired by our clients. TKE Engineering, Inc. provides consulting engineering and surveying services to local public agencies for public works engineering projects such as street, park, drainage system, wastewater system, and water system improvements. Services include project management, project planning, engineering design, construction administration, construction inspection, and engineering surveying services. TKE Engineering produces a wide variety of products. They include finished drawings, specifications, engineers’ estimates, exhibits, reports, studies, and legal documents.

Michael P. Thornton, P.E., L.S., M.S.

President

Terry M. Renner, P.E. Vice President

TKE Engineering, Inc. desires to provide top quality engineering services to local public agencies for development of public works engineering projects.

P A G E 1 0 V O L U M E 1 9 , I S S U E 1

SPOTLIGHTSPOTLIGHT

P A G E 1 1 V O L U M E 1 9 , I S S U E 1 Business Card Ads

c/o Matthew Addington, P.E., P.L.S. Newsletter Editor City of Rancho Cucamonga Building & Safety Department 10500 Civic Center Dr Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730

FIRST CLASS MAIL

We’re on the web: http://www.asce-sbriv.org/

Mark Your Calendar

Date: Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Time: 6:00 pm

Location: San Bernardino Hilton 285 East Hospitality Lane San Bernardino CA, 92408

Cost: See Official Flyer— on page 7

Deadline: January 7, 2009

Additional Info:

bill.flores@hdrinc.com

The Mojave River Stormwater management program will be reviewed including the current plan, the proposed requirements for the next four years and a review of accomplishments. The Mr. Dan Ilkay with San Bernardino County will be making the presentation.

Date: Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Time: 12:00 pm

Location: Mexicali Grill 1690 Spruce Street Riverside CA, 92507

Cost: $25.00 members, $35.00 non-members No RSVP, $12.50 students

Deadline: January 14, 2009

Additional Info:

lpopescu@fontana.org

Stormwater Committee Meeting General Membership Meeting