The New York Chapter of NYSSPE is excited to host a special event on Wednesday, March 29. We are honored to have NYCDDC First Deputy Commissioner, Eric Macfarlane, as the speaker for the event. The presentation is titled “NYC East Side Coastal Resilience – Project Update”.

The event will take place at the Cornell Club of New York City. Come and join us for dinner and networking and get 1 PDH. Each person gets a FREE drink with each ticket. See Flyer below or contact Wanda Rios (wrios@kseng.com) for details or questions.

REGISTER NOW

The East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) Project is a coastal protection initiative, jointly funded by the City of New York and the federal government, aimed at reducing flood risk due to coastal storms and sea level rise on Manhattan’s East Side from East 25th Street to Montgomery Street. The boundaries of this project correspond with the natural “pinch-points” in the 100-year floodplain: areas where the land is higher along the coastline, making it easier to close the system off from water entering from the north and south. The project design integrates flood protection into the community fabric, improving waterfront open spaces and access, rather than walling off the neighborhood. Construction on the East Side Coastal Resiliency project began in Fall 2020 and will continue through 2026.

 

 

On February 4th the Capital Region held a Model Bridge Competition & Catwalk Competition.  The Model Bridge Competition (MBC) has been a tradition at the Capital District celebration of National Engineers Week, encouraging future engineers, since 1983! Over 100 high school students from around the region participate each year.  The high school model bridge competition is open to full-time high school students.  The middle school model catwalk competition is open to 7th and 8th grade students.  Both competitions involve building a model truss-type bridge out of balsa wood with the parts joined by yellow carpenter’s glue. Catwalks must be constructed using only the materials provided.

Model Bridges are rated on three criteria: Load Carried, Efficiency and Aesthetics.  This year there was an all-time record of 958lb.

View the bridges and vote for your favorite:   https://enginuitydesign.com/mbc/

On February 16 & 17 there were 45 continuing education courses offered virtually with over 700 in attendance.   Thanks to all the committee members that volunteer from associations and firms in the Capital District.   Want to get involved contact Jen Miller; jamiller@nysspe.org  /  CapitalDistrictEweek.org

 

New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) Commissioner, Henry Gutman, will discuss the City’s Vision for reimagining how freight moves in dense urban environments. He will be joined by NYC DOT Deputy Commissioner, Paul Schwartz P.E., who will discuss the implementation of the Weigh-in-Motion Program which will enable NYCDOT to automatically enforce overweight and oversized trucks on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway.

Join us for a virtual meeting and get 1 PDH Hour on 12/15/2021 at 5:30 PM. Link to access the virtual meeting will be emailed to attendees following registration.

FOR REGISTRATION GO TO:   https://nysspe-nyc.org/events/december/

 

It is with great sadness that we write of the passing of former NYSSPE President Howard N. Blitman, PE, F.NSPE  on January 3, 2021. He was 94.

Howard N. Blitman, PE, F.NSPE received a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a master of arts degree in political science and government from the Graduate Faculty of the New School of Social Research in New York City in 1976. Building upon the establishment of Blitman Construction Corporation by his father, Charles H Blitman of the class of 1914, Trustee Blitman was the owner and president of Blitman Building Corporation.

Howard Blitman, PE, F.NSPE was a long time member of NYSSPE for over 50 years and a beloved leader in at both the local and state level.  He served as president of the New York Chapter/NYSSPE from 1974-75.  He was elected president of the New York State Society of Professional Engineers for 1978-79, and was later elected as the 2002-03 president of the National Society of Professional Engineers. He was also elected by his peers to Fellow Grade of the National Society of Professional Engineers in 2001. Howard Blitman, PE, F.NSPE was active on many committees for the National Society of Professional Engineers, particularly education and scholarship committees (Foundation for Engineering Education) and the construction committee.

Howard Blitman PE, F.NSPE served for forty years as a dedicated member and leader of The Practicing Institute of Engineering, Inc. In 1980, Blitman and five other professional engineers co-founded PIE for purpose of providing training opportunities to the engineering community in preparation of the requirements for Continuing Education Competency, which was then pending in the NYS Assembly. Howard’s commitment to his profession included his continued involvement in leadership positions including serving as PIE president and serving numerous terms on the Board of Trustees until his retirement in 2020.​

An officer in the Chemical Corps, United States Army, during World War II, Blitman also studied at the Virginia Military Institute. During the Korean War, he was recalled to active duty and took charge of the construction of a chemical plant. He received Special Commendation from the Chief of the Chemical Corps.  Howard Blitman, PE, F.NSPE resumed his career as the engineer in charge of field installations erection and detail design of buildings for a steel fabricating firm. He then joined Blitman Construction Corporation and its associated engineering firm, working in structural design, and as field superintendent, estimator, expeditor, project manager, and then corporate officer, a position to which the board of directors elected him in 1962.   In 1970, he was elected president of Blitman Construction Corporation.   Professional Builder has ranked the company as one of 400 top home builders. [Read more…]

By Rudi Sherbansky, PE, F.NSPE

Former NYC DOT Traffic Commissioner, Sam Schwartz P.E. will provide a virtual presentation on the topic of present and future Covid-19 impact on transportation, equity implications, virus transmission and best practices for the transportation industry going forward (1 PDH).  The presentation will be held on Wednesday December 8^th and about 5:30 PM.  To obtain more information and/or to RSVP to the event, follow the following link:https://nysspe-nyc.org/events/december-virtual-event/

COVID-19 is affecting several Industries throughout the State.  On December 8th, Sam Schwartz PE, will give a presentation on how COVID-19 is affecting the Transportation Industry. The presentation is called  “Covid-19 and Transportation” and will discuss the following: a look at impacts, equity implications, virus transmission and transit, best practices, and looking forward.  Join us for the virtual presentation and get 1 PDH (Flyer is coming soon). Link to access to the virtual presentation will be emailed to attendees following registration.  During its peak, the impact of Covid 19 was drastic and dramatic on transportation in New York City.  Overall subway use dropped by about 92%, bus ridership dropped 87%, Commuter rail fell 93% – 97%, Staten Island Ferry down 90%, walking down 84%, Air travel fell 98%, traffic volumes dropped 50% – 80% and Citi Bike ridership down 62%.  Ridership is gradually recovering, though unevenly.

Mr. Schwartz is currently CEO and Founder of Sam Schwartz Transportation Consultants, a firm that specializes in transportation planning and engineering. In addition to his 1982 to 1986 post as Traffic Commissioner at the New York City Department of Transportation, he has served as an adjunct professor of engineering at Cooper Union, Long Island University, and Brooklyn College.  Mr. Schwartz is also the Inaugural Ted Kheel Fellow at Hunter College’s Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute. Among the many roles he has held throughout his career, he is the acclaimed author of Street Smart: The Rise of Cities and The Fall of Cars, and No One at the Wheel: Driverless Cars and the Road of the Future (2018). He also pens the “Gridlock Sam” and “Transit Sam” columns in the New York Daily News and Downtown Express.

Mr. Schwartz serves on the board of the Regional Plan Association, the Sports and Arts in Schools Foundation, and is a Fellow of the Institute of Transportation Engineers. His accomplishments over the course of his career have been recognized with a wide array of awards, including, most recently, Transportation Alternatives’ David Gurin Award, Riders Alliance Honoree, the NYC Zoning Advisory Council Honor Award, and the AAA Traffic Safety Award.

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Note: NYSSPE facilitates posting on this blog, but the views and accounts expressed herein are those of the author(s) and not the views or accounts of NYSSPE, its officers or directors whose views and accounts may or may not be similar or identical. NYSSPE, its officers and directors do not express any opinion regarding any product or service by virtue of reference to such product or service in this blog.