August 31, 2017 
WTS SW Idaho 
Chapter Newsletter
Issue No. 29
In This Issue
In Case You Missed It
This summer we learned about the Real ID program and BOI Airport's Master Plan, discussed public transit at JUMP & got to know Travis McGrath, ITD's new Chief Operating Officer 
WTS SW Idaho hosts a professional development event each month that brings Treasure Valley transportation professionals together to mingle and learn what's new in the industry. Here's a quick look at our most recent events, all of which have been popular and well received.

Lunch & Learns 
In May, Vince Trimboli, Communication Director for the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) , talked with us about the Department of Homeland Security's REAL ID program , and how it pertains to Idaho. In June,  Boise Airport Director Rebecca Hupp shared proposed updates to the BOI Airport Master Plan , and consultant Steve Green discussed some lessons  Treasure Valley leaders can learn from Utah's successful integration of public transit for our August luncheon at JUMP.

An Evening Meet & Greet 
We had the opportunity to enjoy time with  Travis McGrathwho joined ITD earlier this year after a national search  and is now serving as the Chief Operations Officer following Jim Carpenter's retirement. The evening event at Cottonwood Grille featured an array of hors d'oeuvres, a no-host cash bar and very insightful discussion. 

Thank you to our guest speakers and their respective organizations for contributing your time and knowledge!
You're Invited!
Litter Pick Up is Sept. 9th
We need volunteers for our chapter's Adopt-A-Highway Litter Pick Up Event on September 9th. Any amount of time you can commit between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. will be greatly appreciated, and it will be fun! 
Contact Dave Butzier to sign up as a volunteer. 


SAVE THE DATE! Our next Lunch & Learn is Sept. 28th
Our Lunch & Learn for September will be a panel discussion about economic development plans, proposals and opportunities for Boise's up-and-coming Whitewater Park neighborhood. 
Watch for an email from us soon with registration details.
WTS International Annual Conference Recap
Our Chapter President Dyan Bevins represented WTS SW Idaho at the 2017 WTS International Conference. This year's annual conference was attended by over 600 people from WTS chapters all over the world. 

The conference included chapter leadership meetings, professional development and training seminars, the annual awards gala and breakout working group sessions. There were p anel discussions with industry leaders about sustainable and resilient infrastructure, and Ariana Huffington was featured as a keynote speaker.

"Other communities all over the country are facing the same challenges and issues. The conference was an opportunity for us all to focus on the fact that getting something done starts with finding 
common ground and working together ." 
    -- Dyan Bevins, WTS SW Idaho Chapter President
2017 May in Motion totals are in!
Each year, many of our WTS SW Idaho chapter members and sponsors support May In Motion. Below are some highlights of the 2017 results!


Over 100 businesses involved
8,411 people participated
77,317 "smart trips" taken during May

May in Motion  is an annual campaign organized by ACHD's Commuteride. The month is devoted to encouraging organizations, employers, businesses and Treasure Valley community members to use and raise awareness of alternative commuting options, such as vanpooling, carpooling, transit, cycling and walking during the month of May. 

Ridetober will be back for 2017. This is a great opportunity to jump onboard and become a smart commuter.
If you have a topic suggestion or want to contribute an article for our next newsletter contact Kara Veit
WTS SW Idaho Sponsor Spotlight

Congratulations to WTS on 10 years in SW Idaho!

WHPacific is a full service, multi-discipline engineering firm with offices throughout the western United States and Alaska. We offer a talented and capable team of professional engineers, architects, surveyors and planners to our clients. WHPacific supports projects in the broad categories of transportation and planning, facilities engineering, development services, environment and water resources, and survey and mapping.

Since 1986, Idaho agencies and businesses have chosen WHPacific as a preferred service provider and benefitted from our attention to detail and excellent customer service. The multi-talented staff in our Boise office continually work to develop innovative, high-quality, cost-effective solutions that meet client needs while being sensitive to the community and the natural environment. Our methods emphasize a collaborative approach and efficient project management, resulting in successful project delivery-on time and on budget-for our clients.

Owned by Alaska's NANA Development Corporation, WHPacific is the largest Native American-owned A/E firm in the U.S. and is certified as a Minority Business Enterprise by the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC). Through this certification, our clients can be confident that they've chosen to work with a legitimate minority owned business.
It is our honor to have been able to support and sponsor WTS since the founding of its chapter in the Treasure Valley. WHPacific looks forward to shaping the future of transportation in SW Idaho alongside our professional colleagues in WTS!

 Learn more at 
WTS Sponsor Spotlight

HDR: A Century of Pushing Boundaries

HDR's history started in 1917, when a determined engineer named Henning H. Henningson founded Henningson Engineering Company in Omaha, Nebraska. While traveling across rural Nebraska, he was struck by how many communities lacked clean water and electric power. Determined to help, his first project was for the City of Ogallala in Nebraska where he designed a power house. Similar projects followed and his work expanded to other mid-western communities.

While working on development of a Southeastern Nebraska Public Power District, Henningson met Willard Richardson, an electrical engineer. In 1936, Richardson joined the firm and provided input on electrification work throughout the Midwest. Soon after, a civil engineer named Chuck Durham joined the firm. Durham took charge of the firm's civil work. Durham and Richardson were made partners in 1946 and became the "D" and "R" in HDR.

The duo helped spur a new era of growth and leadership, adding architectural services in the 1950s and later resource management, community planning, transportation and more. By the early 1980s, we were operating in 21 U.S. offices with 1,100 employees and today we're a global company, with nearly 10,000 employees in more than 225 locations around the world. Our Idaho staff of 108, in our Boise and Coeur d'Alene offices, includes civil engineers, structural engineers, water resources engineers, GIS specialists, strategic communication specialists, environmental scientists, real estate specialists, construction inspectors, and technical and support staff . While this means we can bring an impressive breadth and depth of services to our clients, it's our commitment to the place we call home that makes us special. Everyday our employees strive to make a difference, both in the work they get paid to do and as community volunteers.

While we can't say what our future holds, we do know this: we'll be right there with our clients, collaborating and creating in the only way we know how-together.

Learn more at  https://www.hdrinc.com/
WTS Sponsor Spotlight
Transportation systems, at their best, bring a higher quality of life by connecting communities and focusing on safety.  Strong efforts must continuously be made to sustain and improve all modes of transportation.  Keller Associates Inc. recognizes that, like transportation systems, engineering services require a commitment to the people they serve.

We specialize in conceiving well-designed systems by using innovation and collaboration.  During times of population growth and changing economies ­­we provide quality, yet cost-effective, solutions to our clients.  Our footprint throughout the West continues to grow with offices in California, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.  Keller Associates is not only eager to provide collaborative solutions to a wide array of client needs, but also strives to cultivate and diversify our team in order to provide multiple strategies and insights to client issues.  By doing so, Keller Associates is more than 'just' an engineering firm, we are a partner in your community.
Our Pledge to You
  • A "can-do" work philosophy
  • Govern activities with honesty and integrity
  • Treat individuals with dignity and respect
  • Honor commitments
  • Build long-standing relationships
 Learn more at  www.kellerassociates.com
 

For more on Corporate & Event Sponsorships contact Donn Carnahan