Thursday, September 27, 2012

MOVITE Board Director

Congratulations to Nathan Becknell on being elected as MOVITE Board Director last week. The Missouri Valley Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers is a six-state regional society for professionals engaged in the planning, design, and operation of streets, highways, and transportation facilities.

Becknell is a project manager in Garver's transportation group. His election to the board is the beginning of a six-year commitment to leadership. Future office opportunities will include treasurer, secretary, vice president, and president. As board director, Becknell will be in charge of membership, by-law revisions, and budget preparation.

"It's an honor to serve," Becknell said. "As a member of the host committee for the two previous Arkansas meetings and as former Arkansas State Director for MOVITE, I've learned the commitment it takes to be a member of the MOVITE Board. This is a great opportunity to continue and add to the rewarding leadership experience, professional development, and friendships I have gained through MOVITE."

Monday, September 24, 2012

Telling Your Stories - Read Our Newsletter Online


Every year, Garver shines the spotlight on approximately 20 communities that have completed quality infrastructure projects and improved their way of life. These projects are often a source of community pride, and we're excited  to highlight them every quarter in our newsletter, IQ.

Now that we've created a website for our newsletter, it's easier to share our clients' successes and help others find answers. Our newest issue of IQ is now online, and the print edition will soon be in mailboxes. Take a look at the projects we've featured and dig around our site for additional information.

Big Dam Ramp - New approach added to iconic pedestrian bridge: After the ribbon was cut on a steamy morning in August, a group of excited cyclists clipped into their pedals and made the inaugural climb up the Big Dam Bridge's southwest approach.
Online bonus! We only had room to include one photo in the print edition, but the online version features 14! Click "open gallery" to see construction photos and the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Blending Form and Function - Tuscumbia is Alabama's first to use blended series membrane technology: A new water-softening treatment plant is using state-of-the-art technology to purify and reduce hardness in the city's raw water. Located within a residential neighborhood next to a popular park, it also was important to blend the facility's aesthetics with the surroundings.
This article also features 14 pictures. Make sure to use the buttons at the bottom of the page to email your family or friends. You can also easily post the article on social media sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
Across the Pond - Airport realigns taxiway after stabilizing and reclaiming large pond: Relocating Henry County Airport's taxiway would achieve the standard runway centerline-to-taxiway centerline separation. However, moving 3,400 feet of pavement farther away from the runway would also run the taxiway across a 3-acre pond.
There is exclusive online content included in this article that is not available in the print edition. Read about two additional aspects of this project: protecting downstream water resources and stream mitigation. There's also a great 3-D graphic and pictures showing how the pond was stabilized and reclaimed.
Rolling Bulkhead - Steel structure added to Norfork Dam to aid spillway gate maintenance: By moving a 65-ton steel structure along a monorail, staff at Norfork Dam in Baxter County, Arkansas can easily seal and dewater each of the structure's 12 spillway gates.
After you're done reading the articles, you can search for other articles of interest or explore back issues.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Awesome Summer Snapshots

Teaching elementary school in Uganda, traveling across Europe, kayak surfing the Illinois River, and running a 100-mile ultra-endurance marathon are just a few of the things Garver’s employees did this summer. We're all about work-life balance, and this summer we loved seeing snapshots into our employees' "life" activities. Some of the adventures and pictures were too awesome to keep to ourselves, so we wanted to share them with you. Here are five that stood out, and we've posted additional pictures on our Facebook page.


Project Engineer Caleb Coltrane and his wife spent two weeks in an Ugandan orphanage teaching elementary school and helping run a free medical clinic.


Project Manager Kyle Kruger ran the 100-mile Tahoe Rim Trail Ultramarathon. He also raced the Vapor Trail 125 Mountain Bike Race.

Project Engineer Zach Moore went kayak surfing on the Illinois River in Arkansas.

Regional Marketing Administrator Cindy Gran spent ten days traveling across Europe, including a visit to Stonehenge in southern England.

Project Engineer Mason Atkinson went to San Francisco and walked the Golden Gate Bridge, which he describes as "a big deal for a bridge engineer."


For more photos of employees doing cool stuff, visit our Facebook gallery.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Racing Across the Sky

Steve crosses the line with his children.
Garver's Steve Jones rolled out of Leadville, Colorado on his mountain bike and into an epic 100-mile adventure in the mountains. His second year racing the Leadville 100, Steve was determined to achieve a finish time under 11 hours, meaning he had to average almost 10 miles per hour for all 100 miles, a difficult feat for a flatlander from Arkansas racing at elevation. In his own words, Steve tells us about the race:

The “Race Across the Sky” is without a doubt the most physically demanding thing I have ever experienced in my life – but the reward is everlasting.  The preparation for this epic is both physical and mental  if you compromise either, you will pay the penalty.

In preparing for the 2012 LT100, I focused on not only maintaining fitness but improving my skills by racing the Arkansas MTB Championship Marathon Series. I finished 9th in the Ouachita Challenge and 4th in the Slobberknocker. I rolled the 2012 LT100 start with a much better attack plan for the course as evidenced by shaving over an hour off my 2011 time and achieving my goal of a 10er.

Fun Facts:

  • My goal this year was to get a “10er”  anything under 11 hours.
  • I shaved an hour and 7 minutes off my time last year: 11:39 last year; 10:32 this year (chip time).
  • I finished 759 overall.
  • I finished 97 out of 258 (who rolled the start) in the Men’s 50-59 division.
  • The starting field was 3,500.
  • More than 1,400 finished under 12 hours, which is an event record.
Just like life, it’s all about setting goals for yourself and committing to achieve them. If anything, I hope to have inspired others (especially my children who crossed the 2012 LT100 finish line with me on the red carpet) to always have goals for yourself. Yes, the climb can be epic, but the reward will serve you always!

Steve, congratulations on your “10er,” achieving an epic goal, and being the first Arkansan in your age group to finish!

For more stories about the race, check out Arkansas Outside.
You can read about Steve's 2011 Leadville 100 here. 

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Departments of Transportation Prefer Garver


Garver is again listed in Roads and Bridges magazine's annual "Go-To List" of Top Design Firms. The list identifies companies that departments of transportation prefer to work with.

The magazine listed Garver as #23 in the Top Road and Highway Design Firms and #19 in the Top Bridge Design Firms.

Roads and Bridges compiled the list after sending a survey to its government (DOT) readers. The readers then indicate the firms they prefer to work with on the jobsite. The results are based on professional preference, not annual revenues.

Garver has highlighted a number of transportation and DOT projects in our newsletter, IQ. Follow the links below to read recent feature articles about our transportation projects.

Speed Dial - When DOTs face critical deadlines, Garver answers the call
The Road to El Dorado is now a four-lane bypass with improved capacity
Cars Above, Barges Below - Replacement bridge spans McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System
Centered Expansion - Improved freeway eases commute by paving inside median

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Rock'n Hot with Team Garver


On September 8 and September 9, three Garver employees will each ride 160 miles to further the battle against Multiple Sclerosis. Organized into two stages of 80 miles each day, the 2012 Bike MS: Rock’n Hot Ride is a fully supported ride that will lead riders from the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Arkansas to the Transportation Depot in downtown Hot Springs on Saturday, overnight in a local hotel, and return along the same route Sunday.

Cyclists will cross the Arkansas River twice each day, and the route utilizes the Big Dam Bridge and Two Rivers Bridge, both designed by Garver. Team Garver is captained by David Gambill, PE, and other team members include Diane Barton and Sarah Miller, as well as family and friends.

Riders can register to join the ride for one or both days, and registration closes at 7:30 am on Saturday and 6:30 am on Sunday. For more information, visit the Arkansas BikeMS website.

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