In the late 1990s, the Jefferson County Economic and Industrial Development Authority (JCEIDA) embarked on a mission to develop the Jefferson Metropolitan Park System, leading to the birth of Jeff Met McCalla. Under the guidance of former Executive Director Deborah McGill Smith, Sain Associates was tasked with creating a masterplan for the park. The strategic…
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Recently, on-call contracts have become an integral part of municipal partnerships, facilitating seamless collaboration between local governments and specialized service providers. On-call contracts are not only for large projects, but they also serve as a mechanism for small, specific tasks. One such task is surveying services. Examples of surveying services performed under on-call contracts have…
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Engineering has long been considered a male-dominated field, but efforts are underway to break down barriers and encourage more women to pursue careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Despite progress in recent years, a significant gender gap persists. This blog explores the current state of women in engineering, discusses the challenges they face…
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In 2022, Sain embarked on a significant project that could potentially reshape the public transit landscape in Decatur, Alabama. Collaborating with the North Central Alabama Regional Council of Governments (NARCOG), Sain conducted a comprehensive Feasibility Study for the Regional Transit Agency in Decatur. The primary objective was to explore various options for establishing a fixed-route…
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This time last year there were an estimated 220,000 revelers in downtown Mobile, Alabama celebrating Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras, translated to “Fat Tuesday” in French, is a preamble to the Lenten season as Catholics prepare to fast from Ash Wednesday to Easter. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and is always the Wednesday…
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As traffic engineers, we have many tools to analyze traffic issues. Every tool in the traffic engineering toolbox has its own set of benefits and challenges. One of the more specialized tools we have at our disposal is microsimulation, which simulates traffic conditions on a modeled network of roads and intersections. Let’s take a look…
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Did you know that there are three classifications for traffic barriers? Traffic barriers are roadside safety measures implemented to reduce motorist harm after leaving the roadway. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) categorizes roadside medians into three classifications: flexible, semi-rigid, and rigid. These classifications are defined by the deflection of the barrier when impacted by a…
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Today, we are excited to highlight Jeff Stephenson, P.E., PTOE, has been promoted to Principal Shareholder at Sain. Since becoming an Associate Shareholder in 2021, Jeff has expanded his business development activities to grow our traffic engineering and transportation planning practice. One example is an expansion of Sain’s Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) practice area. Since…
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It’s not unusual for counties and cities to have old, outdated information about their systems, such as water and wastewater utility systems. I’ve seen these situations many times throughout the years, and a Geographic Information System (GIS) is a perfect solution for turning existing data into something that’s much more useful. We recently worked on…
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As the Civil Practice Leader at Sain Associates, I am privileged to witness firsthand the impact that civil engineering has on the communities we serve. At the heart of our mission is a commitment to excellence in site engineering and design, and it is through this lens that we actively contribute to the positive transformation…
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