July 15, 2020
Great news for the City of Brookhaven, Georgia! The 3rd & final 2020 project planned at Murphey Candler Lake/Nancy Creek Watershed was completed with the installation of a litter trap. Lowe employee & Public Works Director, Hari Karikaran, describes this initiative below.
E: katie.gately@loweengineers.com
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta embarked on a bold project to alleviate space constraints at current facilities and offer a dedicated pediatric campus to meet forecasted patient care and space needs for Georgia’s children. The North Druid Hills Campus is a 78-acre development with both in-patient and out-patient treatment facilities, emergency care, medical office building and Ronald McDonald house. Lowe Engineers collaborated with an extensive team comprised of two prime contractors, three architecture firms, two structural engineering firms, two mechanical, electrical, and plumbing firms, and a landscape architecture firm. The site design required consideration of unique attributes for both the hospital and campus. The complex site’s existing office park utility network also serves surrounding commercial and residential properties. Detailed pre-demolition planning, coordination, and utility relocation design were critical components for smooth transitions during construction.
Lowe Engineers has been serving the City of Johns Creek since the City was founded. As part of a public-private partnership team of three firms, Lowe provided public works services to the City from 2008 – 2011. Lowe has since been providing on-call roadway design, CEI, traffic, and stormwater services since 2015. Projects have also included transportation planning, intersection improvements, road widenings, a new highway interchange, a sidewalk program, streetscaping, a traffic management and control system, in addition to stormwater maintenance. In Lowe’s public works role, traffic, transportation, stormwater, and capital improvement programs were executed along with daily operations associated with the City’s infrastructure. Lowe staff were an extension of core City staff in the facilitation of communications and delivery of services, cost reductions, resolving citizen concerns, expediting project procurement and execution timelines, as well as evaluating and making recommendations regarding contractor change requests.
Lowe developed project controls tools that helped the City avoid unnecessary layers of management, integrate data sharing among key functions, take advantage of effective communications, and integrate industry “best management” practices.
Services provided include:
Lowe manages this statewide On-Call CEI contract that provides construction management and administration, inspection and materials testing services. The scope of work is divided into two categories. Category 1 includes construction projects of new facilities or projects with a major scope. Category 2 incudes maintenance projects which aim at preserving the existing facility’s features or bringing those features to current standards without changing the footprint or function.
Lowe completed all of the management, construction and inspection oversight for the expansion and upgrade of fiber optic communication systems and CCTVs to traffic signals for congestion monitoring and management. This project included design and installation of a new traffic control center with self-hosted Maxivew server and multiple screens. It also required the installation of a BlueTOAD speed monitoring system and Sensys vehicle detection. Work further included adding FYA signals at 7 intersections, 21 CCTVs, and detection upgrades at 16 intersections, adding three miles of fiber optic cable, and system integration with the new traffic control center. Other services that were provided include the document/package development and ongoing correspondence with GDOT through to construction final acceptance. The purpose of the project was to provide Advanced Transportation Management System (ATMS) upgrades to enhance capabilities of the engineering team, thus reducing delays and increasing efficiency. The ATMS upgrades included a Traffic Control Center (TCC) located in Dunwoody’s City Hall for the purposes of local monitoring and active management, signal equipment, intersection vehicle detection, and communication devices. The communication devices included fiber optic interconnect cabling, CCTVs, and wireless arterial travel time devices. 43 intersections located in DeKalb and Fulton Counties were identified by the PCIDs, the City of Brookhaven, City of Dunwoody, and City of Sandy Springs as high priority for ATMS-related upgrades.
Lowe oversaw all planning and execution of this project, which included the construction management and inspection of improvements to 29 signalized intersections for the expansion of current signal communications network by installing fiber optic communication devices along six miles of roadway. This network now enhances communication between Perimeter Traffic Operations Program (PTOP) signals and TMC for the majority of present traffic signals via communication upgrades to existing traffic signal cabinets and installation of fiber optic communications. ITS upgrades in the project areas have been tied into the PCID and PTOP systems to reduce delays and increase efficiency for the entire network. Work further included five signal cabinet upgrades, 21 CCTVs, and over 12 miles of new fiber optic cable connectivity.
Lowe performed this project to provide the Corps of Engineers with new baseline data for future reference to later surveys, and for engineering design. It included river hydro surveys in the upper reaches and included underwater hazard detection. The lake had not been completely surveyed since its impoundment. All data was submitted electronically and exceeded, and complied with the Corps of Engineers minimum standards using multiple formats. Under contract with the US Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District, Lowe Engineers performed the necessary hydrographic surveys needed for the Carters Re-Regulatory Dam and Carters Lake, Coosawattee River, Georgia. A complete bathymetric map was prepared from the multibeam, single-beam and side scan sonar hydrographic survey data. Permanent monuments were established on Carters Lake Dam utilizing GPS static methods. Sediment range section surveys were completed for the fourteen (14) historical sedimentation ranges. Overbank data was collected via conventional methods and bathymetric data was collected utilizing single beam hydrographic equipment. The bathymetric mapping prepared was completed using data that was collected with single, multibeam and side-scan hydrographic survey equipment.
Lowe Engineers has been performing a Development of Regional Impact for Gwinnett Exchange (GRTA DRI#2834). The Gwinnett Exchange (GRTA DRI #2834) is a 64-acre mixed-use site currently under development in Gwinnett County, GA. The development is anticipated to generate about 20,000 daily trips to the surrounding area. The scope of the study included thirteen intersections to be analyzed for impacts, and mitigation from signal timing improvements, geometric improvements, and traffic signal warrant analysis. Lowe Engineers performed all traffic impact related tasks including trip generation, internal capture, tip distribution, signal warrant analysis, intersection and segment capacity analysis, signal design, and intersection design.
The Mercedes-Benz USA Headquarters is a 12 acres site consisting of a 205,000 ft 2 office building, parking structure, day care center for their employees, and surface parking. An onsite wet pond was designed for the stormwater management and water quality treatment. Silva Cells, which are underground tree planters for urban water quality treatment, were also used. Right-of-way improvements were designed for Abernathy Road and Barfield Road including turn lanes, multiuse pedestrian paths, lighting, and connecting complex existing storm sewer conditions. This site development required in-depth coordination with adjacent proposed developments throughout the design stage. This project was designed to LEED standards
The Lowe Team was contracted through the Mobile District of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers to perform a complete topographic and hydrographic survey to facilitate the development and design of a white water rapids recreational area. The survey and mapping was carried out along the pre-determined 3 mile stretch of the Chattahoochee River between Columbus, GA and Phenix City, AL. The primary goal of this project was to determine bedrock elevation as well as location and depth of areas of sedimentation. The contractual tasks required by the Corps of Engineers included the use of multiple hydrographic data collection techniques for the determination of large boulders, excavation locations, predecessor dams and other debris. Where possible, data was required to be collected via side scan sonar or other technology/approach. If this was not possible, the Lowe Team was required to use rod soundings. All acquired data was required to be merged into a single CAD file for the generation of one foot contours covering the entire corridor and overlay a single orthophoto covering the entire site. Single beam, Multi-beam, and side scan sonar were used to collect the majority of hydrographic data.
Lowe Engineers has performed complete boundary surveys (more than 1,000 sheets/plats to date), topographic mapping, construction stakeout, and data collection of existing conditions for this large 138-acre former brownfield development in downtown Atlanta, GA. Tasks included the field location of old utilities and entering the existing field conditions into a GIS database. Projects also included the stake-out location of new improvements, utilities and other infrastructure. Utility locations included stormwater, sewer, gas, electrical, cable, fiber optic, telephone and water. All of the existing data was merged with all new improvements for a complete GIS database.Because this site was built on a hazardous landfill, our employees were subject to periodic medical monitoring. OSHA managed this job site and crews had weekly “safety” tail gate strategy sessions before every new project.
Lowe Engineers survey crews mobilized in mid-2018 to collect over 50 cross sections of the Chattahoochee River south of I-85 in Valley, Alabama. The survey crews as-built three weirs located within the project area and performed automated acoustic hydrographic cross sections. In the area that the water was too shallow, conventional or GPS means were utilized to collect the cross sections.
The Gwinnett Department of Transportation selected Lowe for the design of widening 1.0 mile of this arterial from an existing two-lane roadway to a 4-lane urban divided facility. The project limits for this widening stretch along State Route 20 in Gwinnett County and across the Chattahoochee River to the Forsyth County line. The Roadway Improvements will involve a slight re-alignment and widening the existing two lanes to increase the capacity for this busy commuter route between Gwinnett and Forsyth Counties. The new 4-lane divided facility will encompass a 44’ depressed median to allow future widening, if necessary. Additional improvements include the addition of sidewalks and replacement and widening of the existing bridge over the Chattahoochee River. A Bridge Hydraulics Study and Report were produced for the Final Bridge Design. The Lowe Engineers scope of work includes mapping, surveying, traffic analysis, concept design, bridge hydraulics report, preliminary plans development, final plans development, right of way plans and staking, and final construction plans and documents.
Don Sherrill, PE, PLS, PMPDon Sherrill has 40 years of experience in Civil Engineering, Land Surveying, and Project Management. Don manages the day-to-day operations for the department of Public Works for the City of Brookhaven, Georgia. He is registered as a Professional Engineer and Land Surveyor in multiple states and is a Certified Project Management Professional. He is also a Level II Certified Design Professional with the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. With an extensive background in Management and Site Development, he has leveraged his experience in engineering and surveying to identify project requirements and then translate this into the planning, design, permitting and construction for multi-phased projects taking years to construct. His experiences have allowed him to develop detailed project scopes and establish timelines and budgets which were then translated to the construction team. His experience includes site layout and grading, erosion and sediment control, stormwater and sanitary sewer design, stormwater management design, project management and construction management. His surveying experience has included boundary and topographic surveys, ALTA surveys, construction staking, as-built surveys and platting. Joining Lowe in 2012, Mr. Sherrill oversaw a team assigned to assist Southern Nuclear Company with oversight of the construction of two new units at Plant Vogtle, Southern Companies Nuclear Facility. These two new units are the first nuclear power plants to be constructed in 30 years. He returned to Atlanta at the end of 2017 where he is currently the Deputy Director of Public Works for the City of Brookhaven. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Project Management Institute, and a 2005 graduate of Leadership Gwinnett.
Don lives in Dacula with his family. He enjoys being in the outdoors whether it’s playing golf, hunting, hiking, kayaking, motorcycling or rving with his wife and family.
Lowe is working on the team with Holder-Austin-Moody-Bryson JV for the building of this seven-level parking deck which will accommodate 5,200 to 6,000 vehicles. Lowe is responsible for site layout, quality control, and as-builts for the new West Deck parking deck adjacent to the SkyTrain Gateway station next to the Georgia International Convention Center. The new park-ride lot on Sullivan Road provides 1,000 more parking spaces for HJAIA. Daily tasks started from the ground up with site control and site benchmarks. Foundation checks and as-builts were performed for the over 1,600 piles needed. Full-time quality control continued throughout the project for concrete placement, embed placement, control line placement, and civil work. Critical layout, as-built, and monitoring for steel was also performed on horizontal, elevated, and even vertical surfaces. As-builts and QC work were produced using Carlson 2018/CAD and submitted on a weekly basis to the project team.
Greg WilsonJ. Gregory Wilson, P.E. leads the Civil Engineering Department. Greg has over 40 years’ experience in engineering management, design, and construction of projects throughout the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, North Africa, and South America. Greg’s diverse expertise includes public and private infrastructure, roads, and utilities; development of commercial, resort, residential, and mixed-use projects; as well as airports, institutional, correctional, educational, and military projects. Greg has extensive experience in water resources, potable water storage and distribution, sanitary sewer systems, earthwork and grading, site planning, retaining walls, concrete pavements, and construction management. Greg has designed dozens of custom swimming pools and water features for 5-star resorts, universities, and convention centers.
Greg has served as an expert witness for storm drainage, flooding, and concrete slab failures, and he served as interim Public Works Director and City Engineer for the City of Alpharetta, GA. Greg has completed over 40 formal Value Engineering studies for the US Army Corps of Engineers. Greg’s greatest strengths are his diverse technical skills and his creative approach to design challenges.
Greg is a registered Professional Engineer in multiple states, a Level II Certified Design Professional in Tennessee and Georgia, and he has a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Georgia Association of Water Professionals, and the Southeast Stormwater Association.
John BonneauMr. Bonneau has been a licensed professional land surveyor in the state of Louisiana for 40 years. In those 40 years, Mr. Bonneau has accumulated a vast knowledge of land surveying skills. Mr. Bonneau has successfully completed surveying services for clients such as U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (New Orleans & Lake Borgne Basin Levee District), CSX Railroad Corporation, Scott Bridge Company, Jefferson Parish, Orleans Parish, St. Tammany Parish, City of Mandeville, Plaquemines Parish, St. Bernard Parish, St. Charles Parish, City of Covington, City of Hammond, City of Mandeville, the Town of Zwolle, Town of Abita Springs, numerous Engineering Firms, DOTD projects, private developers for subdivisions.
Mr. Bonneau leads our Mandeville, Louisiana office and is a member of the Louisiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors, the National Society of Professional Land Surveying, and of Chi Epsilon – National Civil Engineering Society.
Jon Drysdale, P.E. is the Managing Partner of Lowe Engineers and has over 40 years of civil engineering, management, design, and planning experience. He holds a Bachelors degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Tennessee, a Masters degree in Civil Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and a Masters of Business Administration from Emory University. His greatest strength is his ability to manage projects that require knowledge in a wide array of subject matters. Jon has a broad range of experience with infrastructure systems, including the planning, design, construction, maintenance and operations of roadways, traffic, storm, sanitary, water, electrical, gas, and communications.
Jon has completed civil engineering projects at various overseas locations and throughout the southeastern United States. He is well versed in Geographic Information Systems, including interfacing with other digital applications. Since 2005, his primary focus has been supporting public works operations serving cities and counties. Jon is a retired Colonel from the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Jon’s favorite things to do include activities with his wife, nine kids, seven kids-in-laws (so far), and nine grand kids. At work, Jon especially enjoys being able to help our clients, particularly when we can provide multi discipline support and see a project accomplished or a problem solved.
Eli Veith has over 17 years of experience in in transportation engineering and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). He is an expert in maximizing the efficiency of traffic signals and applying the benefits of traffic control centers. Before creating Veith Traffic Services, he spent a decade as the traffic signal engineer for the City of Alpharetta, finishing as the manager of the transportation division. In addition to Alpharetta, he has performed engineering work on behalf of the Departments of Transportation in Virginia, Georgia, and Florida, the counties of Cobb, Gwinnett, DeKalb, and Fulton, the cities of Woodstock, Dunwoody, Brookhaven, and Johns Creek, and the Community Improvement Districts of Tucker and Perimeter.
Eli also has extensive experience in applying the newest technology to traffic engineering, including early applications of ethernet equipment, remote VPNs, cell phone modems, remote-controlled relays, and CCTV recording systems. He has made frequent presentations to the Georgia Institute of Transportation Engineers and the Intelligent Transportation Society on applying advancements in technology to the traffic engineering field. He has two patents pending with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for traffic signal control equipment.
Josh Daniel, PLSJosh Daniel is a partner and the head of survey for Lowe Engineers, and has been with Lowe his entire professional career. Josh is a licensed Professional Land Surveyor and has completed hydrographic, geodetic, boundary, topographic, SUE and UAS surveys for federal, state, and private clients. He began working on a survey crew at the age of seventeen, working during the summer months as a high school student, while growing up in Johns Creek, Georgia. Soon enough, Josh was supervising his own survey crew. He was responsible for survey crews for several years before Hurricane Katrina made landfall in late 2005.
He then took the opportunity to move his family to the New Orleans area to manage a Corps of Engineers contract Lowe had acquired post-Hurricane Katrina. Lowe Engineers was one of three prime contractors the New Orleans District Corps of Engineers had under contract, and was responsible for helping assess the damage delivered by the costliest storm in U.S. history. Besides the Corps of Engineers contract, Josh managed work for NOAA and Louisiana DNR as well as other municipal work while located in Louisiana. With the recent developments made in technology, he and his staff have successfully flown hundreds of UAS missions, mapping thousands of acres in the process. Lowe has completed UAS projects here in the U.S. as well as abroad for a variety of clients.
Josh remains a proud sustaining young member of the Society of American Military Engineers. He enjoys hunting with friends and camping with his wife Blaire, and his two children Will and Georgia.
William J. Daniel III, PLS, CPWilliam J. Daniel III, PLS, CP is a Partner, Chief Operating Officer, and the Safety Officer. Bill has more than 40 years of professional experience and a strong management background in surveying and mapping. He graduated from Tulane University with a Masters Degree in Civil Engineering. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology and has been teaching the Geomatics course in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering for 28 years.
He has completed multiple multi-million-dollar surveying and mapping contracts with federal agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Navy, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, NOAA, and others. Bill is responsible for the supervision and training of up to 60 field and office personnel regarding the performance and preparation of geodetic, utility, topographic, hydrographic, and as-built surveys.
Bill started his surveying and engineering career as a geodetic surveyor for the Strategic Air Command (SAC) in the USAF during the Vietnam War. He is also a graduate of the Coverdell Leadership Institute as well as the Regional Leadership Institute.
Bill has worked all over the world on a wide variety of surveys ranging from small acreage boundary and utilities surveys, to 100,000-acre surveys for geodetic control, topographic mapping, or GPS. He is registered as a Professional Land Surveyor in 11 states and is a Certified Photogrammetrist in all 50 states. He is a member of the Society of American Military Engineers, the US Geospatial Intelligence Foundation, and The Surveying and Mapping Society of Georgia (SAMSOG). In addition, Bill is CPR/First Aid and HAZMAT Certified.
Sameer Patharkar, PEMr. Sameer Partharkar is a Registered Professional Engineer in the state of Texas with over 20 years of experience in the field of Civil Engineering with emphasis in traffic engineering, and transportation planning and design. Sameer obtained his Master of Science in Traffic and Transportation Engineering from the University of Alabama-Birmingham. He received his BS in Civil Engineering from the Masharashtra Institute of Technology in Pune, India. Sameer is a graduate of Leadership Johns Creek’s Class of 2017, 2018 Emory- Johns Creek Partners Program, and is currently on the Johns Creek Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee. He is also a member of Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce and sits on Advisory Board for the World Peace Center in Locust Grove, Georgia.
On weekends, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Sonal, and 12-year-old daughter, Sarah, and playing Cricket.
Sarah GlazeSarah Glaze is the Recruiter at Lowe Engineers. Sarah joined Lowe in 2015 after moving back to Atlanta, GA from Savannah. During her time at Lowe Engineers, Sarah has been a vital part of the successful flow of all general functions at the firm. Sarah is responsible for Managing and coordinating all HR Operations, recruitment, screening and placement of employees, and Orientation of new hires and onboarding. She loves to travel and enjoys hiking. Sarah’s daughter, Amber is the highlight of her life. If you have any questions about Lowe or what we can do for you, feel free to contact her.
“My favorite band is Volbeat and I love watching Big Bang Theory. One of my favorite quotes is ‘Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching’.”
Chynita Hopps
Chynita Hopps has 9 years of experience in the many aspects of Human Resources. She holds her SHRM certification, Masters of Human Resource Management, and her MBA. Throughout her career, she has gained experience in Acquisition, Benefits, Compensation, Recruiting, and HRIS integrations.
Chynita loves to spend time with her chow chow, Rocko, and her son Daiyann. Her favorite color is purple.
Richard Meehan, PERichard J. Meehan, PE is a Partner and Chief Engineer. Richard has over 32 years’ experience in Transportation and Traffic Engineering and the study, design, and management of roadway and transportation projects and systems in the Metro Atlanta Area and in Georgia. Richard has wide-ranging experience in project management, roadway design, traffic engineering, and traffic analysis. He has managed numerous roadway design and transportation projects for state and county governments. Richard has also served as an expert witness on transportation and traffic engineering issues. Richard has also been a part of Lowe Engineers’ Public-Private Partnership teams that have operated the newly established cities in the Metro Atlanta region including serving as the first Public Works Director for both Dunwoody and Brookhaven and having a support role in Sandy Springs, Johns Creek, Milton, and Chattahoochee Hills teams.
Richard has a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering and Master’s Degree in Civil/Transportation Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and an Executive MBA from Georgia State University. He is a graduate of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Regional Leadership Program (RLI) and the City of Duluth L.E.A.D leadership program. He is a registered Professional Engineer is multiple states, a Level II Certified Plan Designer/Reviewer for Erosion & Sedimentation and holds current certifications for the GDOT Plan Development Process (PDP) and Locally Administered Projects (LAP).
Richard is actively involved in the American Society of Highway Engineers (ASHE) and has served on the board of the Georgia Section for over 13 years as the section Secretary, Treasurer and currently as the 2nd Vice President. He also serves on the ASHE National Finance Committee. Mr. Meehan is a past board member of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Georgia (ACEC-GA), and is also active in the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and the Intelligent Transportation Society (ITS)
Richard is a 24-year resident of Duluth and lives there with his wife and two children. Mr. Meehan enjoys playing Ice Hockey year-round as part of the Atlanta Amateur Hockey League. He has served as a Boy Scout leader and merit badge counselor. His other interest includes history, traveling, skiing.
Sally Riker, F.SAME is a Partner and Director of Marketing and Business Development. Sally is a graduate of the University of Georgia. With 20 years of experience in the architectural and engineering industry, Riker has significantly increased Lowe Engineers’ clientele since joining the firm in 2003. She is responsible for sales and marketing and the administration/ human resources for the firm. In addition to working at Lowe Engineers, Sally also participates in many different non-profits, civic and educational organizations. Sally is a Fellow in the Society of American Military Engineers and is an Elected Director on the National Board of Direction for SAME. Additionally, Sally serves on the Advisory Board for Urban Land Institute Atlanta, Board of Directors for the Council for Quality Growth, SAME Savannah Post and is Co-Chair of the Women’s Leadership Initiative for ULI Atlanta. Sally also was elected President of her greater neighborhood, the Mt. Paran Northside Citizens Association in Atlanta this year. Among accolades, Riker has been named a top “40 under 40” from Georgia Trend, is a Regional Leadership Institute graduate, Center for Leadership -ULI graduate, Emerging Leaders graduate and has been selected for CREW Leadership 2018. Sally currently lives in Atlanta with her husband and two small children.
Lowe Engineers performed the necessary hydrographic surveys needed for the Buford Dam and Lake Sydney Lanier, Chattahoochee River, Georgia. A complete bathymetric map was prepared from the multibeam and single beam hydrographic survey data. Permanent monuments were established on Buford Dam utilizing GPS static methods: Sediment range section surveys were completed for the sixty-three (63) historical sedimentation ranges. Overbank data was collected via conventional methods and bathymetric data were collected utilizing single beam hydrographic equipment. The bathymetric mapping prepared was completed using data that was collected with single and multibeam hydrographic survey equipment.
During the summer of 2016, more than 3 feet of rain fell in a 48 hour period in/around Baton Rouge, LA. Lowe Engineers was given a large task order to perform automated hydrographic and topographic surveys of the Amite and Comite Rivers, and many of the tributaries to provide H&H design engineering with flood control data. Although primarily a hydrographic survey, the upper regions of the Amite and the Comite Rivers water proved to be too shallow for conventional hydrographic data to be collected. Cross- sections work conventionally collected hydrographically every 250’ for approximately 60 miles until the water became too shallow to survey. Our survey crews then set 15 ground control points along a 6-mile portion of the Amite River as a “pilot”. Lowe combined field hydro surveys with field topo surveys, with U.A.V. flown data, to provide a f inal product to the Corps. The overall length of the project was 110 nautical miles from Watson, Louisiana to the confluence of the Amite River into Lake Maurepas. Our survey efforts were in response to the major flood event that occurred in August 2016.
This task order was for the design of traffic signal upgrade plans and development of signal timing plans for fourteen (14) isolated urban intersections throughout the city. The project included a traffic study to analyze existing conditions, determine left turn phasing warrants, and make recommendations for improvements. The improvements at each intersection included the upgrade of signal layout and equipment, design of radar vehicle and bike detection, optimization of phasing, improved and additional pedestrian signals and phases, and the upgrading of pavement marking and signage. Three of the intersection involve GDOT coordination and revised signal permits, including one which also requires railroad coordination. The intersections are located at Hamilton Holmes Drive @ Burton Road, Lee Street @ White Oak Avenue, Memorial Drive @ Maynard Terrace, Fairview Road @ Oakdale Road, Habersham Road @ West Wesley Road, Hollywood Road @ Johnson Road, Howell Mill Road @ Peachtree Battle Avenue, Lakewood Avenue @ Macon Drive, Luckie Street @ Pine Street, Marietta Road @ Perry Boulevard, Marietta Street @ Foundry Street, Marietta Street @ Andrew Young International Boulevard, Northside Drive @ Moores Mill Road, Pryor Road @ Fair Drive.
Lowe Engineers is working closely with Forsyth County as part of the American Engineers engineering on-call contract to analyze and recommend improvements for multiple intersections across the county. The latest contract included four intersections which includes two intersections located on county-maintained roads, and two intersections on SR 9. As part of the studies a detailed analysis is conducted including intersection capacity analysis, crash history analysis, traffic forecasting, and alternatives analysis. Recommendations for improvements are made based on the current and future needs of the development with cost effectiveness of the improvements being strongly considered.
Lowe is working on the team with Gilbane in transforming the intersection of Peachtree and Stratford Roads with the development of this 35-story tower. Lowe is providing all concrete layout, including edge of slab, elevator openings, stair openings, columns, embeds, and walls. Lowe is maintaining horizontal and vertical control throughout the 35 floors of construction and provided control line for MEP contractors to work from.
Since the City of Dunwoody was incorporated in 2008, Lowe has managed all engineering, design, planning capital projects and maintenance work for the City as part of a Public/Private Partnership. Varied in its nature, Lowe has performed several types of projects including:
Lowe Engineers is currently responsible for Civil Engineering and Surveying including site layout evaluation, site grading, onsite utilities, boundary and topographic surveys, asbuilt, and 3D scanning for this Georgia World Congress Center project that includes a Contiguous Exhibition Facility addition located between GWCC Buildings B and C. The new approximately 100,200 square foot exhibit facility will join Hall B and Hall C, resulting in over 1,100,00 square feet of contiguous hall. Additionally, a new loading area consisting of 10 docks along the north wall of Hall C4 will compensate for the loss of loading specs.
Lowe Engineers was responsible for Civil Engineering and Surveying including site layout evaluation, site grading, erosion and sediment control, retaining wall layout, water and sewer utility design, storm sewer design, boundary and topographic surveys, and construction administration services for this Urban Redevelopment of the former Doraville GM plant. The 5.45-acre, 70,000 sf showroom and development center site holds a 5-story office building, a 4-story parking structure, and an extensive showroom & development center. The site also includes three common area courtyards for employee enjoyment or company gatherings. The existing ground was largely concrete slabs from the former General Motors Plant.
This property is the first redevelopment construction site within The Assembly Yards and as such has encountered several surprises. Excavation during construction uncovered concrete piles, a storm sewer line, and high groundwater requiring dewatering. The design of the Serta-Simmons civil package was being done concurrently with The Assembly Yards infrastructure design. The site is surrounded by infrastructure roadways on all sides and maintains an urban feel with minimal building setbacks. Thus, close coordination between the plans and engineering firms were required during the design, local jurisdictional review, and construction.
Lowe Engineers was retained by the Urban Redevelopment Agency for the City of Forest Park, this project involved design services for Hood Avenue as part of the redevelopment of the former Fort Gillem Army base. This $10 million project widened the existing two-lane to a four-lane divided section and also realigned a section of the corridor to facilitate a future development site. As part of the design, Lowe addressed several intersections within the project limits. Modifications and upgrades were made with Moreland Avenue (State Route 42) which involved heavy coordination with GDOT District 7. Numerous other intersections were also brought up to GDOT and AASHTO standards as part of the final design with dedicated turn lanes, pedestrian upgrades, and shoulder improvements. A new intersection was also created along with dedicated turn lanes and a full traffic signal design at the location of a new distribution center within the development.
Lowe designed seven Bridge Replacement Projects, in district two and three, including six stream/river crossings and one railroad bridge. The firm provided surveys for the bridges which were constructed during the 1930’s and 1940’s and were now structurally deficient. For our personnel safety and in order to save GDOT time and money, our 3D Laser scanner was used to collect data at several locations. Certain sites included the design of temporary detours to maintain the existing traffic during construction and 4,000 feet of roadway improvements. Other sites included a complete re-alignment of the existing roadway to help aid the construction staging cause a lesser impact to residents and travelers. The total scope of work for all the projects included survey, concept development, preliminary plans development, final plans development, right of way plans, and final construction plans and documents.
Lowe is working on the team with Winter Construction and maintaining horizonal and vertical control throughout construction, QA/QC of all other trade contractors, control and layout inside the Cyclorama building, and layout as needed and requested.
Lowe Engineers has been performing stormwater infrastructure inspections for DeKalb County in support of its MS4 permit activities at various locations in the County since 2005. Lowe is in the third year of this contract and has been inspecting approximately 17,000 structures and conveyances per year. Services include field visits, data collection, work order creation, and condition photos that are uploaded into the County System. To date we have inspected 34,273 structures including:
Lowe is also doing infrastructure investigations for the County, by helping them determining location, ownership and maintenance of the storm water structures within the County limits.
Lowe is currently executing the annual maintenance programs for the City of Brookhaven: Street Maintenance, Signal Maintenance, General Right of Way Maintenance, and Stormwater Maintenance. Additionally, we are executing the paving program, the sidewalk program, the intersection improvement program and special projects as funded. In addition, Lowe manages the maintenance/construction of city infrastructure, currently including
Lowe also directs the annually accomplishment of over 800 street, signal, sign, sidewalk and stormwater repairs including over 25 emergency repairs, as well as maintains work order records, sets priorities and monitors progress.
Scott Athey, PEScott M. Athey, P.E. leads the Lowe Engineers Transportation Department with two decades of experience in the areas of transportation engineering. His experience includes all types of facilities from local streets and small county roads to interstate and limited access facilities as well as multi-modal alternatives. Over the course of his career, Scott has created solutions for projects of varying sizes and complexities from remote rural areas to highly developed urban centers. His career path followed traditional development from Entry Level Engineer through leading projects as a Project Manager and Principal for the firm. This trajectory translates to a complete understanding of the design process and the integral parts and roles of a Team Environment. Scott’s completed projects include working for a variety of clients such as; Local Municipalities, County Governments, Development Authorities, Private Developers, State Department of Transportations (DOTs), Corps of Engineers and many others. In addition to traditional stand-alone transportation projects, Scott has also played a major role in multi-discipline projects incorporating transportation solutions for masterplaning, large scale developments and redevelopments. Scott has also served as the Project Manager for unique projects with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) related to the inventory of surplus property/ right-of-way and disposal of assets. Scott’s experience includes managing all tasks associated with planning, design, and construction of transportation projects and the management of a team of professionals. His focus and strength is listening to the clients, the courage to think outside of the box and the context sensitivity to deliver a custom solution for each unique project and client.
Scott has completed numerous Project Management certifications, trained in ISO methods for Quality Control/ Quality Assurance and other Leadership Training for Engineering Professionals. He is a registered Professional Engineer in multiple states, a Level II Certified Plan Designer/Reviewer for Erosion & Sedimentation and holds current certifications for the GDOT Plan Development Process (PDP) and Locally Administered Projects (LAP).
“I am originally from Montgomery, Alabama and definitely a genuine southerner. I grew up a baseball junkie and love supporting the Braves, now just down the street from our Cobb County home. I also stay very involved with my beloved Alma Mater – Auburn University and will always be a Tiger! I am a sucker for a DIY project and getting outdoors or spending time with my wife and two daughters. I truly enjoy being a Transportation Professional in Metro Atlanta where there is always a new traffic challenge.”
Jonathan Gazaway is the construction project manager with the survey department. Jonathan has over 18 years of experience on various projects ranging from topographic assignments, multi-thousand-dollar surveying and mapping projects and various types of construction projects. His areas of expertise includes Topographic Surveys; GPS Control Surveys; Plane Table Surveys; Hydrographic Surveys; 2nd and 3rd Order Geodetic Traverse; Photogrammetric Control; 2nd and 3rd Order Leveling; as well as Horizontal and vertical construction layout.
“I am from Fayetteville, GA. I enjoy country music and during my free time I enjoy just about any type of outdoor activity and spending time with my wife, and 3 kids. My favorite part of my job is seeing a project from start to finish.”
Jason Combs, GISPJason Combs, GISP leads the Geospatial Group and has more than 15 years’ experience. Jason is a subject matter expert on airfield mapping, having successfully completed hundreds of airfield mapping projects for the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency.
Mr. Combs has completed more than 50 projects for the Savannah Corps of Engineers and over 30 projects for the New Orleans Corps of Engineers. These projects have included new color and black/white aerial photography, digital orthos, and detailed stereo compilation to create 1’ contours and DTM’s on sites ranging from 40 acres to 4,000 acres. Having completed multiple Department of Defense (DoD) security officer training courses, he manages Lowe’s day to day security program. He has also implemented and maintained the Geospatial ISO 9001 certification. He maintains his GISP certification through the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA), as well as being an active member of the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS), The US Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF), and a long-standing member of the Society of Industrial Security Professionals (NCMS).
Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, mapping has always been a part of my family. As a child and young adult, I had the privilege of being close with my great-grandfather who emigrated from Germany at a young age and settled in Missouri. His fascination with historical railroad maps combined with the opportunity to retravel my family’s settlement path with him imparted in me a life-long interest in maps. A true geographer in heart, I have traveled extensively throughout North America exploring all the great things on this continent. When time allows to be adventurous, I enjoy taking mining trips, and when I cannot stray far I enjoy spending time with my family, and all things cooking related.
Angie FuemmelerAngie Fuemmeler is the Controller/Accounting and Office Manager at Lowe Engineers. Angie is the “go to” person for anything and everything relating to finance and accounting. Angie tends to be the most popular person at the office because she ensures that everyone gets paid. She loves to read and spend time with her family. Most weekends are spent on a soccer field with her daughter Lita and husband Travis, who are the highlight of her life.
Favorite color: Green
Favorite quote: “Procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part”
Jerry Oberholtzer, PEJerry Oberholtzer leads the Civil-Site Department. Jerry has over 35 years of civil and transportation design and project management experience. He has extensive expertise in erosion & sedimentation control design, roadway design, storm drainage systems, and site preparation design. Additionally, Jerry has experience in the Public Works Department and the design and construction of all transportation projects, including SPLOST funded projects.
Jerry enjoys all things Clemson Tigers, including going to football and basketball games at his Alma Mater. His weekends are usually spent with his wife, Roxann, and his 3 grandchildren.
Kristi AtheyKristi Athey is the Proposal Coordinator for Lowe Engineers. She graduated from the University of Alabama-Birmingham in 2001. She began her career in the Juvenile Court System in Birmingham, Alabama as a Magistrate filing petitions and writing court reports. She gained valuable writing, communication and time-management experience allowing her a smooth career change into Marketing in 2014. Kristi coordinates, creates, and writes proposals as well as assists with any general needs of the marketing department.
Kristi is an active member of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in East Cobb where she directs 3-year-old choir and teaches a 5-year-old Sunday School class with her husband, Scott. On weekends they enjoy watching their 2 daughters, Madi and Anslee Kate play softball and soccer and spend Saturdays in the fall on the Plains watching Auburn Football. War Eagle!!
Ben Deslauriers, PLSBen Deslauriers has 14 years of experience in the many aspects of the land surveying field. He holds survey licensure in Georgia and Florida, as well as being a FAA certified remote pilot with a sUAS rating. He has lead efforts for UAS topo surveying and streamlining of 3-D Scanning. In more conventional survey efforts Mr. Deslauriers has also played a large role in the overseeing of several DOT survey projects, as well as successful topographic survey completions for the COE Savannah District, and NAVFAC. He also has a strong background in boundary resolution and FEMA flood certifications.
Wade Stroud, PEWade Stroud has 18 years of experience in transportation and stormwater engineering as well as construction and contract management. Throughout his career, he has gained extraordinary experience in project management, roadway design, hydraulic design, contract and bid management as well as pavement assessment. His expertise includes all aspects of design and plan preparation for transportation projects, including: highway and intersection design, hydraulic design with respects to the latest MS4 requirements, program and construction management.
David Elliott, PEDavid Elliott has over 13 years of experience in both the technical and business aspects of civil engineering and construction. Services include stormwater utility management, MS4 Inspection and Reporting, utility construction, internal and external pipe replacement installments, water resource engineering, civil site design, GIS/CADD development, master planning, rate analysis, policy development, and coordination/permitting with regulatory bodies.
Hari Karikaran, PEHari Karikaran manages the day-to-day operations for the department of Public Works for Brookhaven, GA.
Mr. Karikaran has held multiple positions in DeKalb County government since 2006, including associate director of Development, Director of Engineering Services and Director of Facilities Management. Hari managed county capital construction and maintenance of DeKalb’s 274 buildings in addition to county real estate transactions, according to the press release. Hari previously served as Deputy Director of Public Works for Charleston County, SC and Senior Civil Engineer at the City of Savannah Water & Sewer Bureau.
Mr. Karikaran obtained Master of Science in environmental & water resources engineering degree and Master of Environmental Resources Management degree from University of South Carolina in Columbia. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
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