When you hear the word survey, what comes to mind? Maybe it’s a crew on the side of the road looking through an instrument, brightly colored flagging, or stakes marking a property line. Those are all part of surveying, but there’s much more to it. Alabama’s Standards of Practice identify several types of surveys, each…
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Long before construction begins, critical decisions are already shaping a project. A site must be evaluated for access, grading, drainage, utilities, permitting, and development potential. Each of those factors can influence cost, schedule, and the final design. That is why civil engineering starts well before the first dirt moves. At Sain, our team helps clients…
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At some point in almost every project, someone asks the question: “When can we start construction?” The answer often comes down to whether a site is truly “shovel-ready.” While the term gets used frequently, the reality behind it is much more complex than having a set of plans in hand. From a civil engineering perspective,…
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If you ask one hundred people whether or not they prefer to receive good value for their money, one hundred people would respond with a resounding “yes!” These days, it’s no secret that transportation projects are costly. Governments at the local, state, and federal level are highly motivated to construct worthwhile projects which demonstrate tangible…
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If you’re a local jurisdiction and you’ve ever thought… Then let’s talk about one of my favorite funding programs: Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding. Because yes — that sidewalk, streetscape, multi-use trail, or a safer route to school might be possible. Let’s break it down. First Things First: What Is TAP? The Transportation Alternatives Program…
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Turbo roundabouts are an innovative intersection design developed in the Netherlands in the late 1990s. Unlike traditional multi-lane roundabouts, where vehicles can change between lanes within the roundabout, turbo roundabouts use raised lane dividers and lane markings to guide vehicles into specific paths before entering the roundabout. This eliminates lane changing within the roundabout itself,…
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On behalf of the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), Sain Associates recently completed the update to the Tennessee Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP). The SHSP is a five-year document required by the Federal Highways Administration (FHWA) through the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), which is the primary federal funding source for transportation safety projects. The…
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As Black History Month comes to a close, it’s important to recognize the Black innovators in the AEC Industry. From transportation safety to GPS technology, Black inventors and engineers have played a pivotal role in building the infrastructure that keeps our communities moving. But have you heard their names before? Let’s highlight some of these…
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Severe weather conditions are common throughout the Southeast. Whether it is tornado and hurricane season or a snow and ice storm, there are many benefits of utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) during these conditions that people may not normally consider. During severe weather, GIS capabilities are more than likely used in some capacity to assess…
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For this week’s blog, we asked Mike “Kaz” Kaczorowski, the Principal Planner of Transportation for the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPCGB), to dive into their APPLE program and its success story. Under his leadership, the program has made significant strides in supporting local governments and improving infrastructure across the Greater Birmingham region. APPLE,…
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