Summer Welcomes Interns

Four of the eight interns including: Allison Bruner, Cody LoMonaco, Katie Cortis and Eric Babb.

Summer brings sunshine, thoughts of lazy days and interns. We are excited to welcome eight interns this summer. The interns will work in the water/wastewater, storm water/environmental, highways/streets, life sciences, bridge and traffic groups.

We are excited to get to know our interns and their ambitions for the future. If you would like to get to know each one of them, please visit the GBA website as we feature each intern throughout the summer.

National Public Works Week: Building for Today, Planning for Tomorrow

This week is National Public Works Week. It’s a time of celebration and recognition for those who have devoted their careers and creating a higher quality of life for the residents of their communities.

We here at GBA are proud to work with several public works clients on projects that add value, safety and convenience to communities across the Midwest.

Since 1960, the American Public Works Association has sponsored National Public Works Week as a time for the organization’s 28,000 members to “energize and educate the public on the importance of the contribution of public works to their daily lives: planning, building, managing and operating the heart of our local communities.”

The theme plays into public works’ effect on communities, with “building” pointing toward the day-to-day quality of life piece, while “planning” hints at the sustainable nature of the public works mission and the hope of improving future quality of life today.

The week is observed the third full week of May.

Several GBA employees will be attending the Kansas City Metro APWA Chapter’s annual National Public Works Week Luncheon at 11 a.m., May 22^nd at the Overland Park Convention Center.

Relay for Life 2014

Each year more than four million people in 20 countries participate in a Relay for Life event, which offers an inspiring opportunity to honor cancer survivors, support caregivers, promote how individuals can reduce their cancer risk, and raise money to help end cancer.

On Saturday, May 10, the GBA Team participated in Relay for Life-Lenexa at Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park, and raised $5,373. As part of the superhero theme for 2014, we chose the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by incorporating characters and costumes into our event communications. We kicked off the campaign featuring Donatello as our hero! Because he’s depicted as the smart, quick-witted and most intelligent of the four turtles, with a natural aptitude for science and technology. And we had a Raphael look-alike serving up s’mores roasted on his signature sai during relay as an on-site fundraiser.

Following the opening ceremony and a few laps around the lake, Zach Sperry and Patrick Hilderbrandt took 2^nd and 3^rd place in the frozen t-shirt contest. Contestants were given a t-shirt frozen into a ball and had to melt, smack, and pull to get the cold shirt on their body!

After many relay laps, the sun began to set as luminarias were lit in honor of cancer survivors and in memory of those who lost the fight, including loved ones and former employees of GBA.  

We want to share a special thanks to everyone who donated to our team and participated in Relay for Life this year.

GBA Celebrates Drinking Water Week 2014

This week marks National Drinking Water Week! For more than 35 years, water utilities across the U.S. have been celebrating the important role of drinking water. Safe water systems are critical to maintaining public health, economic vitality, fire protection and quality of life.

“Water is essential to our daily lives,” said Bill Carter, PE, DBIA, Vice President and Principal. “One of the greatest threats to this precious commodity is the aging infrastructure. GBA is leading the industry by proactively designing sustainable solutions so future generations can enjoy safe water.”

Safe water is also essential to the manufacturing of everyday items such as food and clothing. According to the Value of Water Coalition:

•    40 percent of water is used in agriculture to grow foods to eat and beverages to drink

• 32 gallons of water is needed to make one glass of wine
• 19 gallons of water yields one apple
• 1,230 gallons of water is necessary for the production of one beef steak

•    46 percent of water is consumed in manufacturing products to buy

• 700 gallons of water is needed to manufacture one t-shirt
• 2,100 gallons of water produces just one pair of leather shoes
• 40,000 gallons of water is needed to manufacture a single car

This week-long event is sponsored by the American Water Works Association. Additional information about Drinking Water Week can be found here.

Tips for Summer-Proofing Your Car

As the temps begin to finally heat up, it’s not just time to buy new sunscreen or hunt down those bathing suit bottoms, you’ve got to get your car ready, too.

Just as in winter, when it’s a good idea to do a general checkup of your car and add items for safety—scraper, blanket, sand bags, etc.—summer is a perfect time to give your car a once over and switch out winter helpers for ones to help you beat the heat.

Some suggestions for summer-proofing your car:

Get a professional tune-up: Start the season with an oil change, have the pros check all your fluid levels, and your tires. You could do this at home, but it might be best to have the pros have a look every once and awhile. Also: Your coolant should be changed annually, thus if you can’t remember when it was last changed, make sure new coolant is added before it heats up.

Make sure your tires aren’t tired: Tire pressure is especially important in the summer months when the hot surface of the road can wreak havoc on your tires. Make sure to check your tire pressure monthly

Check your radiator cap: Because radiator caps are constantly exposed to the elements, they easily crack, warp or hardened. Replace your cap if it shows any signs of wear to avoid problems.

Do a clean sweep: Bugs, dirt, dust and other debris can clog up the radiator or condenser or otherwise ruin airflow. A good cleaning can help improve how well your air conditioner cools your cabin.

Stow food and water: You may want to have a small box with trail mix (probably the kind without chocolate) and a couple of gallons of water in your trunk. Though you may need to replace these items from time to time, even a jug of water that’s been sitting in your car for a month is better than no water if your car overheats.

Pack a rain jacket: Seems like something you wouldn’t need in the summer, but it can double as sun protection, if needed.

Prepare for the sun: Speaking of sun protection, having a bottle of the old-fashioned sunscreen in your glove compartment could help in a pinch if you get stuck. It’s also helpful if you go to the park, beach or shopping outdoors and forget to cover up before you leave.

Happy Earth Day Today… and Every Day

April 22 only comes once a year, but we should celebrate the earth every day. The EPA offers some suggestions on taking action to help make a difference:

1. Wash clothes in cold water
2. Try the Energy Star online home advisor
3. Plug into power strips
4. Change HVAC filters
5. Insulate water heaters
6. Give your car a break
7. Compost
8. Turn off the tap
9. Spread the word about climate change
10. Replace light bulbs with Energy Star-qualified bulbs
11. Save energy at home
12. Clean the HVAC area
13. Check tire pressure
14. Reduce food waste
15. Fix a leak
16. Fill the dishwasher with a full load
17. Use smart thermostats
18. Think life cycle when choosing products
19. Use WaterSense label shower heads
20. Maintain your car

To read the full descriptions on each of the tips, please visit the EPA website. The ideas can be enjoyed all year and we hope you celebrate Earth Day today and every day.

Work with HCA Health Centers and Stand Alone ERs

As the preferred civil engineering provider for HCA Midwest Health System, we’ve been working on several projects in recent years as they expand and invest in facilities across the KC Metro. The latest is a free-standing Emergency Room in Shawnee, which will be a 10,000 sf ER facility located just east of Nieman on Shawnee Mission Parkway. Demolition of an existing building and the need to address stormwater and the adjacent creek were paramount to our role on the project as planning and city council approvals were met.

Also underway is a major expansion at Overland Park Regional Medical Center. Since 2010, GBA has been working in partnership with Perkins + Will. As the civil engineer of record, we’ve been working behind the scenes on site design, grading plans, utilities, surveying, temporary access points, and landscaping. The process involved an extensive approval process through the City of Overland Park and neighboring residents. Construction drawings have been completed and our team is responding to questions and emerging needs as JE Dunn builds the new facility.

Looking back over the past decade, GBA has been involved with new or renovation projects at many HCA sites, including:

·         Belton Regional Medical Center
·         Centerpoint Medical Center
·         Centerpoint Cancer Center
·         KC Pain Clinic
·         KCMO Ambulatory Surgery Center
·         Lafayette Regional Medical Center
·         Lee’s Summit Medical Center
·         Research Medical Center