BEHIND THE GRADES
2006 Report Card for Pennsylvania’s Infrastructure

Over a three month period, ASCE’s Pennsylvania Sections gathered background information for each of the infrastructure categories – including reports, studies, surveys and other research materials – from professional societies, non-profit associations, and local, state and federal agencies. (Visit www.pareportcard.org/resources for a complete list). More than 20 area civil engineers leveraged these materials to develop a detailed picture for our region, examining the condition of our infrastructure, its performance, funding and capacity versus need. Preliminary grades were then assigned to each category.

Before making final assessments, the Pennsylvania Sections took into account funding already budgeted to address the problems, as well as infrastructure renewal projects in progress. Grades were then adjusted accordingly.

Since most of the data from background materials described the state of the infrastructure in terms of percentages, ASCE used a classic grading scale. The grades break down as follows:

A = 90-100% of infrastructure is/will be in good condition or better
B = 80-89%
C = 70-79%
D = 41-69%
F = 40% or less

ABOUT OUR CONTRIBUTORS
A team of nearly 30 infrastructure experts and communications professionals collaborated to create the first ever Report Card for Pennsylvania’s Infrastructure. The following is a list of contributors.

AVIATION
Mark Tiger, Senior Aviation Projects Manager, Michael Baker Jr., Inc.

A director with ASCE’s Philadelphia Section and a certified Professional Engineer, Mark Tiger has more than twenty years of experience in the design and construction of airport infrastructure. As a senior aviation projects manager for Michael Baker in Philadelphia, Mr. Tiger currently provides planning, design and construction management services to both large, international airports and general aviation facilities throughout the Commonwealth. A graduate of Drexel University, Mark has played an integral role in major projects at Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh International Airports. The Tiger family resides just north of Philadelphia in Holland, Bucks County. Barbara Tiger is the senior project manager for the Tiger household, which includes their children Caitlin and Joey, and their dog Max.

Michael Bodek, Aviation Services, CH2M HILL, Inc.
Allan F. Moore, Jr., P.E., Airport Facilities Maintenance Manager, Philadelphia International Airport

BRIDGES
William L. Brantley, P.E., Project Manager, alfred benesch & co.

William Brantley has dedicated more than 13 years to the profession and actively participates with several engineering associations and civic organizations. He currently serves as Treasurer of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Lehigh Valley Chapter and as a committee member of ASCE’s Structural Technical Group. William is also a member of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association, where he serves on the technical Committee 8 (Concrete). Most recently, Mr. Brantley acted as Project Liaison Engineer during construction and Structural Project Engineer for the final design of 12 structures on the SR 222 limited access highway project for PENNDOT District 5-0. A Clemson University graduate, Mr. Brantley transferred to Allentown 6 years ago after spending 5 years in the Chicago office of benesch, where he had experience working on numerous railroad bridge designs and ratings, multi-million dollar value engineering studies, and an Honorary Award winning pedestrian walkway in downtown Chicago.

Maureen Coleman, Transportation Staff, Herbert, Rowland & Grubric
Timothy R. Eckert, E.I.T., Engineer II, DMJM Harris| AECOM

DAMS
Robert Bowers, P.E., Vice President, Dams & Water Resources Division, O’Brien & Gere

Bob Bowers has more than 27 years of experience in dam engineering, beginning with the Phase I Dam Inspection Program in the late 1970’s. His experience includes inspections, investigations, design, resident engineering and construction administration for numerous dam rehabilitation projects throughout the eastern United States. A long-standing member of ASCE and the Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO), Mr. Bowers is currently the Project Officer for approximately 20 ongoing dam engineering projects in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Bob has presented technical papers on dam rehabilitation at four of the ASDSO’s northeast regional conferences and at an American Waterworks Association conference in central New York, and his article entitled “Safer Dams” was published in Civil Engineering magazine. A Cornell University graduate, Mr. Bowers holds a Bachelors degree in Civil Engineering and a Masters degree in Geotechnical Engineering.

Dennis Dickey, P.E., Division Chief, Dam Safety, PA Department of Environmental Protection
Dennis Dickey currently plans, directs and coordinates all programs of the Dam Safety Division, including reviewing and evaluating plans and specifications for dam construction and rehabilitation; monitoring dam construction and operation/maintenance of all regulated dams; and reviewing and approving Emergency Action Plans for high-hazard dams in the Commonwealth. He also serves as the Pennsylvania delegate to the Association of State Dam Safety Officials and as acting director of the Bureau of Waterways Engineering. Prior to joining the PADEP, Mr. Dickey held positions with the Department of Environmental Resources’ Dam Safety Division (DSD) and Bureau of Flood Protection Projects. Mr. Dickey worked in the DSD Project Review Section while the US Army Corps of Engineers’ National Dam Inspection Program evaluated Pennsylvania. At the Bureau of Flood Protection, he supervised the development of planning feasibility studies for protection projects serving our state’s flood-prone communities.

DRINKING WATER
Gregory F. Scott, P.E., Senior Project Manager, ATS-Chester Engineers

Over the past 14 years, Gregory Scott has managed the design and construction of civil municipal, water and wastewater projects for communities throughout western Pennsylvania. Employed by ATS-Chester Engineers, he participates in comprehensive facilities planning; coordinates design of collection, transmission, storage, distribution and treatment systems; administers all phases of government grant and permit programs; prepares and manages annual budgets; provides technical support for bond refinancing; conducts infiltration, inflow, hydraulic characteristic and system inventory studies; implements combined sewer overflow programs; and manages all phases of civil municipal, water and wastewater construction for his clients. A former chairman of the ASCE Pittsburgh Section’s Environmental and Water Resources Institute, Greg currently serves as president of the Section, and in 2005 he received the Section’s Young Civil Engineer of the Year award. A registered Professional Engineer, Mr. Scott earned his Bachelors in Environmental Engineering Technology from Penn State University and his Masters in Civil Environmental Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. 

Sona Avetisian, Undergraduate, Civil Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University
Charles L. Myers, P.E., Project Engineer, Environmental Engineering, RETTEW Associates Inc.

NAVIGABLE WATERWAYS
Michael Carnivale III, P.E., Geotechnical Engineer, U.S. Army Engineer District

As a geotechnical engineer for the U.S. Army in Philadelphia, Michael Carnivale has been responsible for designing, developing plans and specifications, reviewing and overseeing construction of a variety of military, civil works and “work for others” projects for more than 12 years. He has designed earthen embankments for the Wilmington Harbor South Disposal Area and facilities along the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, and has performed inspections of the five District-operated dams to address operation, maintenance and safety-related issues. A student in Drexel’s Civil Engineering PhD program and a practitioner advisor for ASCE’s Student Chapter, Mr. Carnivale has a longstanding relationship with the University. In 1993, he obtained his Bachelors in Civil Engineering from the University and subsequently served as an adjunct instructor for the Evening College and a research fellow for the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering. Michael is currently chair of the Delaware Valley Geo-Institute and a member of ASCE’s Geotechnical Institute.

John P. Menneti, P.E., Pittsburgh Office Manager/Senior Project Manager, Ammann & Whitney PA Inc.
Working with leading organizations such as Ammann & Whitney PA, STV Incorporated, Senate Engineering, Michael Baker and the US Army Corps of Engineers, John Menneti has built a diverse, 26-year career in the civil engineering field. John has held positions in office management, operations management, marketing, information technology management and project management. As a project manager, Mr. Menneti facilitated design of flood control levees, pump stations and bridges along the Little Calumet River in Indiana; replaced existing single span bridges on North Avenue and Sherman Street in Millvale, Pa; developed the Intermodal Distribution Facility in Leetsdale, Pa; and managed construction of approximately 3500 feet of new roads in McKeesport, Pa. Mr. Menneti is an active member of several professional organizations, including ASCE Pittsburgh, ASCE National’s Committee on Leadership and Management, the American Society of Highway Engineers, the Construction Legislative Council of Western PA, the Society of Military Engineers and the Engineer’s Society of Western Pennsylvania.

RAIL
Christopher Menna, Senior Project Engineer, City of Philadelphia

Over the last 14 years, Christopher Menna has developed a broad range of experience and expertise in civil engineering – managing bridge, highway, railroad, and other infrastructure-related projects. As a senior project engineer for the Bridge Section of Philadelphia’s Bureau of Surveys and Design, he is currently responsible for managing the bridge rating program for 160 structures and supervising five design projects with an estimated value of $20 million. Previously, Christopher held positions with organizations such as Gannett Fleming, Kaufman Construction Company and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. The current president of ASCE Philadelphia and director for the Engineer’s Club of Philadelphia, Mr. Menna has civil engineering experience in design, planning, estimating, bidding, surveying, scheduling and project management. He was also the recipient of two national engineering awards: ASCE’s Zone I Citizen Engineer Award (2001) and ASCE’s Zone I Young Government Civil Engineer Award (2004).

Walker Allen, Freight Planner, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission
Elizabeth Bonini, PADOT Bureau of Rail Freight, Ports and Waterways
Mike McAtee, Senior Bridge Engineer, Urban Engineers, Inc.
Robert McNary, PADOT Bureau of Rail Freight, Ports and Waterways
Tom Stettler, PADOT Bureau of Rail Freight, Ports and Waterways

ROADS
William L. Brantley, P.E., Project Manager, alfred benesch & co.
(See Bridges section for bio.)
Maureen Coleman
, Transportation Staff, Herbert, Rowland & Grubric


TRANSIT

Christopher Menna, Senior Project Engineer, City of Philadelphia
(See Rail section for bio.)
Ted Dahlburg, Transit Planner, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission
Joseph Hacker, Ph.D., AICP, Manager, Office of Transit, Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission
Dennis Louwerse, President, Pennsylvania Public Transit Association
Robert Wright, P.E., P.L.S, Chief Engineer and Surveyor, City of Philadelphia
Christopher Zearfross, Office of Strategic Planning, City of Philadelphia

WASTEWATER
Gregory F. Scott, P.E., Senior Project Manager, ATS-Chester Engineers
(See Drinking Water section for bio.)
Sona Avetisian, Undergraduate, Civil Engineering Carnegie Mellon University
Charles L. Myers, P.E., Project Engineer, Environmental Engineering RETTEW Associates Inc.

Those participants who are listed as P.E.’s are certified Professional Engineers. E.I.T. denotes an Engineer in Training.