Snyder & Associates Podcast

Pleasant Hill Capital Improvement Program Planning Client Case Study
An effective Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) can help cities prioritize projects and chart a course for the future. Join in as Civil Engineer and Planning expert, Eric Cannon, P.E., shares the successes that have resulted from over a decade of partnership with Pleasant Hill, Iowa.

While the communities original CIP process consisted of a roughly sketched-out “wish list” of projects drawn up on a whiteboard in the basement of the public works building, we’ve since worked with leaders to help formalize their plan. By providing concept planning and cost estimates, we’ve given them a better understanding of their community needs and the associated project costs. These updated features have helped Pleasant Hill adapt to its rapid growth and better coordinate with state and local entities to plan and complete large projects.

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Running Track Design, Construction & Budgeting
Choosing the appropriate type of surfacing for your running track is critical to ensuring optimal performance and the safety of your athletes. It is important to begin the planning process in late summer or early fall to be able to accommodate the spring track season.

Landscape Architects Tim West, PLA, and Clay Schneckloth, PLA host this webinar episode on running tracks. They will outline details to help get you started on your planning, discuss running track systems, design processes, construction methods, costs, and leave you with tips that will help you avoid issues during each step in the process.

Podcast Agenda

• Track Construction Components (0:17)
• Base Mat Systems (1:26) 
• Design Considerations (3:24)
• Asphalt Surfacing (4:38)
• Design Schedule (5:29)
• Construction Schedule (6:10)
• Budget (6:36)
• Track Maintenance (7:59)

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Pavement Management Plan Success Story
Every community faces complex issues when maintaining and repairing its infrastructure. Snyder and Associates’ Civil Engineer Andy Burke, P.E., shares how a visual representation of Knoxville, Iowa’s pavement management plan has helped the city prioritize projects, stay focused on its goals, and plan future improvements.

Listen in as Burke outlines the planning process, the document is produced, and how Knoxville’s city leaders have deployed it to benefit their community.

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Adair Capital Improvement Program Planning Client Case Study
Discovering funding sources is an essential piece of a successful Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). Snyder and Associates’ municipal engineering expert Dave Sturm, P.E., PLS shares the process that helped the town of Adair, Iowa attain the necessary funding to plan and complete projects that improved their local infrastructure without raising taxes.

Our team helped city leaders prioritize projects and create a realistic budget that brought the community’s future into focus. We also recommended they partner with a financial planner to help develop a sound fiscal strategy. Additionally, we assisted the city in identifying and applying for federal funding available for their projects. These efforts resulted in millions of dollars in grants and loans which enabled Adair to complete vital projects without passing down costs to residents. Listen in to hear more about how our team helped this thriving community create and execute its first CIP.

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Synthetic Turf: Sports Field Surfacing
Synthetic turf is a popular and versatile solution for sports field surfaces. The durability of synthetic turf allows for increased scheduling of both practice and gameplay for multiple activities, including field hockey, marching band, football, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, and rugby.

Landscape Architect Tim West hosts this webinar episode on synthetic turf field surfacing. He’ll outline what to consider when planning and maintaining a synthetic turf sports field.

Podcast Agenda

• Introduction (0:17)
• Advantages of Synthetic Turf (0:39)
• Common Synthetic Turf Systems (3:04)
• Split Film Systems (4:27)
• Blended Fiber Systems (4:46)
• Shock Pads (5:40)
• Sub Soil and Granular Base (6:25)
• Stormwater Management (6:45)
• Filed Temperature (7:23)
• Synthetic Turf Design Schedule (8:02)
• Synthetic Turf Construction Schedule (8:33)
• Synthetic Turf Construction Budgeting (9:37)
• Longevity of Synthetic Turf Systems (10:37)

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Pedestrian and Bicycle Sidepath Trail Design

As the Midwest’s leader in the development of multi-use trails, our planners are committed to advancing the safety and efficiency of active transportation networks. Sidepath trails provide safe, efficient routes for non-motorized travel along higher speed or high-volume roadways located within the road’s right-of-way. These shared-use facilities are particularly beneficial in areas with minimal intersection or driveway access, allowing unimpeded travel on the pathway.

In both rural communities and urban cities alike, trails are known as a mainstay for creating an active transportation and recreation network. In this podcast, Snyder & Associates' Planner Mindy Moore, AICP, explores usage options, proper intersection design and control, and the need for increased awareness among users of sidepath trails. As a biking enthusiast herself, she shares both personal and professional expertise on the subject, as she talks through different elements of sidepaths and the many benefits they provide to a community in pursuit of improved biking facilities.

Podcast Agenda

• What is a Sidepath? (0:27)
• Why do people like Sidepaths? (00:53)
• Concerns About Sidepath Trails (2:26)
• Areas of Conflict (3:19)
• Bicycle Crash Studies (4:54)
• What to Consider When Planning a Sidepath (7:54)
• Pedestrian and Cyclist Traffic (8:24)
• Destinations (8:48)
• Rural Sidepath Trails (9:17)
• Improving Intersection Crossings (10:20)
• Proposed Revisions to the FHA’s Manual and Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) (10:54) 
• Sidepath Education and Awareness (14:34)
• Key Takeaways (15:09)

 
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Sports Surfaces: Tennis Court Design and Construction
By far, the most common issue with asphalt tennis courts is pavement cracking. In spite of this, it continues to be frequently used on many tennis court surfaces due to the attractive price tag. Armed with this knowledge, Clay Schneckloth, PLA, Landscape Architect with Snyder & Associates, shares details on special design components, surface products, and proper construction scheduling for tennis courts.

 Podcast Agenda

• Introduction (0:18)
• Overview of Tennis Court Surfacing Project (0:42)
• Tennis Court Surfacing is a Complete System (1:11)
• Cohesive  Design (1:42)
• Tennis Court Special Design Components – Rock Subbase & Subdrain (2:19)
• Tennis Court Special Design Components – Asphalt Mix Design (3:09)
• Special Design Components – Tennis Court Surfacing Products (3:52)
• Asphalt vs Post-Tension Concrete for Tennis Court Surface (5:48)
• Tennis Court Construction Methods (6:54)
• Tennis Court Construction Considerations – Schedule & Verification (7:21)
• Tennis Court Surface Repair Options (8:29)
• Tennis Court Maintenance (9:43)

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A Risk-Based Approach to Sewer System Maintenance Planning
With costly rehab decisions at stake, risk management is a tool used to prioritize wastewater collection system resources for rehabilitation. Preventative maintenance ensures sanitary sewers remain in proper working condition and helps prevent potential problems. Utilizing the data collected from inspections, our wastewater engineering team applies risk analysis methods to assess the health of networks and create an asset management plan for sewer rehabilitation.

Sewer systems are part of a city’s hidden, underappreciated infrastructure. Each day, this network of pipes enhances our quality of life and contributes to a community’s long-term sustainability, growth, and success. Every time you shower, brush, or flush, the sewer system is playing an essential part in maintaining public health.

Join Wes Farrand, one of our Project Engineers, as he talks through a risk-based approach to sewer system maintenance. Wes has presented this topic at multiple conferences and will discuss industry standards and practices while also sharing useful recommendations for mitigation.

Podcast Agenda

• Functioning Sanitary Sewers (1:45)
• Sanitary Sewer Maintenance (2:26)
• Causes of Sewer Deterioration (4:05)
• Assessing Risk & Anticipating Failure (6:08)
• Sewer Inspection Technology (8:55)
• Data & Asset Management (11:44)
• Evaluation of Sewer Risk Assessment (13:15)
• Likelihood of Failure (LOF) (13:56)
• Consequence of Failure (COF) (15:31)
• Maintenance Planning Based Upon Calculated Risk (17:27)
• GIS Mapping for Sewer Assessments (18:06)
• Budget Forecasting & Capital Improvement Planning (20:21)
• Sewer Risk Summary (21:53)

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Biosolids Management: Reports, Regulations & Land Application
Treating community wastewater is a requirement for the safety of public health and the environment. Biosolids are nutrient-rich organic material that results from the wastewater treatment process. There are several options to dispose of this solid residue and manage biosolids including incineration, landfilling or other forms of surface disposal. After treatment and processing, biosolids can also be recycled and then applied as fertilizer to create a safe and beneficial agricultural product.

While farmers and gardeners alike have used recycled biosolids to reduce the need for chemical fertilizers for decades, biosolids must be treated and tested to meet strict federal and state requirements prior to application. During this podcast, Patrick Williams, a wastewater engineer with Snyder & Associates, reviews details on the laws and specifications for the land application of biosolids. Williams also explains the specific obligations and steps for the wastewater facility operators to comply with the reporting and recordkeeping regulations of land applying biosolids.

Podcast Agenda

• Biosolids Management (0:16)
• Biosolids Classifications (5:25)
• Biosolids Land Application (10:35)
• Reporting & Regulations for Biosolids Application (14:41)
• Dewatering Sewage Sludge for Biosolid Land Application (18:25)

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Developing and Deploying a Street Design Guide

Since no two communities are exactly alike, Street Design Guides must also vary in scope and detail to be customized for specific needs and goals of a transportation system. The primary goal of a Street Design Guide is to create a formal reference document to provide guidance on future transportation improvements.

While customized for individual community needs, all Street Design Guides follow a similar set of steps. Check out the following on-demand webinar as Brian Willham, PE, PTOE, PTP, Transportation Planner & Engineer with Snyder & Associates explores the steps to formally document your technical street design guidance. While the process may seem overwhelming to some community leaders, Willham carefully outlines the critical steps and shares case study examples.

Podcast Agenda

• Comprehensive & Multimodal Transportation Systems (0:30)
• Street Design Guides Provide a Working Toolbox (1:30)
• Collaborating with Dedicated Stakeholders to Understand Traffic Demands (2:19)
• Distinguish between Various Streets Types on Future Land Use Map (3:53)
• Establishing Street Design Criteria Table (4:19)
• Defining & Differentiating Street Types (6:34)
• Traffic Calming Design Techniques (8:02)
• New Street Design Guide Influences Future Decision-Making (9:35)

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