WTS-Boston Summer 2012 Newsletter

A Newsletter of
WTS-Boston
summer 2012
photo: michael zagacgin, jacobs
Women’s Transportation Seminar - Boston Chapter | www.wtsinternational.org/boston
In this issue...
President’s Message
1
Feature Articles
1
New Members
3
Advertising/Job Postings
3
WTS Events
4
WTS Announcements
7
Landmark Ladies
9
Transportation Trivia
9
WTS Calendar 10
Sponsor Profiles
11
Sponsor Listing
12
Contacts13
The submission deadline for articles and
photographs for the next edition of the
newsletter is Friday, August 3rd.
If you would like to submit articles, ads, or
information for the newsletter, please email
Beth Dudek or Shannon Reilly.
Newsletter Committee
Elizabeth Dudek - Co-Chair
Shannon Reilly - Co-Chair
Salam Alsaraby
Alison Felix
Nicola Migliacci
Lauran Soares
Kristen Whitman
Michelle Zhe
Contributors/Sources
Alison Felix, MAPC
Kristine Gorman, STV Incorporated
Selma Mandzo-Preldzic, VHB
Janice Martin Bergeron, Gilbane Building
Company
Anne McKinnon, Jacobs Engineering
Lindsey Morse, Volpe National
Transportation Systems Center, U.S. DOT
Photography
Michael Manning
Frank Monkiewicz
WTS-Boston thanks
for its generous
donation of professional graphics and layout
services for the WTS newsletter.
President’s Message
By Lisa A. Schletzbaum, MassDOT
I love this time of
year, not only does
the weather turn
warmer and the sun
shine brighter, but it
offers a variety of WTSB o s t o n p ro g r a m s.
Within the past month
we enjoyed the May
Luncheon, a Diversity
Event, a formal
M entor ing MatchUp event, a Membership Mixer, the WTS
International Conference, and as I type, I look
forward to our local Scholarship and Awards
Dinner and our 20th Annual Golf Outing. There
truly is a program for everyone.
Always a highlight is the WTS International
Conference – a diverse group of talented
and knowledgeable speakers addressing
Leadership, Transportation Funding, Livability &
Sustainability and more. One of the memorable
moments of this year’s Conference, especially
for the WTS-Boston members, was Margaret
O’Meara, a past W TS-Boston President,
accepting the International Woman of the
Year Award. Read more about the conference
on pages 1-3.
On June 27th, WTS-Boston will celebrate all of
our Award winners and Scholarship recipients.
This event is one of my favorites because it is a
recognition of the five Award winners but also an
acknowledgement of their accomplishments,
many of which further the WTS mission of
advancing women in transportation. And let’s
not forget the inspirational words from the
three scholarship winners. It is amazing to me
that the bar is raised higher each year with the
ever increasing aptitude and drive of these
young women students.
Continued on page 3
WTS-Boston Newsletter Summer 2012
Feature Articles
WTS International
Conference
Highlights of the WTS
International Conference
By Lindsey Morse, AICP, Volpe National
Transportation Systems Center, U.S. DOT
The 2012 WTS Annual Conference took place
in Denver, Colorado, from May 9 to May 11.
It had much to offer, from mobile tours to
technical sessions, and from speaker events
to networking opportunities. Themes of the
conference reflected the four tracks of the
technical sessions, as well as leadership in
transportation and advancing women in
transportation. They included funding, livability
and sustainability, moving goods and people
worldwide, and professional development.
Some highlights included:
• The fourth P into the public-private
partnership (P3) relationship: promotion
• Application of a sustainable approach to
big events that allows investments made
for the event to be used long-term
• The challenge of the national race to
dredge ports for deeper ships and
potential value of a national strategy
• Collaboration and creativity in workforce
development
Continued on page 2
1
WTS International Conference continued from page 1
Arguably the highlight of the conference was a panel of female
State DOT Directors / Secretaries. Five out of the seven female State
DOT leaders participated in the panel. Liz Levin, MassDOT Board of
Directors and President of Liz Levin & Company, introduced the panel
and asked them a series of questions about changes they’ve brought
to their organizations, leadership skills necessary to be successful
in a male-dominated industry, and what accomplishments they
are most proud of. Consistent themes from the answers included
communication, accessibility, appreciation, and mentorship.
On communication, two quipped – “I bought phones for this
department that work two ways,” and “If you go home at night and
aren’t tired of talking, you didn’t communicate enough.” Panelists
also emphasized the value of being decisive, comfortable with a
decision landing in the newspaper, and able to explain it to the media
and public. More generally, the panelists noted the importance
of listening and ensuring that employees, stakeholders, and the
public know they have a voice. All of the panelists spoke of being
proud of their staff and of finding ways to show that appreciation,
whether through quarterly employment awards, handwritten thank
you notes, or stopping employees out driving snow ploughs to
say hello and thank you. The panelists also spoke about the role of
mentorship, both as a way to advance professionally and as a way
to leave a legacy in an organization.
The panel also addressed being a woman in a leadership position.
They advocated for visibility, assertiveness, having a “tough skin,”
“marrying well” (having a supportive network), and managing
priorities by setting rules and boundaries, such as establishing a
“kids’ time out” when the personal cell phone rings, regardless of
the meeting or situation.
Margaret O’Meara Awarded International
Woman of the Year Award
joining the private sector, Margaret was a dedicated public servant
for multiple Commonwealth of Massachusetts transportation
agencies, including MassHighway (now MassDOT), serving first
as Assistant Area Construction Manager for the Central Artery/
Tunnel project and District Highway Director for District 3, and
the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) as project
engineer, project analyst and Assistant Project Manager.
By Lindsey Morse, AICP, Volpe National Transportation Systems
Center U.S. DOT
At the Annual Awards Banquet,
Parsons Brinkerhoff President
and CEO, George Pierson,
introduced Margaret O’Meara
and presented her with an
award for WTS International
Woman of the Year, observing
that he was proud to be the
only man to speak at the
podium that evening.
The Woman of the Year Award
recognizes a woman who is a
leader in transportation and has
made an outstanding contribution to the transportation industry;
a woman who has directly contributed to the advancement of
women and minorities through programs or opportunities in
the transportation field; and a woman who through her career
achievements and support of women in the industry has advanced
the reputation and credibility of women in transportation.
Margaret O’Meara has demonstrated all three of these criteria. With
nearly 30 years of experience, Margaret is a recognized leader in the
transportation field, both with consulting firms and public agencies
dedicated to development and sustainability of public transportation
infrastructure. In her role as Vice President for Client Services and
Business Development at Parsons Brinckerhoff in Boston, Margaret is
responsible for client relationship management, strategic planning,
and business development within the New England region. Before
Other speakers at the conference included Jennifer Siebel Newsome,
film director of a new documentary called Miss Representation, who
spoke on how the media’s (mis)representation of women contributes
to the under-representation of women in positions of power and
influence. The Annual Awards Banquet celebrated many women
models but also highlighted the WTS Transportation You initiative,
with a CH2M Hill promotional video and photos and speakers on
the Transportation You Summit in Washington, DC.
Margaret recognizes the importance of giving a voice to the
transportation industry in the public policy realm. First at WTS and
then with MassGAP, Margaret has been a staunch proponent of
women in transportation, providing insight and perspective on key
policy issues in the public policy debate. She has fought tirelessly
to bring qualified women in transportation to Massachusetts for
leadership positions in the State’s transportation agencies.
Margaret has helped foster the future leaders of tomorrow—she
believes in the “reaching back” philosophy. Even as she has risen
to the top of the Boston transportation scene, Margaret’s goal is to
elevate those around her. When she was Co-Chair of the WTS Annual
Conference in Boston 2003, she would attend committee meetings
and bring younger members into the discussion, solicit their
opinions, and validate their ideas. Margaret has also been involved
in WTS-Boston’s formal mentoring program since its inception.
After years of service and leadership to WTS-Boston, Margaret served
a two-year term on the WTS International Board of Directors from
2008-2010. In 2010, Margaret was appointed to the WTS Advisory
Board and was instrumental in the creation and execution of the
very successful Executive Women’s Roundtable at the WTS Annual
Conference in San Francisco. The Roundtable event is now a standing
conference event, which brings together the most senior women in
the transportation industry for two days to discuss the state of our
transportation industry and the status of women in transportation.
Continued on page 3
WTS-Boston Newsletter Summer 2012
2
President's Message continued from page 1
Mid-summer will mark our 20th Annual Golf Outing on August 9th.
More details can be found in our Calendar on page 10. WTS members
recognized 20 years ago that business and pleasure do mix and quite
often happens on the golf course. Many members and non-members
with as much or as little golf skill can take advantage of our "best
ball" format golf event. At the May luncheon I encouraged people to
play no matter what their skill level and joked that the skilled golfers
should join my foursome. In all seriousness, join us on the green
and learn how to mix business with pleasure - in WTS-Boston style.
Enjoy the summer!
Lisa A. Schletzbaum
WTS-Boston President
MassDOT
WTS International Conference continued from page 2
WTS-Boston at the WTS Annual Conference
The Annual Conference was well-attended by WTS-Boston members.
President Lisa Schletzbaum, MassDOT and Lindsey Morse, U.S. DOT
Volpe Center and Co-Chair of the Outreach Committee, presented
posters during the poster session; Lisa on the MassDOT Accelerated
Bridge Program and Lindsey on a transportation, land use, and
climate change pilot project in Cape Cod conducted by the Volpe
Center. Margaret O’Meara, Parsons Brinkerhoff, received the 2012
WTS International Woman of the Year Award. Members of the group
took a cycling tour of the Denver B-Cycle System, enjoyed an Italian
dinner together, and attended a celebration in Margaret’s honor at
Parsons Brinckerhoff’s Denver office.
New Members
Between April 20 and June 7, 2012, the WTS-Boston Chapter gained
five new members.
• Katherine Maines, Student, Smith College
• Angie Castera, Director of Human Resources, MBCR
• Stephen Gazillo, Director of Transportation Planning,
URS Corporation
• Marianne Iarossi, Environmental Planner, VHB
• Laurie Pessah, Senior Planner, Toole Design Group
Welcome!
WTS-Boston Attendees (l-r): Jennifer Villegas, Christine Keville, Alexa Gangemi,
Sean O’Brien, Janice Bergeron, Carrie Rocha, Loretta Girard Doughty,
Margaret O’Meara, Dorri Giles Raposa, Lisa Schletzbaum, Liz Levin,
Lindsey Morse, Alison Lima, Marie Breen, Ildiko Juhasz, and Lee Feilpe.
ADVERTISING/JOB POSTINGS
WTS-Boston is on Facebook!
To join Facebook, click on the icon above.
WTS-Boston is on
WTS Career Center
The WTS Career Center is
a cce s s i b l e v i a t h e W TS
w e b s i t e . Po s i t i o n s a r e
in the public and private
sectors, span various salary
ranges, and are nationwide.
Employers may also post job
positions.
The WTS Career Center is
extremely user friendly. Simply
log onto wtsinternational.org
and select “Career Center.”
WTS-Boston Job Bank
Get tweets about WTS-Boston luncheons, events and news.
Search Twitter for WTS_Boston.
WTS-Boston Newsletter Summer 2012
One of the many benefits of WTS-Boston is access to the WTS-Boston
Job Bank. The Job Bank is located on the Boston chapter website.
There are several job postings currently on the site!
3
wts EVENTS
Engaging the Power of Diversity
May Luncheon: Guts of City Management
By Selma Mandzo-Preldzic, VHB
By Kristine C. Gorman, STV Incorporated
On May 14th, 2012, the
Diversity Committee
presented a skillbuilding workshop,
"More Effective
Meetings in Half the
Time with Lego Serious
Play : Engaging the
Power of Diversity".
The event took place
in VHB’s Boston office
conference room,
where attendees could
enjoy beautiful views
of the Boston Harbor
and the Rose Kennedy
Greenway.
The WTS-Boston May Luncheon titled, “Instituting Change—How
We Do It as Managers and Leaders in Massachusetts” was a panel
discussion by guest speakers Lisa DeMeo, City Engineer at the City
of Lowell; Susan E. Clippinger, Director of Transportation at the City
of Cambridge; and Joanne Massaro Commissioner at the City of
Boston Public Works Department. Introductions and moderation
were thoughtfully provided by Elizabeth "Liz" K. Levin, President of
Liz Levin & Company and one of the five-member Board of Directors
for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA).
Diversity Committee
Co-chair, Donna Denio,
co-led the program with
her business partner, Carla Suijkerbuijk. Donna connected with
the Lego Serious Play (LSP) process ten years ago, and has been a
passionate advocate of it ever since.
The LSP meeting facilitation process was created 15 years ago
through a collaboration of two business school professors from
the Institute of Management Development in Switzerland and the
Lego Group. Core assumptions of the design of the LSP process
are (1) diversity is an advantage, (2) every person in a meeting has
something important to say, and (3) the answer to every problem
and challenge is always in the room since collective knowledge and
insights of the group can solve any problem.
In many traditional meetings (without LSP), one or two people
do ninety percent of the talking. Often people who are new to a
company or a team, younger or older than others in the group, or
different in any way from the majority, tend to watch and listen. Also
engineers, designers and other “visual thinkers” are often slower to
speak than team leaders and other extraverted people. Often the
quietest people have some of the best ideas and the premise of the
LSP process ensures that EVERYONE participates in an equal and
empowering way.
In the words of Jieping Li, a program attendee and transportation
planner for CPTS, “I would never believe that I could introduce
my profession using Lego. Using Lego to present ideas makes
the introduction easy, especially when people have different
backgrounds. Lego provides an active way to promote effective
communication.” Lisa Chow, an engineer from VHB, noted that
“The Lego Serious Play event was an informative experience. It was
interesting to learn how we can use different techniques to engage
people for a more well rounded discussion and/or meeting.”
(l-r) Liz Levin, President of Liz Levin & Company; Susan Clippinger, Director of
Transportation for the City of Cambridge; Lisa DeMeo, City Engineer for the
City of Lowell; and, Joanne Massaro, Commissioner,
City of Boston Public Works Department
Liz opened the discussion by talking about how the panelists
represent “the guts of city management”. You may wonder how
women that issue driveway, trench and street opening permits, or
someone who implements traffic calming programs, or a women
who’s number one problem is keeping the streets clean have guts
but think about it; we need these positions filled by people that are
passionate about how we travel, live, work, and play in an urban
environment.
Lisa DeMeo has over 10 years experience in municipal work; both
city and town governments. In this capacity, she has overseen
the largest municipal sewer project in the state. She advises city
boards, conducts project reviews relative to stormwater, roadways,
sidewalks, and provides contract management for many public
works projects. When asked about the benefits of stormwater
regulations, Ms. DeMeo quickly pointed out that since Lowell is
densely developed and has an impervious land cover, the city has
seen dramatic results in reducing the water impurities measured
through river water testing. The stormwater regulations now have
processes in place to track violations with increased steps in the
process; and surprisingly all are being performed with the same
number of staff. Her ability to develop her team is based on open
recognition, allowing for flexible schedules and encouraging
Continued on page 5
WTS-Boston Newsletter Summer 2012
4
May Luncheon continued from page 4
obtaining Master’s degrees. She believes in being fair and said that
she hopes it shows that she genuinely cares. With all of the positive
changes she has provided for the City of Lowell, she feels her greatest
accomplishments are her three children.
Susan Clippinger, Director of the Traffic, Parking and Transportation
Department for the City of Cambridge, has been with the city
for the past 17 years. She attributes much of her success to the
City Manager, Bob Healy who’s been in office for over 30 years.
Together they aim to reduce the number of motor vehicles in the
city, particularly those occupied by single passengers. Her focus on
encouraging people to walk, bicycle and use transit, since the early
70s began by joining the coalition that was fighting against the
Inner Belt and Interstate Highway extensions into Boston. During her
tenure, Cambridge has installed miles of bicycle lanes and provided
numerous bicycle facilities, has seen the use of public transit rise, and
residential auto ownership drop. Her goal is to be strategically more
sustainable by increasing density and improving infrastructure. Ms.
Clippinger’s ability to set metrics and monitor performance goals has
proven successful as Cambridge has been recognized by receiving
numerous awards and is nationally notorious for its walk-ability.
Joanne Massaro holds degrees from Cornell University, Lesley
University and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard
University. Ms. Massaro was appointed Commissioner of Public
Works for the City of Boston in January 2010. She has been with
the city since 1995, holding various senior management positions,
including Director of Operations and Acting Director for the
Department of Neighborhood Development, and Special Projects
Director for the City’s Administration and Finance Cabinet. Ms.
Massaro feels her greatest challenge is keeping Boston’s streets
clean. By instituting a series of rules and processes, she has found
it is making it much easier for the residents and business owners to
comply. Since her appointment as Commissioner, the Public Works
Department has installed more recycle bins, trash barrels, and big
belly solar trash compactors. One particular success story is the
Waste Zero/Recycle More program in and around the South End, a
program that allows residents to use specified clear plastic bags for
single stream recycling. By offering innovative solutions such as the
Waste Zero/Recycle More program, the City of Boston is providing
a number of advantages for residents. Although Ms. Massaro does
not have a background in engineering she believes what makes her
successful as a leader in change is her ability to “be bold” and “direct.”
She told the audience that to be successful, “Say what needs to be
said”. She prides herself on being fair and centered and joked that
she hoped her colleagues would agree.
As Ms. DeMeo, Ms. Clippinger and Ms. Massaro answered Liz Levin’s
and the audience’s questions about change and leadership, and how
they go hand in hand, it was easy to see that these three women are
true leaders. Ms. Levin closed the event by pointing out that there is
a lesson to be learned. The panelists have learned how to selflessly
improve people’s lives across the Commonwealth. She challenged,
“If you can figure out what you can do as a good job—do it because
everyone in this room has the skills.”
2012 April Leadership Breakfast
Lucy Garliauskas Receives WTS-Boston’s
16th Annual Leadership Award
By Kristine C. Gorman, STV Incorporated
On April 25, 2012, WTS-Boston Chapter President Lisa Schletzbaum
presented the 2012 Leadership Award to Lucy Garliauskas, Associate
Administrator for Planning and Environment for the Federal Transit
Administration (FTA). The WTS-Boston Leadership Award is given
annually to a distinguished woman in the transportation field
who exemplifies the outstanding leadership qualities that WTS
seeks to foster in its members. The WTS-Boston Board selected
Ms. Garliauskas as this year’s recipient because of her impressive
professional accomplishments, her strong and collaborative
leadership skills, and her extraordinary contributions to WTS.
Judith Nitsch, PE, Founding Principal and Chairman of the Board,
Nitsch Engineering and Lucy Garliauskas, Associate Administrator for Planning
& Environment for the FTA
(l-r): Jacqueline Carver, Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.;
Kathryn Jenner, TranSystems;
Kelly Chronley, Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.; and
Christine Breen, Nitsch Engineering
Ms. Garliauskas has a long history of involvement with WTS,
including having served on the WTS National Board from 1990-1998
and as the National President from 1996-1998. During her tenure as
President, she helped establish the National Advisory Board and the
National Scholarship Board as separate tax exempt organizations.
In that two-year period, WTS saw unprecedented chapter growth as
it added nine new chapters to its existing 25. For the organization’s
20th anniversary celebration at its 1997 national conference, Ms.
Garliauskas spoke at a White House reception that gave WTS National
Board Members and Chapter Presidents the opportunity to meet
with White House officials.
Continued on page 6
WTS-Boston Newsletter Summer 2012
5
April Leadership Breakfast continued from page 5
At the FTA, Ms. Garliauskas oversees the planning, development,
and evaluation of major capital investments in “New Starts” transit
projects, as well as guiding the development of policies and
training for metropolitan and statewide transportation planning
and environmental review of all FTA-assisted projects. Prior to
joining the FTA, she was the Director of the Federal Highway
Administration’s (FHWA’s) Office of Human Environment, where she
interpreted and applied federal legislation relating to the human
environment through the federal aid highway program. For eight
years before that, Ms. Garliauskas was the Federal Highway Division
Administrator for Rhode Island and then Massachusetts, where she
worked tirelessly to advance streamlined interagency coordination
for expedited project development. She began her transportation
career at the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Mass Transit
Administration, and has also held positions with the City of Evanston
and the DuPage Regional Planning Commission in Illinois as well as
with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. She holds a Bachelor’s
degree from Marygrove College and a Master’s degree from the
University of Chicago.
As she proudly accepted her award at the WTS-Boston Leadership
Breakfast, Ms. Garliauskas spoke to WTS-Boston members and
sponsors about the importance of public service and interagency
collaboration to advance transportation projects during difficult
times. She highlighted how WTS provided her with the partnerships
necessary to transform professional challenges into career successes,
and called the organization a “network of networks.” She expressed
her profound appreciation for the “smart and dynamic women of
Boston” who have made a huge difference in the development of
WTS, even at the national level. As her own story clearly exemplifies,
she closed by reminding everyone that WTS not only creates great
leaders, but sustains them as well.
April Luncheon: Moving the Needle – Mode
Shift in Massachusetts
By Kristine C. Gorman, STV Incorporated
The April 12th WTS-Boston April Luncheon, “Moving the Needle
– Mode Shift in Massachusetts: Increasing Choices for Healthy &
Economically Sustainable Mobility” was hosted by guest speakers
Catherine Cagle, LEED AP, Registered Landscape Architect (RLA),
and MassDOT Manager of Sustainable Transportation and by
Nicole Freedman, City of Boston Director of Bicycle Programs. While
celebrating Earth Day, attendees of the luncheon learned about
mode shift in Massachusetts. Ms. Cagle shared MassDOT’s statewide
plan and goals and how MassDOT's GreenDOT policy is serving as a
clear 'call to action' for all transportation partners and professionals.
Catherine Cagle, LEED AP, MassDOT Manager of Sustainable Transportation
Ms. Cagle has focused on livability and sustainability issues for over
19 years and she joined the State team several months before the
launch of MassDOT. Her professional background blends private
land development and public planning and economic development
experience in site planning, capital project delivery and Brownfield
permitting/redevelopment. At MassDOT, she oversees Sustainable
Transportation that includes the GreenDOT policy, the Healthy
Transportation Compact, and bicycle and pedestrian transportation
planning.
Doreen Bennett, Office Manager, BAKER / WOHL ARCHITECTS
Hubway bicycle
Continued on page 7
WTS-Boston Newsletter Summer 2012
6
April Luncheon continued from page 6
Nicole Freedman, the former Director of Bicycle Programs for the
City of Boston, and Mayor Menino started the bike programs. Nicole
attended MIT before graduating with a degree in Urban Planning
from Stanford University in 1994. Prior to working for the city, she
bicycle raced professionally, competing in the 2000 Olympics for
the United States in Sydney, Australia.
wts announcements
Congratulations to W TS-Boston
member Rachael Barolsky Sack (of
the USDOT Volpe Center and Secretary
of the Board of Directors) as she and
her husband, Joshua, welcome their
new son Jacob Stephen Sack into the
world. Jacob arrived at 8:27 PM on
Thursday, May 31, 2012, weighing 7
lbs, 1 oz., 19 inches long, and with a
very full head of hair!
Rachael and Jacob are both doing
well. Congratulations!!!
Mary H. Snyder Memorial Fund
By Anne L. McKinnon, Jacobs Engineering
Nicole Freedman, City of Boston Director of Bicycle Programs
Further advancing the GreenDOT vision, MassDOT is establishing
a statewide mode shift goal. From autos to peds and bikes, Ms.
Freedman shared Mayor Menino’s plan to increase cycling in the city
and provided an update on the Hubway system. Ms. Freedman and
Ms. Cagle asked attendees to inwardly ask themselves, “What can I do
to advance GreenDOT and the City of Boston goals and inspire mode
shift to healthy and economically sustainable mobility choices?”
Transportation YOU Summit
By Lindsey Morse, AICP, Volpe National
Transportation Systems Center, U.S. DOT
Transportation YOU is a result of a Memorandum of Understanding
between WTS and the U.S. Department of Transportation. Part of the
initiative includes a DC Youth Summit, where 16 mentor-mentee
pairs convened from March 28 to April 1, in Washington, D.C. WTSBoston selected and provided funding to send Ruth Densamo, a
sophomore at Cambridge Rindge Latin School, and her mentor,
Kristine Gorman, Project Manager at STV Incorporated and Programs
Committee Co-Chair, to attend the summit. Ruth participated in the
Science Olympiad this past spring and is a member of the Physics
and Engineering Clubs and Science Club for Girls at her school. Ruth’s
participation was facilitated by Cambridge School Volunteers, a nonprofit that supports academic and personal success of Cambridge
public school students.
The summit had a packed agenda, with visits to the National
Mall, National Transportation Safety Board training facility, Turner
Fairbanks Highway Research Center Laboratories, Federal Aviation
Administration’s Potomac Terminal Radar Approach Control Facilities
(TRACON), and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s
Control Center. In addition there were meetings with U.S. Secretary
of Transportation Ray LaHood and officials from the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration, Federal Transit Administration, and
the American Public Transportation Association. Ruth in particular
enjoyed learning about air traffic control operations and accessible
design considerations. The summit will be held again next year from
June 26th to June 30th in Washington D.C.
WTS-Boston Newsletter Summer 2012
The Friends and Family of the Mary H.
Snyder Committee invite you to join
in celebrating and marking late Mary
Snyder’s life and her contributions to
transportation and community. Mary,
who died in May 2011 at age 87, was a
transportation planner and founding
member of WTS-Boston. The Committee
is raising funds for a bench and a tree on
the Southwest Corridor Park in Boston,
a transportation project and park Ms.
Snyder helped create.
Mary worked at the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) from
1975 through 1981. She then joined Fay, Spofford & Thorndike, Inc.,
and became the planner for the MBTA’s Southwest Corridor Project
in the Back Bay and South End. Ms. Snyder was a passionate transit
advocate who worked on accessibility and transit issues at CTPS; was
a member of the MBTA Access Advisory Committee; and a longtime
member and officer on the Board of Directors of the Association for
Public Transportation. In retirement, she was very active in planning
and civic affairs on Martha’s Vineyard.
When I was a graduate student at Tufts University in 1984 and looking
for an internship, someone gave me Ms. Snyder’s phone number.
After rattling off a half-dozen leads, she gave me the best advice one
could give a young female interested in transportation: join WTS. I
did and I am grateful to Ms. Snyder for that, and other valuable advice
she gave me over the years. I am glad I was able to personally thank
her at a 20th anniversary celebration of the Southwest Corridor Park
for her help in launching my career.
If you are interested in contributing, please send checks made out
to the Mary H. Snyder Memorial Fund to First Federal Savings Bank,
19 School Street, Boston, MA 02108. Thank you.
7
MASSACHUSETTS IS NOW RANKED AS THE 3RD MOST
“BICYCLE FRIENDLY STATE” IN THE NATION
By the League of American Bicyclists
The Bicycle Friendly States ranking is based on a comprehensive
survey completed by state departments of transportation and
state bicycling advocates. It asks 50 questions across 5 categories:
Legislation and Enforcement, Policies and Programs, Infrastructure
and Funding, Education and Encouragement, Evaluation and
Planning. The results listed above provide only a snap shot of the full
application. They are intended to offer some ideas for further growth
in bicycle friendliness. For more information, visit www.bikeleague.
org/states or contact Matt Wempe at (202) 822-1333.
80-100%
Rank
Oklahoma
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
Idaho
Ohio
Mississippi
Rhode Island
South Dakota
Hawaii
New York
Nebraska
Kentucky
New Mexico
Montana
Alabama
West Virginia
North Dakota
Arkansas
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
Washington
Minnesota
Massachusetts
Colorado
Oregon
Wisconsin
New Jersey
Maryland
Maine
Delaware
Illinois
California
Utah
Arizona
Pennsylavania
Iowa
Virginia
Vermont
Michigan
Connecticut
Florida
New Hampshire
Georgia
North Carolina
Wyoming
Tennessee
Texas
Missouri
Nevada
Indiana
Louisiana
South Carolina
Alaska
Kansas
Legislation &
Enforcement
RANKING #
Governor: Deval Patrick
DOT Commissioner: Richard Davey
State Advocacy Group: MassBike
Feedback
60-80%
40-60%
20-40%
0-20%
Scoring Criteria
State
BFS Report Card
Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator: Josh Lehman
2012 Bicycle Friendly
States Ranking
Key: The percent of total points
available attained by each state
Massachusetts
Policies &
Programs
Infrastructure
& Funding
Education &
Encouragement
Evaluation &
Planning
• Adopt a vulnerable road user law with a
minimum safe passing distance to address
bicyclist safety.
• Review the state’s policies and application
processes to address the low obligation rates
of the following dedicated bicycle and pedestrian federal funding programs including
Transportation Enhancements, Recreational
Trails, and Safe Routes to School.
• Adopt federal funding project rating criteria
that incentivize bicycle projects and accommodations. The majority of the state’s spending is focused on a handful of sources (e.g.
CMAQ) but neglects others (e.g. TE, HSIP).
• Bicycle ridership, while good, must continue
to increase. Determine barriers that people
face when bicycling and implement a comprehensive strategy to reduce barriers and
increase ridership.
• Dedicate additional resources towards fully
implementing the state’s existing bicycle
plan, as adopted in 2008.
3
REGIONAL
RANKING
Category Scores
4
Legislation and Enforcement
5
Policies and Programs
2
Infrastructure and Funding
4
Education and Encouragement
4
Evaluation and Planning
NORTHEAST: #1
Scoring: 5 = High 1 = Low
One Bicycle Friendly Success
MassDOT’s Green DOT policy sets ambitious goals to promote healthy
transportation modes through investment and initiatives.
Top Tip for Improvement
Adopt a vulnerable road user law that includes a minimum safe
passing distance and stricter consequences for violations.
Top 10 Signs of Success
People Commuting by Bike (More than 1%)
Safe Passing/Vulnerable Road User Law
Complete Streets Policy
Dedicated State Funding
Active State Advocacy Group
State Bicycle Plan (Adopted 2002 or later)
Share the Road Campaign
Bicycle Education for Police
Bicycle Safety Emphasis in Strategic Highway Safety Plan
Top 10 State for Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Spending
The Bicycle Friendly States ranking is based on a comprehensive survey completed by state departments of transportation and state bicycling advocates. It asks 50 questions across 5 categories: Legislation and
Enforcement, Policies and Programs, Infrastructure and Funding, Education and Encouragement, Evaluation and Planning. The results listed above provide only a snap shot of the full application. They are intended
to offer some ideas for further growth in bicycle friendliness. For more information, visit www.bikeleague.org/states or contact Matt Wempe at (202) 822-1333 or [email protected].
Learn more at bikeleague.org/states
WTS-Boston Newsletter Summer 2012
8
landmark ladies
transportation trivia
Submitted By Alison Felix, MAPC
History of the Car Radio
It's hard to imagine a world where cars don't have radios but it wasn't
until 1930 that the first in-car radio hit the market. Since then, it's
been constantly upgraded, from mountable radios to the "integrated
infotainment systems" in vehicles today. This timeline highlights the
80-year history of on-the-road entertainment.
1930 – Radios were first
installed in cars with the
Galvin Brothers in-car radio
“Motorola” unit—"motor"
for automobile and "ola" for
sound. The car radio unit
was so successful that the
company changed its name
to that of the product in
1947.
Welcome to WTS-Boston Landmark Ladies, an exciting column that
provides interesting facts about the inspirational women of WTSBoston’s leadership and history, soon to be commemorated in a WTS
public art installation. Read these facts, delight in the highlights of
women past and present, and receive updates on the progress of the
public art installation as we look forward to the celebration of our
“Landmark Ladies” through art.
Jane Howard, President,
Howard/Stein-Hudson
1952 – Originally called
‘Frequency Modulation’, FM
By Janice Martin Bergeron, Gilbane Building Company
radio was introduced.
Jane Howard and Kathy Stein founded
the transportation consulting firm
Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates (HSH)
in 1987. HSH continues to actively
encourage the participation and
professional development of women
and minorities in the transportation
industry. Over the past 17 years, the
staff has grown to approximately 45
planners, engineers, and support
personnel. The firm provides traffic
engineering, municipal and regional
planning, roadway design and civil
engineering, public involvement, land
development, and institutional planning for a wide variety of clients
around the United States. HSH has won a number of awards both
for its planning and engineering work and for the company’s role
as an exemplary woman owned employer.
1964 – Cassette players were installed in cars.
Jane Howard has been active in WTS since the days of the original
Boston “Women’s Transportation Group” in the 1970’s which later
became affiliated with the Women’s Transportation Seminar, serving
on the Board and various committees over the years. “WTS has
come a long way since its beginnings,” says Jane. “So many more
opportunities are available to women than there were when we
started out, and so many more women mentors. It is my hope that
WTS imparts to the young women of today the idea that they should
take nothing for granted, and never forget the role the organization
and its leaders have played in advancing women in the field.”
1985 –CD players were installed in cars.
2007 – Automakers begin to offer drivers voice-activated access to
content on their iPads and cell phones.
2012 – Chevy Spark abandons the CD player in favor of a MyLink
infotainment system. MyLink essentially turns the car into an app
by integrating the Smart Phone and stored media with the radio.
Source: Infographic: 82 years of car radio, Bailey Johnson,
CBSnews.com; tomsguide.com, and ubergizmo.com
She has a Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and a Master’s
degree in Community Planning from the University of Rhode Island,
and more than 35 years of professional experience.
WTS-Boston Newsletter Summer 2012
9
WTS Calendar
Board of Directors
Tuesday, July 10th
8:00am – 9:30am
Board Meeting – MBTA Board Room, 3rd Floor, 10 Park Plaza
WTS EVENTS
Thursday, August 9th
11:45am Registration
12:30pm Shotgun Start
WTS-Boston 20th Annual Golf Outing – Wayland Country Club, 121 Old Sudbury Road,
Wayland, MA
Please join WTS-Boston as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of our annual golf outing. This is
a great opportunity for beginners to play in a 9-hole scramble format.
Cost: $60 per player for WTS members, $80 per player for non-members - Includes greens fees,
golf cart, post outing meal and outing gift. Checks should be made out to WTS-Boston and
mailed to Sarah Dennechuk, Jacobs, 343 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210.
To make a raffle prize donation, please contact Mary Kate Toomey
WTS-Boston Adopt-a-Hole Program
The Adopt-a-Hole Program is an important source of funding the WTS Foundation, supporting
the Boston Chapter’s Scholarship Program which awards an annual scholarship to one
undergraduate and two graduate students planning to enter into the field of transportation.
A tax-deductible contribution by your organization would be an investment in a young person
today that could help develop tomorrow’s top-flight professional.
As a THANK YOU to the Participants:
• Your organization’s name will be displayed on a colorful sign at an assigned hole demonstrating your support of the WTS Foundation Program to all the players.
• A welcome board listing all the Adopt-a-Hole sponsors will be placed at the registration
table and in the clubhouse during the after tournament reception.
• We will recognize all Adopt-a-Hole sponsors at the event, in our chapter newsletter, and at
our September Luncheon.
Adopt-a-Hole donations are $125 per hole. Adoptions will be assigned on a first come, first
served basis. Reservations are binding. Checks should be made out to the “WTS Foundation”
and mailed to Sarah Dennechuk, Jacobs, 343 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210.
WTS-Boston Newsletter Summer 2012
10
Sponsor Profiles
Providing Engineering
Solutions to Rebuild
America’s Infrastructure
Highway | Bridge | Traffic
Survey & Mapping | Building Systems
Underwater Engineering
Construction Inspection
Protective Coatings
181 Ballardvale Street, Suite 202 | Wilmington, MA 01887 | 978.570.2999 | Additional GPI offices located throughout the US | www.gpinet.com
WTS-Boston Newsletter Summer 2012
11
Sponsor Profiles
COMPREHENSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES
FOR THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
As a leading provider of infrastructure services, Shaw designs, constructs, and maintains
many of our nation’s critical transportation systems. From roads and bridges to ports
and rail facilities, we combine advanced technologies and construction techniques
with proven management strategies to deliver quality projects. Our work for
Massachusetts includes:
• MBTA Owner’s Representative for Government Center Station Improvements
• MassDOT Design of Route 2A/Marrett Road Over I-95/Route 128
• Massport Environmental Consulting and Massachusetts Contingency
Plan Services
• MWRA Construction Management of the North Dorchester Bay
Combined Sewer Overflow Tunnel
ENVIRONMENTAL & INFRASTRUCTURE • POWER
ENERGY & CHEMICALS • FABRICATION & MANUFACTURING
www.shawgrp.com
03M062012D
Sponsor listing
2012 Sponsors
EXECUTIVE
ASSOCIATE
CDM Smith
Donovan Hatem LLP
Geocomp
Gilbane Building Company
G
Greenman
– Pedersen,
P d
Inc.
I (GPI)
HDR
HNTB
Jacobs
Kleinfelder/S E A Consultants
Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad
Massachusetts Port Authority
Nitsch Engineering
Parsons Brinckerhoff
Tetra Tech
VHB / Vanasse Hangen Brustlin
BETA Group
Bryant Associates
BSC Group
Cambridge Systematics
F Spofford
Fay,
S ff d & Thorndike
Th dik
GEI Consultants, Inc.
Keville Enterprises
STV Incorporated
The Shaw Group
SUPPORTER
BAKER/WOHL ARCHITECTS
CDW Consultants
CH2M Hill
Crosby | Schlessinger | Smallridge
E il Associates
Epsilon
A
i t
Green International Affiliates
Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates
MacroSys
Nover-Armstrong Associates
Robinson & Cole LLP
SPONSORSHIP HAS ITS ADVANTAGES
WTS-Boston Newsletter Summer 2012
12
contacts
WTS-BOSTON - 2012 BOARD OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT
Lisa A. Schletzbaum
MassDOT, Highway Division
617-973-7685
VICE PRESIDENT
Alison Plant Lima, P.E.
Tetra Tech
508-903-2313
SECRETARY
Rachael Barolsky Sack
U.S.DOT/ Volpe Center
617-494-6352
TREASURER
Iris N. Ortiz
Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
617-354-0167
PAST PRESIDENT
Loretta Girard Doughty, P.E.
HDR Engineering, Inc.
617-357-7700
DIRECTORS
Anna M. Barry
MBTA
617-222-3433
Genevieve Cahill
BSC Group, Inc.
617-896-4320
Sarah E. Dennechuk, P.E.
Jacobs
617-242-9222
Rachel Kaprielian
MassDOT Registry of Motor Vehicles
617-973-7972
Helen Mao, P.E.
Massachusetts Port Authority
617-568-3664
Rebecca S. Williamson, P.E.
Greenman-Pedersen, Inc.
781-279-5500 ext.3007
WTS-BOSTON - 2012 COMMITTEE CHAIRS
COMMUNICATIONS
Michelle Daigle
Federal Highway Administration Massachusetts Division
617-494-3330
Meghan Miller, E.I.T., LEED AP
Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.
617-728-7777 ext. 2923
DIVERSITY
Donna Denio
DiverseSpace
781-910-1921
Lyris Bauduy-Liautaud, P.E.
MassDOT, Highway Division
617-973-8446
FINANCE
Alison Felix, A.I.C.P.
Metropolitan Area Planning Council
617-451-2770 ext. 2048
FUNDRAISING
Marie Harris, P.E.
Fay, Spofford & Thorndike
781-221-1246
MEMBERSHIP
OUTREACH
PUBLIC ART PROJECT
Pamela Greco
Susie Siden Bailey
Lisa A. Brothers, P.E.
Jessica Aker
Lindsey K. Morse
Hyun-A Park
Greenman-Pedersen, Inc.
781-279-5500 ext. 3005
Massachusetts Department of
Transportation
617-973-8257
MENTORING
Gina Barberio
U.S. DOT/Volpe Center
617-494-3571
Tammy Powell
MBTA
617-222-6697
NEWSLETTER
Beth Dudek
Parsons Brinckerhoff
617-960-5059
Shannon A. Reilly, Esq.
Construction Industries of
Massachusetts
781-551-0582
HDR Engineering, Inc.
617-357-7700
U.S. DOT/Volpe Center
617-494-2435
PROGRAMS
Kristine C. Gorman
STV
617-303-1115
Carrie Lavallee, P.E.
MassDOT, Highway Division
617-973-8834
PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
Irene Shea
MBTA
617-222-1572
Kristen Whitman, P.E.
Jacobs
617-532-4284
Nitsch Engineering
617-338-0063
Spy Pond Partners
617-395-4370
SCHOLARSHIPS
AND AWARDS
Denise Bartone
CDW Consultants, Inc.
508-875-2657
Sasha L. Wood, P.E.
SPECIAL PROJECTS
Heather N. Ostertog, P.E.
Fay, Spofford & Thorndike
617-723-8882 ext. 223
Allison Sweeney
MBTA
617-222-5471
Susan Nichols, LEED AP
Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.
617-924-1770
WTS-BOSTON - 2012 ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS (TERMS)
PAST-PRESIDENT
(2011-2012)
Loretta Girard Doughty, P.E.
HDR Engineering, Inc.
617-357-7700
PAST-PAST-PRESIDENT
(2011-2012)
Jacquelyn I. Wilkins
Massachusetts Port Authority
617-568-3558
Barbara Boylan (2012-2014)
Skanska USA Building, Inc.
617-574-1496
Janice Martin Bergeron
(2011-2013)
Lisa A. Brothers, P.E. (2010-2012)
Gilbane Building Company
617-426-9570 ext. 104
Astrid Glynn (2010-2012)
Keville Enterprises, Inc.
339-793-3789
Nitsch Engineering
617-338-0063
Transportation Planning and
Resource Group
781-259-9353
Liz Levin (2010-2012)
Carrie L. Rocha, P.E. (2012-2014)
Luisa Paiewonsky (2011-2013)
MacroSys /Volpe National
Transportation Systems Center
617-494-2364
Susan Quinones (2011-2013)
Pamela Stephenson (2012-2014)
Federal Highway Administration
617-494-3657
Dorri Giles Raposa
WTS International Board
HDR Engineering, Inc.
617-357-7733
Liz Levin & Company
617-974-5088
WTS-Boston Newsletter Summer 2012
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