Sain Projects

Leveraging Vissim Modeling

Vissim modeling allows individuals to map various intelligent traffic management systems to stabilize traffic flow and increase traffic safety. Vissim is a microsimulation tool that models individual vehicles in the traffic stream, considering the actions of virtual drivers in response to other vehicles, the road network, and various traffic controls. Sain Associates built a Vissim…
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Project Spotlight: Redland Road / Firetower Road

We are excited to announce the Redland Road / Firetower Road Intersection project received an Honor Award in the Transportation Category (3rd Place) for 2023 from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Alabama. Sain was recognized at the state-level ACEC/Alabama Awards Gala this past Thursday at the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Mountain Brook, Alabama….
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Shelby County Broadband

In recent years, broadband has become a hot topic of conversation. Openly considered an essential infrastructure, providing access to broadband in rural areas is connected to economic development, lower unemployment rates, increased home values, and educational improvements. The first step to determining whether broadband projects in rural areas are viable is to conduct a Broadband…
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10 Years of APPLE

What does a fruit have to do with engineering? Well, in this case, it’s one of the first steps in the preliminary engineering process. The Advanced Planning, Programming, and Logical Engineering (APPLE) program is administered by the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPCGB). The goal of the program is to assist local governments in…
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Project Spotlight – Carvana Distribution Center

In April 2020, Carvana, a cutting-edge leader in online automotive sales, contracted Sain Associates to perform surveying, civil, and traffic engineering services for a distribution facility in Bessemer, Alabama.  Although non-disclosure agreements required the project to be known as “Project Otto,” it was later announced as Carvana. Commonly known as an online car dealership and…
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50 Years of Problem-Solving

Sain’s 50th anniversary includes all the qualities of a great American success story – vision, hard work, and collaboration. Charles “Hack” Sain, PE, founded our firm with the vision to transform the relationship between engineers and property developers into one of mutual respect, where the engineer provides leadership and problem-solving on behalf of the client. Mr….
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Roundabouts in Engineering

In honor of National Roundabout Week, we’re sharing a throwback blog from 2016! A few years have passed since it was last published, but one thing remains the same – roundabouts are a proven safety countermeasure because they can substantially reduce crashes that result in serious injury or death. Roundabouts can improve safety, promote lower…
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CE&I for Bridge Construction

Sain provides Construction Engineering & Inspection (CE&I) services for roadway projects, including bridges, resurfacing, widening, signals, drainage, and sidewalks. Over the last several years, Sain has helped cities with their CE&I duties as they hire contractors to build new bridges.  Our CE&I staff is experienced with bridge inspections and construction administration, having worked on over…
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I-65 Corridor in North Shelby County

As a resident of the south Birmingham Metro Area for over 20 years, I have driven the I-65 corridor nearly every weekday and have seen it evolve throughout that timespan. The fast growth of communities south of Birmingham has resulted in increased traffic volumes on I-65. With nearly 130,000 vehicles per day, I-65 south of…
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