Many of us will readily admit to having anxiety when receiving press inquiries regarding a controversial project.  I am sure you immediately envision drawing a blank on live television.  Or in your nervousness you begin to talk and you realize nothing is ever "off the record."  Breaking into a cold sweat yet?  This doesn’t have to be a scary experience.  In fact, the advantages far outweigh the temporary heart palpitations.

Updated June 14, 2016

In prior posts, I’ve covered several issues to consider before replacing or upgrading an existing hydropower turbine. These are challenging projects that tax even the most savvy operator. I’ve previously addressed the issues of:

Updated June 10, 2016

The use of Low Impact Development (LID) techniques for treating and disposing of stormwater is gaining popularity. However, many people remain hesitant to implement LID. Questions persist about LID performance, maintenance, and costs because many of these questions can only be answered through experience and firsthand implementation. It’s a circular process where only a few venture to use LID because of the uncertainties. However, the unknowns that deter others can only be resolved through greater use of LID techniques.

The City of Puyallup, WA is trying to break this cycle. Programs like Puyallup’s Rain Garden Program and Get Disconnected demonstrate the City’s commitment to finding new, innovative ways of managing stormwater. In 2014, myself and a few other MacKay Sposito staff had the privilege of seeing firsthand several successfully implemented LID technologies. City of Puyallup staff were able to showcase several projects and provided insights into the performance and maintenance costs of installed LID solutions. 

As a design professional and avid cyclist, I often find myself analyzing and assessing the level of risk I have while on my bike.  For example, I am a fairly confident cyclist comfortable merging with traffic and navigating busy intersections when I am alone.  However, when riding with less confident riders such as my children, I look for safer routes that often even include riding on sidewalks and crossing at crosswalks.