Nov/Dec TB 2014

Nov.-Dec. 2014 TransportationBuilder 1
2015 ARTBA
Chairman
Nick Ivanoff
builder®
Nov.-Dec. 2014

NOVDEC 2014
VOL. 26, NO. 6
contents The official publication of the American Road
& Transportation Builders Association
www.transportationbuilder.org
TransportationBuilder 3
FEATURES COLUMNS
2015Transportation Construction
Market Forecast
ARTBA Regulatory & Legal Advocacy
Protects Industry’s Flank
Demanding Respect in the Zone:
Innovation and Collaboration Protects
Workers and Drivers
Chairman’s Message
President’s Desk
AEM Corner19
23
10 6
8
25
10
ON THE COVER
New ARTBA Chairman Nick Ivanoff
A Steady Hand in Stormy Seas14
14
Sept.-Oct. 2014

Nov.-Dec. 20144 TransportationBuilder
Staff
PUBLISHER
T. Peter Ruane
transportationbuilder@artba.org
DEPUTY PUBLISHER
Matt Jeanneret
mjeanneret@artba.org
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Beth McGinn
bmcginn@artba.org
PUBLICATIONS EDITOR &
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Jenny Ragone
jragone@artba.org
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Dr. Alison Premo Black
ARTBA chief economist
Beth McGinn
ARTBA director of public affairs and social media
Nick Goldstein
ARTBA vice president of environmental &
regulatory affairs
Rachel Varra
Royal Truck & Equipment, Inc.
marketing representative
Transportation Builder®
(TB) is the official publication of the American Road &Transportation Builders
Association, a federation whose primary goal is to aggressively grow and protect transportation
infrastructure investment to meet the public and business demand for safe and efficient travel. In
support of this mission, ARTBA also provides programs and services designed to give its members a
global competitive edge. As the only national publication specifically geared toward transportation
development professionals,TB represents the primary source of business, legislative and regulatory
news critical to the success and future of the transportation construction industry.
Transportation Builder® (ISSN 1043-4054) is published
bi-monthly by the American Road &Transportation
Builders Association (ARTBA). Postmaster: Send
change of address toTransportation Builder®, c/o
ARTBA,The ARTBA Building, 1219 28th
Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20007.Telephone: 202-289-4434,
Fax: 202-289-4435, Internet: www.artba.org; E-mail:
artbadc@aol.com. Periodicals postage paid at Washing-
ton, D.C., and additional mailing offices. Subscriptions
are $105/year for ARTBA members, which is included
in the dues; $120/year for non-members; and $200/
year non-U.S. mailing addresses. Copyright ©2014
ARTBA. All rights reserved. Material may not be repro-
duced in any form without written permission from the
publisher. Reg. U.S. Patent &Trademark Office.
Visit us: www.transportationbuilder.org
builder®
Executive Committee
Chairman: Nick Ivanoff
Ammann & Whitney, NewYork, N.Y.
Senior Vice Chairman: David S. Zachry
Zachry Construction Corporation, San Antonio,Texas
First Vice Chairman: Robert E. Alger
The Lane Construction Corporation, Cheshire, Conn.
Northeastern Region Vice Chairman: Dave Gehr
Parsons Brinckerhoff, Herndon, Va.
Southern Region Vice Chairman:Tom Elmore
Eutaw Construction Company, Aberdeen, Miss.
Central Region Vice Chairman: Kathi Holst
Roadway Construction & Maintenance Services,
Warrenville, Ill.
Western Region Vice Chairman: Steve McGough
HCSS, Sugar Land,Texas
Vice Chairman At-Large:Ward Nye
Martin Marietta Materials, Inc., Raleigh, N.C.
Vice Chairman At-Large: Scott L. Cassels
Kiewit Infrastructure Group, Inc., Kiewit Corporation,
Omaha, Neb.
Vice Chairman At-Large: MelissaTooley
Southwest Region UniversityTransportation Center,Texas
A&MTransportation Institute, College Station,Texas
Vice Chairman At-Large: John R. Kulka
HRI, Inc., State College, Pa.
Vice Chairman At-Large: Mike Donnino
Granite Construction Company, Lewisville,Texas
Vice Chairman At-Large: Paul Acito
3MTraffic Safety & Security Division, St. Paul, Minn.
Treasurer:Tom Hill
Summit Materials, LLC, Denver, Colo.
Secretary: Pete Ruane
ARTBA, Washington, D.C.
ARTBA-TDF Board ofTrustees Chairman:
Leo Vecellio, Jr.
Vecellio Group, Inc., West Palm Beach, Fla.
ARTBA-TDF Board ofTrustees Vice Chairman:
PaulYarossi
HNTB, NewYork, N.Y.
Contractors Division President: Jeff Clyde
W.W. Clyde & Co., Springville, Utah
Contractors Division First Vice President:
Tim Duit
TTK Construction, Edmond, Okla.
Research & Education Division President:
Lily Elefterladou
University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.
AEM Representative: Ron DeFeo
TEREX Corporation, Westport, Conn.
Materials & Services Division President:
Randy Lake
Oldcastle Materials, Inc., Atlanta, Ga.
Planning & Design Division President:
Tim Faerber
HNTB Corporation, Chicago, Ill.
Public-Private Partnerships Division President:
Matt Girard
Plenary Concessions, Denver, Co.
Traffic Safety Industry Division President:
Sue Reiss
Impact Recovery Systems, San Antonio,Texas
Transportation Officials Division President:
Paul Gruner
Montgomery County Engineers’s Office, Dayton, Ohio
Council of State Executives: Mike Pepper
Mississippi Road Builders Association, Jackson, Miss.
Immediate Past ARTBA Chairman: Doug Black
John Deere Landscapes, Alpharetta, Ga.
Past Chairman’s Council Chairman: Jim Madara
Gannett Fleming, Allentown, Pa.
Young Executive Leadership Council Chairman:
Ponch Frank
Ranger Construction Industries, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Joint Committee Representative: Matt Cummings
AECOM, Philadelphia, Pa.
2012 AWARD 2012 AWARD 2009 AWARD
mobilebarriers.com
MOBILE BARRIERS MBT1®
IMPROVING
SAFETY,
EFFICIENCY
AND TRAFFIC
FLOWS.

In this issue of “Transportation Builder,” we introduce you to our new ARTBA Chairman,
Nick Ivanoff, president & CEO of the NewYork-based engineering firm Ammann & Whitney.
Beginning on page 14, we take a look at Nick’s personal journey, his accomplishments, and his
agenda for the year ahead.
On page 23, my ARTBA colleague, Nick Goldstein, summarizes the association’s many 2014
initiatives on the industry’s behalf in the regulatory and litigation arenas.
Finally, on page 19, ARTBA Chief Economist Dr. Alison Premo Black provides a look at how the
uncertainty over the future of the HighwayTrust Fund might impact the transportation construction
market in 2015.
We hope you enjoy reading this issue and please feel free to share your reactions at:
jragone@artba.org.
Best wishes for safe and happy holiday season!
editor’s note
Jenny Ragone,
Publications
Editor & Graphic
Designer
800-683-3196
for the Construction Industry
Innovative
Software
at www.HCSS.com/ARTBA
SIGN UP FOR
DAILY WEBINARS
INDUSTRY LEADING
CONSTRUCTION SOFTWARE
THAT INTEGRATES WITH YOUR ACCOUNTING SYSTEM.
instant
Cloud
Hosting
Mobile
Apps
Estimating
Job Costing
Dispatching
Fuel Tracking
Safety GPS
Equipment
Maintenance
by the Foundation Testing Experts
www.GRLengineers.com info@GRLengineers.com
PDA Services
.......... 216.831.6131
California................. 323.441.0965
Colorado ................. 303.666.6127
Florida..................... 407.826.9539
Illinois...................... 847.221.2750
Louisiana................. 985.640.7961
North Carolina......... 704.593.0992
Ohio......................... 216.831.6131
Pennsylvania........... 610.459.0278
Washington.............425.381.9690
Foundation Testing and
Pile Driving Monitoring
to evaluate:
by CAPWAP®
Case Method or iCAP®
Integrity, Driving Stresses
remote testing

from the chairman
Nick Ivanoff
President & CEO
Ammann & Whitney
2015 ARTBA Chairman
The Man [or Association] in the Arena
New ARTBA Chairman Outlines Agenda
In a famous 1910 speech delivered in
Paris, President Teddy Roosevelt
extolled the virtues of the “man who
is actually in the arena, whose face is
marred by dust and sweat and blood.”
In the same vein, and as it applies to
a long-term fix for the Highway Trust
Fund (HTF), I can tell you that ARTBA
and its volunteer leaders will remain in
the policy arena and are prepared to be
marred with more dust and sweat and
blood as we continue to take the fight to
Congress.
To that end, in November and
December, I authored a series of
op-eds—eight as of this writing—that
have appeared in the hometown
newspapers of key Republicans and
Democrats on the U.S. Senate Finance
Committee, which will play a pivotal role
in addressing the HTF’s challenges. The
piece warned of the next financial crisis
facing the HTF in May, explained the
importance of the Trust Fund to their
state’s highway and transit improvement
program and local economy, and urged
lawmakers to take swift action early
next year to avoid disrupting the spring
construction season. A permanent HTF
solution is my top priority as your new
ARTBA chairman.
MAP-21 Reauthorization
Once an HTF funding solution is
identified, ARTBA will pivot and lead
the industry charge in advocating for a
significant boost in highway, bridge and
transit investment as part of the
reauthorization of MAP-21.
To achieve these goals, however, will
require an even bigger number of
industry firms and state contractor
chapters to support the “Transportation
Makes America Work” (TMAW)
lobbying and advocacy communications
program. TMAW dollars will be wisely
invested to help ensure our industry’s
messages are properly delivered to
intended targets through a variety of
mediums, and to bolster the program of
work of coalition allies.
Beyond the Public Policy Goals
Beyond the policy goals on Capitol Hill,
I will devote energy to helping ARTBA
grow by recruiting new members, with
special emphasis on some of the
emerging international firms that are
doing business in the U.S. market.
Looking to the future, ARTBA also has
Generation Y, or Millennials, in mind
with the recent launch of a Young
Executive Leadership Task Force. The
group, which will convene in January, is
charged with developing “specific
recommendations for the consideration
of the ARTBA Board of Directors on
how to expand the association’s base of
younger industry executives and better
engage them in its activities, leadership
structure and advocacy core mission.”
It’s no coincidence their work comes as
we commemorate the 20th
Anniversary
of the Young Executive Development
Program (YEDP) in 2015.
Finally, in the safety arena, ARTBA
will be developing a comprehensive new
training program that has been requested
by the industry. It will be rolled out early
in the year.
It is an honor to be elected as ARTBA
Chairman. Our collective goals are
ambitious. I know you all will join me in
the arena as we work together to achieve
them.

www.ammann-whitney.com
Proud ARTBA Sponsor
Building America’s
Infrastructure
Since 1946
A genuine leader is
not a searcher for
consensus but a molder
of consensus.
...Martin Luther King, Jr.
Ammann & Whitney is proud to support
ARTBA and its 2014-2015 Chairman,
our CEO, Nick Ivanoff, in the pursuit
of secure highway funding and a
transportation system that truly meets
America’s 21st Century needs.
CIVIL STRUCTURAL ARCHITECTURE CONDITION INSPECTION CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION
Bridges
Highways
Urban Arterials
New York, NY - Headquarters

T. Peter Ruane
President & CEO
ARTBA
president’s desk
New Congress, Same Problem
The 114th
Congress will convene on
January 3. Republicans will now
control the Senate, 54-44-2, and continue
to control the House, 246-188 (with one
seat still undecided). There will be 13 new
members of the Senate and at least 60
newbies in the House. As always when a
new Congress takes office, there will be an
atmosphere of excitement, expectation…
and a lengthy list of possible “to do” items.
However, despite all this change in the
air of the Nation’s Capital, there will also
be at least two constants. First, Congress
must still deal with the long-term funding
limitations for the federal surface trans-
portation programs. The Highway Trust
Fund (HTF), having been rescued from
insolvency several times by general fund
infusions over the past six-plus years, will
be unable to fund new federal-aid projects
if Congress does not act by the end of
May. Even if our lawmakers avert
short-term disaster once again, the
problem is not going away until they
squarely address the chronic deficiencies
in the Trust Fund’s revenue. That means
either adjusting the gas tax for the first
time in almost 22 years, or enacting an
equally reliable revenue mechanism.
The second constant will be ARTBA’s
determination to make this happen.
Many will be talking about the
Republicans’ takeover of the Senate and
potential for more partisan squabbling
between Congress and the White House.
As always, ARTBA is prepared to
advocate for the nation’s transportation
construction industry as aggressively as
possible, no matter who is running what
branch of government, or how
challenging the environment becomes.
This will be the eighth time in the past
20 years that party control has changed
in one house of Congress or the other.
During that same period, there have been
Democrats in the White House for 12 of
those years, and a Republican for eight.
These constantly-shifting dynamics have
never mattered to ARTBA. Our core
mission remains the same: advocating for
the critical transportation investment the
nation needs. We promote programs that
are indispensable to the nation’s
mobility and economic well-being. We are
proud to represent a great industry. But
if ARTBA were identified with one party
or the other, we would have been largely
ineffective for about half of the past two
decades, and would approach every
coming election with trepidation.
So our challenge in 2015 remains: get
long-term federal transportation
investment on that congressional “to do”
list. Republicans may now control both
chambers, and the demographics may
be distinct from previous Congresses,
but those 535 men and women will have
something in common with their
immediate predecessors: their decisions
in coming months will shape your
transportation construction market.
Federal investment provides 52 percent
of states’ capital investment in highways
and bridges. Some states are already
announcing reduced lettings in the New
Year because of the looming uncertainty
after May. The stakes remain high for the
industry and the nation.
That’s why you need to join ARTBA’s
efforts to educate the new Congress—
especially those new members—and
communicate the sense of urgency that is
justified. Besides your grassroots activism,
your company or chapter can also support
ARTBA’s “Transportation Makes America
Work” (TMAW) program—our
aggressive effort to promote the industry’s
HTF and reauthorization priorities.
Change may be coming to Washington,
D.C. (again), but ARTBA won’t let up un-
til Congress solves the same old problem.

Demanding Respect in the Zone:
Innovation and Collaboration Protects
Workers and Drivers
Royal Truck’s (Coopersburg, PA) TMA with video-integrated Radar System. (A) Digital MPH display, (B) radar sensor, (C) “Speeding/Slow Down” display,
(D) Mini message banner. Photographer: Justin Haman.
I
t began in Dallas with Robert Roy, president of Royal Truck
& Equipment, Inc. and Curtis Eckhoff, environmental health
and safety manager at Texas APAC. Roy and Eckhoff were
chatting after a demonstration of Royal’s TMA
(truck-mounted attenuator). Curtis recalls the comment that
set the ball in motion: “So,” he says to Roy, “would you be
willing to put a radar speed board on one of your trucks?”
Eckhoff, known for his motto turned mantra “Demand
Respect in the Work Zone,” has been in the construction
industry 20 years, taking a keen interest in traffic control
devices (TCDs) throughout his career. “Several years ago, in
Florida, I created a portable radar speed board and mounted it
to a trailer… We parked it on a dangerous part of I-75 during
a paving project. I made a demo [video] of the effect of the
device on traffic. You could see people slowing down.”
Eckhoff knew the idea was a good one, but then more
stringent regulations concerning the “crashworthiness” of
TCDs in work zones were implemented. “It was something that
A C
D
B
Another in a series that focus on innovation.
by Rachel Varra

I didn’t have the means to address at the time.” But when he
later “saw how Rob’s truck was constructed, having the arrow
board at the end of the bed, for instance, where it was most
visible to drivers,” he knew it was designed with attention to
quality and meticulous detail. “I knew it was where the radar
speed board belonged,” Eckhoff recollects.
The goal, according to Roy and Eckhoff, was to mount a
speed tracking system to Royal’s TMA, which would both give
a digital read-out to passing vehicles as well as work with a dig-
ital video recording system to document driver speeds as they
entered the work zone. The challenge was to make this system
compact, energy-efficient and financially viable for clients.
“After that day in San Antonio, we were constantly on the
lookout for the technology that could make the radar system
possible,” says Roy. Finally, while at an American Traffic Safety
Services Association (ATSSA) Convention in San Antonio,
they found what they were looking for. Eight months later, they
had a prototype.
Configuration
The radar system consists of a lighted signboards: (A) the
digital MPH display, where the (B) radar sensor is embedded;
(C) a digital “Speeding/Slow Down” display; and (D) a mini
messenger for multiple programmable messages. The whole
configuration is currently mounted beneath the TMA arrow
board.
The radar detects speeds of passing vehicles. A visual read
out is displayed both on the MPH signboard and on the TMA’s
in-cab monitor. And, because the radar system has been
integrated with Royal’s blackbox video recording system, these
speeds are logged both electronically and visually with
real-time traffic footage.
The radar system itself is modular and customizable (a design
trademark for which Royal has received recognition in the
past). For instance, the mini messenger can be installed on any
TMA independent of the rest of the radar system. The system is
compact (43.5" x 6.5" x 2.5") so there is no loss of space on the
truck bed. And, the mini messenger can be set-up wirelessly,
and display up to 99 pre-programmed, customizable messages.
On the prototype, the radar sensor is activated when the
truck turns on. (It is powered by the truck’s alternator). The
system can be set so that any speed between 0 and 90MPH
triggers the “Speeding/Slow down” message. The mini message
banner also works when the truck’s motor is idling. The MPH
and “Slow down” displays are integrated into the truck’s solar
panel power system, which also powers the truck’s arrow board
and lights.
Advantages
“This is the biggest innovation to truck design in my
company’s history,” Roy mentions. One of the things that
Eckhoff and Roy are especially proud of is that the radar system
has been integrated with Royal’s black box video/audio
recording system. When paired with the black box system—
rolled out earlier in 2014—the unique advantages of the
system emerge. Video images of passing vehicles are
accompanied by their speed and recorded. “It is a great li-
ability tool,” emphasizes Curtis. In the event of a crash, police
and other officials have access not only to video footage of the
crash, but also know just how fast a vehicle was traveling when
impact occurred. The speed of the TMA itself, if moving, is also
recorded by the black box system.
Roy and Eckhoff are not alone in their excitement; Dave
Meirick, president of Roadsafe, the nation’s largest provider of
TCDs and the first company to opt for this technology on all its
new trucks, is equally enthused. “It’s going to change the way
we work,” Meirick notes, intimating that this design protects
everyone—workers, companies and highway drivers.
Recording is not only a great liability tool for companies, but
also affects behavior. “When people are being recorded, you
can actually see their behavior change,” Eckhoff emphasized.
Drivers put down cell phones, and workers are more alert to
their surroundings.
In addition, having the radar system as a component on
the TMA surpasses using a stand-alone radar system. There
are, undoubtedly, financial considerations; stand alone radar
systems are subject to damage from errant vehicles. Mounting
the radar system to a TMA beats stand alone units since TMAs,
designed to withstand impact, better safeguard the investment
represented by the radar system. The combination of systems
on an already mobile piece of equipment, the attenuator truck,
represents additional cost savings over having a camera and/or
radar on individual trailers.
But the advantages of Royal’s system transcend the bottom
dollar. “Not only does a TMA-mounted radar system facilitate
set-up of the work zone because there are fewer individual
components to put on the road,” Eckhoff notes, “but it
increases safety, because workers won’t have to put boot to
asphalt to do so.” Eckhoff continues, “To protect both
drivers and workers on the road, we must use all the tools at
our disposal. Color, size, light: people pay attention to these
things.” Putting a radar system on the TMA capitalizes on these
safety considerations. “TMAs are unique. They are big vehicles
that demand attention. People will notice.”
Testing
Eckhoff was right, as Royal’s Marketing Associate, Justin
Haman, confirmed just after testing the radar system.
“Making a demo video [of the radar system during testing]
was a challenge,” Haman mused. “We parked the TMA with
the radar equipment on the side of the highway. We wanted
to capture footage with the “Speeding/Slow Down” message
activated, but we actually had trouble. The [passing] cars kept
slowing down when they saw the TMA with the radar device.”
In other words: the radar was doing its job.
Future directions
Regulations for TMA use vary from state to state. In its
current configuration, the radar system turns on when the

Royal Truck & Equipment’s Mobile Safety System won top honors in the
2014 ARTBA Foundation Roadway Work Zone Safety Awareness Awards,
which recognizes “outstanding programs, campaigns and technologies
aimed at helping reduce roadway work zone accidents, injuries and
fatalities.”
Rachel Varra, marketing representative: rachel.varra@qc.cuny.edu.
at Rob, and he’s gonna give it the highest respect. He’ll always
consider the idea.” Meirick agrees, “Rob is so supportive. And
that goes whether you buy one truck or 100. He’s gonna give
you the same quality. His team has gone over and above in
working with us and others to keep drivers and workers safe.”
3029 Lincoln Avenue, Richmond, VA 23228 • Ph 800-296-6050 • Fx 804-261-1040 • korman@kormansigns.com
posts / brackets / sign bracing / 3M sheeting / anchors / break-away bases / post pullers & drivers / interstate signs
Visit us online at www.kormansigns.com
Reflective
Sheeting Products
Our products use
Korman Signs, a leader in the traffic safety industry for over
39 years, offers a wide variety of posts, post accessories, guide
& traffic signs for every traffic project. Choose from
u-channel, round or square post systems complete with
mounting brackets, bracing, anchors, slipbases, & hardware.
Interstate guide signs are manufactured at our 100,000+ sqft
facility in Richmond, VA. Flat sheet & extruded sign panels
are assembled with aluminum bracing. Durable, high-quality
3M™ reflective sheeting is applied to the face of the sign using
precision application equipment. We also offer door-to-door
shipping utilitizing custom designed trailers for overhead
signage ensuring timely and damage-free delivery.
truck is running. This poses no problems in New Jersey and
Texas, where the first TMAs with radar and black box
recording are being shipped. But in California, state law
prohibits a TMA to be idling while in use at a construction site.
Luckily, Royal Truck has planned for that situation. “An easy
adjustment to the system also allows the radar to run from
alternate sources of power. Royal Truck will be releasing that in
2015,” Roy says. “This means that our TMAs will continue to
meet the most stringent of configuration and operation
requirements nationwide.” And getting these trucks into
California could be important. It is one of the eight states that
accounted for half of all construction industry deaths in 2012.
On Collaboration
For Eckhoff, Roy and Meirick, collaboration is not just talk.
These men take feedback from their colleagues, clients and
employees seriously. “Designing and implementing this radar
system has really been a joint effort,” Roy observes. “So many
people’s ideas have influenced the outcome of our product,
and made it better. Curtis [Eckhoff] and Dave [Meirick] have
been with us every step of the way.” And Eckhoff, whose mind
seems never to rest when it comes to safety, has emphatically
declared: “No matter what idea I have, I know I can throw it

More than 3 million miles of roads and over 300,000
bridges in the United States are owned and maintained
by local governments.
In 1982, the Federal Highway Administration established
the Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP). In 1991,
the Tribal Technical Assistance Program (TTAP) was also
created. LTAP and TTAP help local governments improve
management of their transportation networks.
There are 58 LTAP/TTAP Centers: one in each state, one
in Puerto Rico, and seven regional Centers that serve
tribal governments. Most Centers are housed at colleg-
es, universities and state departments of transportation.
and environmentally sound surface transportation
system by improving skills and increasing knowledge of
the transportation workforce and decision makers.
LTAP/TTAP strives to improve safety for users on local
roads, help local governments build and maintain their
The FHWA LTAP/TTAP Clearinghouse, managed by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association-
Transportation Development Foundation (ARTBA-TDF), provides program support for LTAP and TTAP Centers.
road workers how to do their jobs safely.
The national program focus areas are safety, workforce
development, infrastructure management and organiza-
tional excellence. LTAP/TTAP Centers help communities
improve the quality and condition of their transportation
network.
For more information about the LTAP and TTAP, or to get
contact information for your local LTAP/TTAP Center,
please visit:
www.LTAP.org
Local & Tribal Technical
Assistance Program
Essential Tools to Improve the Local &
Tribal Transportation Network
Training, Knowledge Exchange & Direct Assistance

by Beth McGinn
Nick Ivanoff always knew he
wanted to be an engineer.
He came from a family that made a
living using their intellect and creativity
to build great things. His father was a
self-taught mechanical designer, and as
a young boy, Nick enjoyed watching him
work.
His uncle was an aeronautical engineer
trained at Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute,
and Nick knew early on that was where
he wanted to get his degree. “Becoming
an engineer—it was almost preordained,”
Ivanoff says. But what kind of engineer
Nick would become had more to do with
circumstance than family.
During the early 1970s, the
aeronautical field, which had a large
presence in the New York area, was com-
ing on hard times. The industry he had
planned to enter after graduation was
experiencing significant downsizing and
consolidation. Unsure which direction
to take his career, Nick asked his school
counselors for guidance. Mechanical and
electrical engineering were suggested,
but neither appealed to Nick. Then the
counselor suggested civil engineering,
and his interest was piqued.
“They told me it’s all about buildings,
highways, bridges,” Nick recalls. “I said,
‘That sounds great. I’m in!’”
It was a decision that set-off a
distinguished 35-year career.
Now a registered civil engineer in more
than 20 states, Nick has worked on major
highway, airport and transit projects
across the country and the globe.
A Steady Hand in
New ARTBA Chairman Nick Ivanoff

Brooklyn Boy
Ivanoff is the first of two sons born to Russian immigrants
who came to the United States in 1952. Raised in a modest,
working-class family in Brooklyn, Nick only learned to speak
English when he entered grade school. Growing up in New
York, Nick’s parents made sure he stayed immersed in his
heritage.
“I attended ‘Russian school’ as part of our local church for 10
years. I’m one of the few people who can actually say they read
War & Peace in Russian, and that was fairly traumatic also,”
Ivanoff says with a smile.
But life in the Big Apple also afforded lots of formative sights
and experiences. “When I was a boy growing up, I witnessed
the construction of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge,” Nick
explained. “It just so happens that Othmar Ammann was the
designer of that bridge. So, it’s kind of full circle here, many
years later, having the privilege of being in the company he
founded.”
The boy from Brooklyn now heads operations for the
venerable engineering firm Ammann & Whitney, which is
headquartered in Manhattan. As President and CEO, Nick
has technical, marketing, administrative and financial
responsibility for company operations worldwide and serves as
principal-in-charge for some of the firm’s larger, more complex
projects, including past efforts for the Central Artery in Boston
and Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C.
A Passion for Sailing
One of Nick’s greatest passions is sailing, a fascination that
began in early childhood. During weekend trips to visit
relatives, the Ivanoff family passed by Long Island Sound.
Nick would stare out the window admiring the hundreds of
sailboats in the bay.
“Coming from a modest background, it was almost like an
unreachable dream to be into ‘yachting,’” Nick said jokingly.
“It was always a fascination, but the first time I had the
opportunity to try sailing was not until I was a college student.
I rented a catamaran. I had never been on a sailboat before, and
I had no idea how a sailboat even worked. But after the rental
period was over, I was able to get back to land without having
to be rescued, and I’ve been hooked ever since.”
Today, Nick, and his wife, Robin, own a 42-foot sailing boat
named “Silver Lining.” When they aren’t working, or cooking
for friends and family at home in New Jersey, the couple can be
found cruising the coastal waters of New England.
When asked if there are any parallels between sailing and his
new role as the leader for ARTBA, Nick explained the key to
success in the year ahead will be a combination of patience and
persistence.
Stormy Seas
Nick Ivanoff’s parents, Walter and Victoria. Nick Ivanoff with his wife Robin.

Nick has been a
long-time volunteer
leader in ARTBA,
serving in these
posts:
Senior Vice
Chairman
First Vice
Chairman
Northeastern
Region Vice
Chairman
International
Affairs Advisory
Council
Chairman
Trans 2020Task
Force Co-Chair
Planning &
Design Division
President
ARTBA
Transportation
Development
Foundation
Trustee
2014 ARTBA Chairman Doug Black (left) handing off the gavel to the new ARTBA Chairman Nick Ivanoff.
“Like sailing, in business or in politics, you have
to be patient because the wind isn’t always blowing,
and when it is, it’s not always blowing in the right
direction. So, sometimes you have to tack until
you find a better wind to get to your ultimate
destination. There are always going to be obstacles,
but the key is to find the alternate path and
persevere.”
The Agenda
ARTBA will rely on Nick’s steady and strategic
leadership in the months ahead as he seeks to
implement his agenda as ARTBA chairman. The
federal Highway Trust Fund (HTF), which makes
up about half of all highway and bridge capital
investments by the states, has suffered five revenue
shortfalls in the last seven years. The next cash crisis
will occur in May 2015, just at the beginning of the
busy construction season. The continued
uncertainty over federal funds is hindering the
ability of some states to plan their projects.
Nick plans for ARTBA to continue leading the
industry charge for a permanent solution to boost
the revenue stream flowing into the HTF. In a series
of post-election opinion pieces that were published
in newspapers across the country this November,
Ivanoff called on key Republicans and Democrats
on the Senate Finance Committee to work together
to find a sustainable financing solution, calling it
“one of the greatest opportunities for bipartisan
cooperation.”
Once the HTF’s solvency is addressed, Nick says
ARTBA will continue to lead the industry charge in
advocating for a significant boost in federal
transportation investment as part of the
reauthorization of MAP-21—the 2012 highway,
and transit law.
ARTBA’s “Transportation Makes America Work”
grassroots lobbying and advocacy communications
program will continue to be the vehicle to advance
the association’s HTF and MAP-21 reauthorization
agenda. Ivanoff believes that it is critical for industry
firms and organizations to continue providing the
“financial muscle” necessary so that ARTBA has the
resources to fight the fight on Capitol Hill, and back
in the states when appropriate.
Nick also plans to leverage the upcoming 20th
Anniversary of the Foundation’s Young Executive
Development Program to initiate an effort that
aims to engage Generation Y in helping build their
careers, and their companies’ market share, in
transportation. He’s already announced the creation

Beth McGinn is ARTBA director of public affairs and social media:
bmcginn@artba.org.
Ivanoff testified July 14 before the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
of the “Young Executive Leadership Task Force,” which is slated
to hold its first meeting in January.
“Bringing new, young leaders into ARTBA is essential because
they will think outside the box,” Ivanoff says. “They are the ones
who will say, ‘Why not? Why can’t we do it this way?’”
To make ARTBA even more effective, Nick says he is also
committed to growing its membership. Membership
development is key to the association’s future growth, and
Ivanoff, as a past chairman of the ARTBA International Affairs
Advisory Council, says his focus will be not just on companies
at home, but also on international firms doing business in
the U.S.
And finally, Nick plans to engage fellow association leaders
in the safety arena by expanding ARTBA initiatives in risk
management and preventing falls during construction,
inspection and maintenance.
Brighter Days Ahead
The name of Nick’s boat says a lot about his dynamic and
optimistic personal leadership style. When asked how he and
Robin chose the name, he said, “It’s similar to a light at the
end of the tunnel. Sometimes when there are clouds in the sky
you will see a silver lining on them, so you know there is a sun
behind them somewhere.”
The transportation design and construction industry has
certainly seen its share of storm clouds over the last several
years, but Ivanoff is now at the helm, ready to steer the industry
to a brighter future.

THE
ANSWER.
QEXC1807-03
© 2014 Caterpillar. All Rights Reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, BUILT FOR IT, their respective logos, and “Caterpillar Yellow” and the POWER EDGE
trade dress, as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.
QUESTIONING YOUR CHOICES IN ROLLERS?
CAT®
PAVING PRODUCTS HAS THE ANSWER.
Complete solutions from every angle: outstanding comfort, visibility, compaction performance,
and dealer support. Answer every question with the power, ﬂexibility, and quality of Caterpillar.
HAVE YOU DOWNLOADED THE PAVING
AMPLITUDE CALCULATOR APP?
PAVING
OPERATIONS
TRAINING CLASSES
ARE FILLING UP FAST!
www.cat.com/paving/
training-solutions
www.cat.com/paving
facebook.com/CATPaving
youtube.com/CATPaving

Modest Growth Expected for 2015
Transportation Construction Market
by Dr. Alison Premo Black
The U.S. transportation construction market is expected to
grow 3.1 percent from $185.9 billion in 2014 to $191.7
billion in 2015, according to the ARTBA forecast model. This is
slightly above anticipated growth in the overall U.S. economy—
U.S. Gross Domestic Product is expected to grow between 2.6
and three percent, according to the U.S. Federal Reserve.
The forecast for the largest segment of this market—
highway, street and related work—is tempered by uncertainty
over long-term federal funding, which represents 52 percent of
state department of transportation (DOT) capital outlays, and
still recovering state and local budgets.
Outside of construction, state and local governments are
expected to spend an additional $38.5 billion for maintenance
work; $13.2 billion for in-house and consultant planning and
design services; and $7 billion for right-of-way purchases as
part of their highway and bridge programs.
Some forecast highlights include:
Highways, Private Driveways & Parking Lot
Construction
The highway, private driveways and parking lot construction
market will increase 2.1 percent to $64.9 billion. This includes
Real Value of Highway, Street & Related Construction
Billions of 2014 $
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 (e) 2015 (f) 2016 (f) 2017 (f) 2018 (f) 2019 (f)
$67.3
$62.8
$55.2
$53.4
$51.6 $51.8 $52.4 $52.9 $52.9 $53.1$52.6

$52.4 billion in public and private investment in highways,
roads and streets, and $12.5 billion in largely private
investments in parking lots, driveways and related structures.
Contractors will have an additional $30 to $40 billion in
business opportunities from private highway and bridge work
that is completed as part of housing developments and larger
commercial structures, separate from parking lots and
driveways.
Bridges & Tunnels
The bridge and tunnel construction market is expected to
remain strong, increasing from $30.8 billion in 2014 to $31.3
billion in 2015. Bridge construction has grown from 19.6
percent of all highway and bridge work in 2000 to 37.3 percent
in 2014. The share of bridge work is forecasted to continue to
grow in the next five years.
Railroads, Light Rail & Subways
ARTBA is forecasting that light rail, subway and railroad
construction will increase from $18.3 billion in 2014 to $20.9
billion in 2015, driven largely by private investment in Class 1
freight tracks and structures.
Airport Runways & Terminals
The total value of airport runway and terminal construction
will grow from $12.5 billion in 2014 to $13.1 billion in 2015,
according to the forecast model. There is significant demand
for airport infrastructure investment at major U.S. airports to
accommodate growth in the air freight shipments and
passenger enplanements.
ABOUTTHE MODEL:
ARTBA’s proprietary econometric model takes into account a
number of economic variables at the federal, state and local level.
The forecast measures the public and private value of construction
put in place, published by the U.S. Census Bureau. The ARTBA
estimate for the private driveway and parking lot construction
market are separate.
The 2014 U.S. Transportation Construction Market Forecast 1
MARKET FORECAST 2015
National Summary | 50-State Forecast | 5-Year Modal Forecast
U.S.
TRANSPORTATION
CONSTRUCTION
U.S.
TRANSPORTATION
CONSTRUCTION
Dr. Alison Premo Black is ARTBA’s chief economist: ablack@artba.org.
The comprehensive 2015
ARTBA Transportation
Construction Market Forecast
can be purchased for $100 at
www.artba.org/shop.
Real Value of Bridge & Tunnel Construction
Billions of 2014 $
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 (e) 2015 (f) 2016 (f) 2017 (f) 2018 (f) 2019 (f)
$25.5
$27.7 $27.8
$29.3
$30.9 $30.8 $31.3 $32.1
$34.4
$35.2
$33.5
Ports & Waterways
The ports and waterway construction market will increase
slightly to $2.8 billion in 2015, up from $2.7 billion in 2014,
largely driven by expanded sea trade expected with completion
of the Panama Canal improvement project in 2016.

WHAT’S STOPPING YOU?
Performance Makes The Difference.
Gregory For more information, call us today at 330-477-4800
or visit our website at www.gregorycorp.com
• Meets NCHRP 350
• 50’ with 8 posts for TL-3
• Available in TL-2 at 25’
• Use with 12.5’ or 25’ guardrail sections
• Available in steel or wood posts
• Available in 27¾” & 31” MGS
rail heights
• Interchangeable components
• Meets NCHRP 350
• 37.5’ for TL-3
• Use with 12.5’ guardrail sections
rail heights
FLEAT-MT™ SKT™
G R E G O R Y H I G H W A Y S A F E T Y G U A R D R A I L S Y S T E M S :
Manufactured by:
• Meets NCHRP 350
• 37.5’ with 7 posts for TL-3
• Available in TL-2 at 25’
• Use with 12.5’ guardrail sections
• Variable offset from 2.5’-4’
rail heights
FLEAT™
Roadside Flared Terminal Roadside Tangent TerminalMedianTerminalfor
1 or 2-Way Trafﬁc
SKT-SP End Treatment

Formerly...
compatible

With 35 filings to federal agencies
on proposed regulations, helping
shape the outcome of a new Disadvan-
taged Business Enterprise (DBE) rule,
filing a legal brief in an Illinois DBE
case, and achieving a long-time industry
objective on stormwater runoff, ARTBA’s
legal and regulatory advocacy program
was busy on many fronts during 2014.
In response to an onslaught of
regulatory proposals, ARTBA prepared
and submitted comments to the U.S.
Department of Transportation (DOT),
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
and the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) on issues such
as silica, workplace injury and illness
reporting, “Waters of the U.S.,” P3s, and
fuel economy standards.
The association also focused on
helping ensure that implementation of
the 2012 “Moving Ahead for Progress in
the 21st
Century” (MAP-21) law
continued in the manner consistent
with the bipartisan desire in Congress
to reduce delay and get transportation
projects built faster.
Stormwater Victory
ARTBA achieved a long sought after
industry goal in March when the U.S.
EPA issued new stormwater runoff
regulations that did not include
controversial “one size fits all”
requirements. Originally, EPA had
wanted to include a single, uniform
standard for runoff on all
construction sites, meaning that a project
in an extremely wet area would be treat-
ed the same as one in an extremely dry
area. In a variety of forums in the past
five years, ARTBA consistently explained
to EPA and other decision makers that,
on certain projects. the proposed EPA
standards could add up to $1 million in
additional costs.
Another major focus of ARTBA’s
efforts was its opposition to a March
25 EPA and Army Corps of Engineers
(Corps) proposed rule defining “waters
of the United States.” The rule would
greatly expand EPA federal jurisdiction
under the Clean Water Act (CWA). Spe-
cifically, both EPA and the Corps could
potentially exercise jurisdiction over
roadside ditches, which could make
permitting burdens and opportunities
for frivolous litigation against transpor-
tation projects dramatically increase. In
the past, Congress on a bipartisan basis
has rejected legislation expanding EPA’s
jurisdiction under the CWA. EPA is now
trying to do what Congress would not.
Since 2005, ARTBA has vigorously
opposed the expansion of federal CWA
jurisdiction. ARTBA is a Steering
Committee member of the Waters
Advocacy Coalition—a collection of more
than 35 industry associations that closely
follow issues concerning federal CWA
jurisdiction. The association submitted
extensive comments on the EPA/Corps
proposal and is seeking legislative options
to prevent the unnecessary delay and
ARTBA Regulatory & Legal Advocacy Protects Industry’s Flank
by Nick Goldstein
litigation the proposed rule could bring to
transportation improvement projects.
DBE Rule & Litigation
ARTBA took the leading industry role
in the 25-month federal rulemaking
relating to the Disadvantaged Business
Enterprise (DBE) program.
Upon releasing the final rule revisions
late in the year, the U.S. DOT repeat-
edly referenced comments submitted by
ARTBA and its chapters, and specifically
cited a nationwide survey coordinated by
ARTBA in which nearly all contractors
expected that proposed rule changes
would add costs to projects, while nearly
half planned to bid on fewer federal-aid
projects. The rule changes were wide-
ranging, but in some cases not as severe
as originally drafted, largely because
of strong opposition from ARTBA and
its allies. The association also educated
members about the final changes,
hosting a series of webinars with FHWA
officials and construction lawyers.
On another DBE-related front, ARTBA
filed a June 20 amicus brief in a federal
lawsuit (Dunnet Bay Construction
Company v. Gary Hanning) over
questionable and politically-influenced
administration of the DBE program in
Illinois. ARTBA stressed that if allowed
to stand, a lower court’s holding would
effectively eliminate the ability of
contractors to challenge misapplication
of the DBE program as well as cause
otherwise proper bids on transportation
construction projects to be rejected.
Oral arguments in the case were held
December 12 and a decision is expected
next year.
In 2014, and in 2015 for that matter,
ARTBA will remain active on the
regulatory and legal advocacy front lines
with the goal of always working to
protect the industry’s flank.
Nick Goldstein is ARTBA vice president for
environmental & regulatory affairs:
ngoldstein@artba.org.

“This material was produced under the grant SH-26339-14-60-F-11 from the Occupational Safety and Health
Department of Labor nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement
This training program, available in both two-hour
and four-hour formats, is designed to keep roadway
construction workers safe from being struck by
construction trucks and equipment.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
The program is FREE to all participants. A course
AND BACKOVERS
For information on attending or
Vasquez at 202.289.4434 or

AEM corner
AEM Supports
Coalition Call to
Revise Crane Rule
All the way back in 2003, The
Occupational Safety & Health
Aministration (OSHA) appointed the
Cranes and Derricks Advisory
Committee (C-DAC) to develop a
consensus document that eventually
formed the basis of the proposed rule. In
2010, the agency published the final rule,
which went into effect on November
10, 2014 following a four-year phase-in
period.
The final rule and OSHA’s interpretation
of one of its key provisions developed
two confounding requirements that, if
in effect, would not only jeopardize the
safety of construction site employees
and the general public, but also heap
unnecessary financial burdens on a
broad swath of the construction indus-
try—both of which are contrary to the
C-DAC’s original intent.
First is the so-called “deemed
qualified” provision of the final rule.
As currently written, the final rule
provides that a “certified” crane
operator is automatically “deemed
qualified” to operate the model of crane
to which the operator is assigned. This
provision would eliminate the employer’s
duty to train and qualify operators, a
duty that has existed since the passage of
the OSH Act in 1970.
The newly formed Coalition for Crane
Operator Safety (CCOS), which AEM
actively supports, notes that while
third-party certification is essential to
the advancement of crane safety, it is
insufficient on its own to achieve
much-needed improvements in this
area. In fact, CCOS says, certifying
organizations do not represent their
certifications as “qualifying” operators
to operate specific cranes in all
configurations and working conditions.
As a result, the coalition is urging
OSHA to rescind the “deemed
qualified” language in the final rule and
to reinstate the employer duty to train
and qualify operators. Coalition
members, comprising equipment
manufacturers, construction management,
labor, insurance underwriters, and
accredited certification organizations,
all believe follow-up qualification is
indispensable because even a
high-quality, hands-on exam cannot
test on all crane operator functions.
Second is OSHA’s interpretation of
the “capacity and type” provision of the
final rule. Following issuance of the final
rule on August 9, 2010, OSHA issued
guidance finding that crane operator
certification for a type of crane does
not qualify the operator to operate all
capacities of crane within that type. For
example, OSHA’s interpretation of the
rule allows a crane operator certified for
a 100-ton hydraulic crane to operate a
50-ton hydraulic crane, but not a 200-ton
hydraulic crane of the same type.
However, industry experts agree that
there are not enough differences between
operation of a 50-ton and a 200-ton
crane of the same type to justify more
than one certification. At the same time,
maintaining the operator certification
requirements based on capacity would
cost many millions of dollars for both
employers and employees, while yielding
no discernible improvement in safety.
And finally, if OSHA does not rescind
its interpretation of “capacity and type,”
the certifications already achieved by
about 100,000 crane operators could be
AEM provides trade and business development
services for companies that manufacture equip-
ment, products and services used world-wide
in the agricultural, construction, forestry, mining
and utility sectors. AEM is headquartered in
Milwaukee, Wis., with offices in Washington,
D.C., Ottawa, and Beijing.
nullified.
At a May 19, 2014, hearing,
construction industry stakeholders
expressed their reluctant support for
OSHA’s proposed extension of the en-
forcement date for operator certification
only to afford OSHA the opportunity to
correct problems created by its failure to
put into effect the intent of the C-DAC.
On September 26, OSHA issued a final
rule extending the deadline for crane
operator certification requirements by
three years to November 10, 2017. The
agency also extended by three years an
employer’s responsibility to ensure that
crane operators are competent to operate
a crane safely.
Since all but one of the 42 sections
in the 2010 Standard have been agreed
upon and enacted, the industry is now
waiting on OSHA to correct the two
ineffectual provisions and present clear
and effective certification requirements.
Regrettably, because of the three-year
extension of enforcement, there could
be a 13-year delay between issuance of
the C-DAC’s consensus document and
enforcement of the certification
requirements. In the meantime, some
employers and individual crane operators
have taken a “wait and see” approach to
avoid the cost of certifications (or re-
certifications) that may be invalidated.
AEM will continue to support CCOS
and its call to OSHA to quickly resolve
these issues well ahead of the new 2017
deadline. Public safety and the safety of
jobsite workers is far too important to
wait another three years.

ADVERTISER INDEX
Promote your company’s products and services in
“Transportation Builder!”
Contact ARTBA’s Peter Embrey at 202.289.4434 or
pembrey@artba.org
Check out our rates in the 2015 media kit available
at www.artba.org.
Advertise in “Transportation Builder”
“ARTBA reserves the right, at its discretion and without liability of any
nature whatsoever, to reject, cancel or suspend any advertising in whole
or in part, in which case any fees paid in advance shall be refunded to
the advertiser on a pro-rata basis.”
CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT,
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
Case Construction
www.casece.com......................................................IFC
Caterpillar Inc.
www.cat.com/paving..................................................18
Wirtgen America
www.wirtgenamerica.com.....................................IBC
HIGHWAY SAFETY PRODUCTS &
RESOURCES
Mobile Barriers
www.mobilebarriers.com............................................4
Trinity
www.trinityhighway.com............................................9
Korman Signs, Inc.
www.kormansigns.com.............................................12
LTAP
www.ltap.org...............................................................13
Gregory
www.gregorycorp.com.............................................. 21
Harwood Grant Avoiding Runovers & Backovers
www.artbatdf.org....................................................... 24
Plastic Safety Systems
www.plasticsafety.com.............................................BC
SOFTWARE
HCSS
www.hcss.com..............................................................5
B2W Software
www.b2wsoftware.com/artba...................................22
TESTING & MONITORING SYSTEMS
GRL Engineers, Inc.
www.grlengineers.com/TIP........................................5
BRIDGE DESIGN, MAINTENANCE &
MATERIALS
Ammann & Whitney
www.ammann-whitney.com......................................7

Two in One: The WR 240i from Wirtgen makes a convincing impression when it comes to soil
stabilization and cold recycling. In addition to perfect ergonomics and operation, clever automatic
functions and outstanding terrain accessibility, the efﬁcient engine and powerful milling and mixing
performance ensure optimal results. You too can beneﬁt from the technology leader‘s solutions.
SUSTAINABLE
SOLUTIONS!
WIRTGEN AMERICA . 6030 Dana Way . Antioch, TN 37013
Tel.: (615) 501-0600 . www.wirtgenamerica.com

enough is enough
RoadQuake 2 Temporary Portable Rumble Strip is designed to reduce accidents
in work zones and save lives. Drivers, passengers and workers’ lives.
Contractors: Improve safety in your work zones. Let us show you how.
call us today
Contact Tim Cox for a product demonstration: 216-244-3207
plasticsafety.com800-662-6338 2444 Baldwin Road Cleveland, Ohio 44104

Nov/Dec TB 2014

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Nov/Dec TB 2014

Similar to Nov/Dec TB 2014 (20)

More from artba

More from artba (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Nov/Dec TB 2014