Anderson and Associates: In the News

Richmond, VA (February 2009) – Anderson & Associates, Inc. and the Bedford County Public Service Authority were awarded the Merit Award by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Virginia, for the “Isle of Pines to Gross Point Waterline Project”.

This award recognizes the innovative applications and sustainable design characteristics of the project. The annual Engineering Excellence Awards competition is sponsored by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Virginia. Projects from firms across the Commonwealth vie each year for recognition for design excellence.

The Bedford County, Virginia Public Service Authority wished to combine four individual water systems into a central public water system along the length of Smith Mountain Lake to improve water quality, reliability, odor, and taste, and to accommodate population growth. Anderson & Associates, Inc. was retained by Bedford County, VA Public Service Authority (Authority) as a design consultant and to provide surveying and mapping, environmental permitting, hydraulic modeling, easement preparation, presentations to the public, construction plan development, and agency approvals for the Isle of Pines to Gross Point Waterline.
Anderson & Associates worked closely with the Authority to complete this project, and all industries and users will benefit from abundant, clean water including residents and any tourism developments pursued within the County.

Anderson & Associates, Inc. is a professional design services firm headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, with branch offices in North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. A&A offers a diverse range of services including but not limited to site and transportation design, water/wastewater design, stormwater management, surveying, information technology, and GIS.

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Anderson and Associates Employees Earn LEED Accreditation

BLACKSBURG, VA - Adam Czesnowski, PE, Angela Parrish, PE, and Kim Rennick, CLA have passed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accreditation exam and became LEED Accredited Professionals. LEED measures a building’s performance in five key areas of human and environmental health including sustainable site planning, water use reduction, energy efficiency and renewable energy, conservation of materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality. By becoming a LEED Accredited Professional, Adam and Angela are prepared to use their knowledge and skills to participate in the design process, to support and encourage integrated design, and to streamline the application and certification process.

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Ken Anderson named to Transportation Technologies Advisory Committee

BLACKSBURG, VA - Ken Anderson, CEO and founder of Anderson & Associates, has been named to the 2008 Transportation Technologies Advisory Committee. The appointment was made by Delegate Joe T. May, chairman of the Virginia Joint Commission on Technology and Science.

Anderson & Associates, Inc. is a professional design services firm headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, with branch offices in West Virginia, North Carolina, and Virginia. A&A offers a diverse range of services including but not limited to site and transportation design, water/wastewater design, stormwater management, surveying, information technology, and GIS.

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A&A Welcomes New Employees

BLACKSBURG, VA - Whitney Blankenship has joined the firm as a Design Technician. Blankenship is a student at Virginia Tech where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.

Sharon Stacy Blackwell is A&A’s newest Web Programmer. Blackwell holds a BA in Communication Studies from Virginia Tech and brings with her over 12 years of design experience.

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Town to Begin Major Intersection Improvements this Month

BLACKSBURG, VA (August 7, 2008) - The Town of Blacksburg and Virginia Tech will begin a $4 million intersection improvement project beginning August 18. The improvements will take place at the intersections of West Campus and Prices Fork Road, Tom’s Creek Road and Prices Fork Road, Progress Street and Patrick Henry, Ellet Road and South Main Street, Perry Street and West Campus (Virginia Tech Campus), and Stanger Street and Perry Street (Virginia Tech Campus). The improvements, once completed, will decrease delays and congestion, and increase pedestrian safety.

The Town portion of the project will be funded by Virginia’s Urban Construction Program. Funds from the Program are allotted to localities by the state legislature for the purpose of improving urban roadways. The Town of Blacksburg will administer all phases of the project and the work will be performed by DLB Inc. from Hillsville, Virginia.

Beginning in August work will begin on Stanger Street. This portion of the project is expected to be complete by December. From January until May most of the work will involve upgrading the traffic signals. During this time there will be minimal impacts to traffic flow. In May, however, major road work will begin on Prices Fork Road, West Campus, and Perry Street. There will be road closures and delays in these areas until the project is complete in August 2009.

For more information about the project call Brandon Steele, Town Engineer at (540) 961-1126.

A website to track the progress of the project is currently under development by Anderson and Associates at www.various-intersections.com

Virginia Tech Contact: Mike Dunn, Transportation Planning Engineer at (540) 231-7641 or midunn2@vt.edu.

Bedford GIS Initiatives Paying Dividends

BEDFORD, VA - The City of Bedford, Va. offers an outstanding example of the diverse benefits resulting from a well-integrated GIS (Geographic Information System). In 2002 City officials recognized the need for a more efficient way to collect and access commonly requested data such as utility and boundary information. The City retained Anderson & Associates to design and implement a highly accessible Enterprise GIS system. Today, the site continues to meet the ever changing needs of the City and its residents.

Anderson provided data migration and automation services for land parcel, building inspection, zoning classification, water distribution, sewer collection, storm water conveyance, and the electric utility mapping to date. This information has been seamlessly integrated into the WebGIS government portal.

Jimmy English, City of Bedford Building Official, has directed the GIS project locally, working closely with the City GIS team which included all city departments and community leaders in real estate, the Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Bedford and many others.

The city team still works closely with Anderson & Associates to ensure that the data linked to the GIS site is up-to-date. Current information is one of the most important features of a successful GIS site and this is only accomplished by open communication between city departments as well as surrounding localities. By sharing data with one another, each department and municipality is able to access and utilize valuable information.

In fact, Bedford has no restrictions on access to the GIS site other than those mandated by the state. By allowing unrestricted access, possibilities for the site are limitless. Not only is the site useful to the general public, but it has become vital in community development and planning. It has also become an important tool for economic development.

The online site is user-friendly, and allows anyone from anywhere to quickly access property and tax information including vacancy and landowner information. Aerial photographs are linked to the site, allowing users to actually see the property they are inquiring about or interested in. Realtors and homeowners utilize the site on a regular basis, and visitors to Bedford can locate popular attractions, historical landmarks, and places of interest enhancing tourism opportunities. Plans for the site continue to evolve.

In the future, the City hopes to link data such as floor plans for all major buildings to the site. This will assist emergency services personnel and enable them to perform their duties more quickly and efficiently.

GIS technology provides municipalities with the capability to visualize and interpret data at many locations and on many levels. It provides a framework for communication by allowing people to share information about locations. The uses of such a tool and the positive impact that those uses can have on municipal governments are emerging daily as cities like Bedford, Virginia, stretch their imaginations and their data-based analyses.

Municipalities in Virginia work daily to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of their residents. Meeting those responsibilities effectively requires managing an extraordinary amount of information. GIS facilitates these tasks and enables municipal officials to serve their communities more effectively.

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William Bushman Named as A&A VP of Transportation

BLACKSBURG, VA - William H. Bushman joins Anderson & Associates as Vice President of Transportation, following a successful 37-year career with the Virginia Department of Transportation where he has held a variety of positions including Planning Engineer, Resident, Engineer, and Research Scientist. Bushman has acted as a leader in carrying out the Department's mission, and working with local governments in Virginia to achieve their transportation goals and objectives. He received his BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia and his ME in Civil Engineering from the University of Virginia.

Bushman will build on his relationships with local governments, VDOT, NCDOT, contractors, and private industry to provide solutions through Design-Build, Program Management, and local government assistance. A&A has a 40-year tradition of providing creative engineering and planning solutions that address client goals in an efficient and proactive manner. His knowledge and expertise will play an active role in shaping the future of Transportation at A&A. You may contact Bill at bushman@andassoc.com or call 800-763-5596.

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Stephen Steele Promoted to Anderson & Associates VP of Municipal Engineering

BLACKSBURG, VA - Anderson & Associates, Inc. is pleased to announce that Stephen M. Steele, PE has been named Vice President of Municipal Engineering. Steele joined Anderson & Associates in 2001 and has had a successful career as a Project Manager on the municipal team. He has designed and managed a variety of projects and regularly provides funding assistance to numerous clients. He received his B.S. in Civil Engineering and A.S. in Architectural Engineering from Bluefield State College, and his B.S. in Business Management from Emory and Henry College.

As VP of Municipal Engineering, Steele will work closely with Project Managers on the municipal team, and he will provide senior project management leadership and advice. He will utilize his marketing and business development skills to focus on developing and implementing new marketing strategies and initiatives for the firm.

A&A has a 40-year tradition of providing creative engineering and planning solutions that address client goals in an efficient and proactive manner. Steele will work closely with the A&A technical staff to build upon and cultivate new relationships with local governments, private industry, and the public sector. He will play an active role in shaping the future of A&A.

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A&A Cleans up the Huckleberry Trail

BLACKSBURG, VA – Representatives from Anderson & Associates, Inc. spent Saturday, April 19, cleaning, and picking up litter along the trail in conjunction with Broomin’ and Bloomin’, the volunteer spring clean-up event held by Montgomery County. The clean-up is one of many events that Anderson & Associates have planned to celebrate their 40th year of business. A&A chose the area parallel to Hightop Road because of the high volume of trash that this particular part of the trail collects. The Huckleberry Trail is important to the firm since they have been involved in the concept, design, and construction of the trail. Anderson & Associates values giving back to the communities that their employees live and work.

Many outdoor enthusiasts from the Montgomery County area are familiar with the Huckleberry Trail. You can bring your dog, bring your friends, or if you simply need some alone-time, then the Huckleberry Trail is the place for you. The asphalt-paved path that runs from the Blacksburg Library to the New River Mall is a ‘must experience’.

Anderson & Associates, Inc. is a professional design services firm headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, with branch offices in West Virginia, North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. A&A offers a diverse range of services including but not limited to site and transportation design, water/wastewater design, stormwater management, surveying, information technology, and GIS.

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