2013

Januray 2013

• Brooklyn Greenway Initiative Votes SSE’s Michael Porto on to Board of Directors - The Brooklyn Greenway Initiative (BGI), the non-profit organization planning for the greenway and its long-term stewardship, recently voted to add Michael Porto to its board of directors.  When complete, the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway will be a 14-mile landscaped route, physically separated from traffic with separate paths for pedestrians and cyclists, connecting neighborhood parks and open spaces from Greenpoint to Bay Ridge. An urban planner, Michael currently manages MTA Capital Construction’s Good Neighbor Initiative to address quality-of-life issues during Second Avenue Subway construction. As a resident of Brooklyn and avid user of the greenway, he is excited to be a part of this transformational period as BGI and its partners collaborate to build and maintain the greenway.

• SSE and America Walks release a multidisciplinary guide to help create walkable communities - SSE and America Walks, the national pedestrian advocacy organization, are proud to announce the launch of Steps to a Walkable Community: A Guide for Citizens, Planners, and Engineers. This book and downloadable PDF is a collection of innovative, multidisciplinary tactics that have successfully improved and encouraged walking in communities around the country. Email info@samschwartz.com to order a hard copy.

2012

November 2012

• SSE is on board with the team selected to design the Brooklyn Tech Triangle Masterplan. Click to read article

October 2012

• Residents Learn More at SSE-Facilitated Second Avenue Subway Workshop As a part of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s expanded outreach efforts over the past year for the Second Avenue Subway project, SSE organizes quarterly public workshops for direct information exchange between the MTA and community members. Click to read article
• Morgan Whitcomb and Daniel Miodonski of Sam Schwartz Engineering's Downtown Chicago Office presented on bike share at the annual John Noel Public Transit Discovery Conference on October 19th. They discussed a general overview of bike share concepts, typical user groups, and fundamentals of choosing locations for bike share stations. Ms. Whitcomb and Mr. Miodonski have been integrally involved in the Chicago Bike Share System Planning project for the Chicago Department of Transportation, a project that plans the service area and station locations for the upcoming 300+ station system in Chicago.

August 2012

• Stacey Meekins, a senior planner at Sam Schwartz Engineering, will be speaking at the American Planning Association – Chicago Metro Section Bicycle Planning in the Chicago Region workshop on August 24th. Stacey will describe additional public input methods and crash analysis from her bicycle planning consulting experience. She will also summarize the various bicycle facility types available, particularly describing what is appropriate and where – from off-road trails to on-road bikeways to innovative treatments in Chicago.
• City-wide Speed Cut Idea Draws Critics Click to read article

July 2012

• Sam Schwartz Engineering has formulated a bike and pedestrian survey for Downers Grove. Click to read post

June 2012

• Sam Schwartz on Strategies and Technologies to Revolutionize ETC Click to read article
• Mark de la Vergne of SSE's Downtown Chicago office was recently initiated into the Lambda Alpha International, Ely Chapter. Lambda Alpha is an honorary society thatprovides a forum for the study and advancement of land economics.

May 2012

• When it comes to compromising traffic safety, Richard Retting sees red. But what Retting would like to see more of in Pennsylvania is red light traffic cameras. Click to read article
• Streets for Cycling project consultant Mark de la Vergne from SSE outlined the reasoning behind the 640-mile Citywide 2020 Network. “We started to look at a map of all these destinations and quickly saw that 100 miles of protected bike lanes isn’t going to get us to where we want to go to build this citywide network,” he said. Click to read article
• Sam Schwartz (Gridlock Sam) writes on how to fix NYC traffic. Click to read op-ed 

April 2012

• Hudson Square Connection Business Improvement District hired SSE's pedestrian traffic managers, and placed them along Varick St. at Houston, Charlton and Vandam Streets. Click to read article
• Judy Rife: Congestion pricing may still become NYC reality. Click to read article
• SSE was at the American Planning Association National Conference (Los Angeles, April 14 – 17): One of the most popular sessions at this year’s APA conference was hosted by SSE’s Douglas Adams, director of active transportation planning. The session, “Tactical Urbanism: Short Term Action, Long Term Change,” included Michael Lydon of the Street Plans Collaborative and Stephen Villavaso of CicLAvia, who spoke to a standing room only crowd. In addition, Adams, Eric Widstrand (vice president and general manager of SSE’s LA office), and Mark de la Vergne (associate and project manager in SSE’s downtown Chicago office) co-hosted a reception with Farr Associates for conference attendees. Click to read blog
• Decision on narrowing Madison Street in Oak Park could come by June. Click to read article
• A More "Complete" Madison Street? Click to read blog

March 2012

• City Council Considers Traffic Light Cameras - The U.S. Department of Transportation supports red light cameras as a safety measure, according to Richard Retting of SSE. Click to read article

February 2012

• Mount Prospect staff members draft bicycle plan with the help of the Active Transportation Alliance and SSE, Chicago.Click to read article

2011

December 2011

• SSE was selected by the City of Sarasota to provide Consulting Engineering Services for Roundabout Planning & Peer Review for Design. The contract calls for SSE to provide Preliminary Feasibility Studies, Peer Review of designs by others, Public Outreach, Permitting and Design Guidance.
• Jee Mee Kim is assisting the Rockaway Waterfront Alliance, a Queens-based community organization, with an afterschool youth program on improving transportation access in the Rockaways. Jee Mee is helping middle school and high school students at Scholars Academy in Rockaway Park develop a December 15, 2011 presentation to elected officials and public agencies for improving pedestrian and bicycle access in the local area.

November 2011

• SSE’s Douglas E. Adams, AICP, associate and project manager, was the featured speaker at the New Jersey Institute of Technology Albert Dorman Honors College Colloquium Series on November 30, 2011. Douglas’s talk was “One Bike Lane Does Not Fit All: Designing Bikeways for (Almost) Everyone” and described bicycle infrastructure design and advancing active transportation to address a host of modern ills. The colloquium series focuses on the interface between science, technology, and society and features talks by industry, academic, and government leaders on a range of topics.  Click to view program
• Forward Thinkers: "Gridlock" Sam Schwartz, Transportation Engineer: Forward Thinkers is a series of up-close and personal accounts of dancers, musicians, photographers, opera singers, chefs, entrepreneurs and even engineers who took a different approach to achieving success and, thus, revolutionized their fields on the way. These interviews aim to offer insight and inspiration to up-and-coming talents to experiment with their abilities, explore unique fields and discover unknown talents.  Click to view video
• Douglas E. Adams, AICP, SSE associate and project manager, was a panelist on the Careers in Transportation panel discussion hosted by the New York University Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service on November 11, 2011. Douglas discussed the nature of his work, strategies for effective job searching in this industry, key skills and experiences that employers look for in candidates, and industry trends/policies.
• Sam Schwartz Engineering is Working for the City of Chicago to Expand Its System of Bike Lanes  Click to read article

October 2011

• Halloween Traffic Will Be a Mess, With Occupy Wall Street Adding To The Woes Click to read article
• Clash Over 'Bikes in Buildings' Law Frustrates Gridlock Sam's Firm Click to read article
• Erich Arcement, P.E., PTOE, senior vice president and general manager of SSE’s New York office, and Douglas Adams, AICP, project manager and associate, organized a day-long tour of bicycle and pedestrian improvements from Central Park to Brooklyn Heights on October 22, 2011 . The tour was conducted for students of Cornell University’s Art, Architecture, and Planning New York City program, led by Executive Director Robert Balder. The tour featured Josh Benson, director of the New York City Department of Transportation’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Program.
• Jee Mee Kim, AICP, presented at the Society of Marketing Professional Services’ conference, The Marketing Event, on Friday, October 21, 2011. She spoke at a panel discussion where professionals from the marketing, design, engineering, and construction industries discussed unique career paths and identified the hidden potential of their current positions.
• Matt Bernstine, AICP, LEED AP, presented at the APA New York Metro Chapter Conference on Thursday, October 20, 2011. His panel discussion focused on recent career experiences and offering strategies for obtaining a permanent job following a successful internship experience.
• Jee Mee Kim, AICP, presented to a group of high school students participating in a youth program run by the Rockaway Waterfront Alliance, a neighborhood-based organization in Queens, New York on Thursday, October 20, 2011. She discussed bike share and bike planning best practices from major U.S. cities, including New York City.

September 2011

• City Hopes Bridge ‘Safety Officers’ Will Prevent Bike-Pedestrian Accidents. After numerous complaints and injuries, the city has come up with a plan to potentially reduce the number of collisions between pedestrians and cyclists on local bridges — especially on the Brooklyn Bridge’s narrow, overcrowded walkway. Click to read article
• SSE remembers September 11, 2001 by joining 5,000+ human chain on morning of September 10th. Click to read press release

August 2011

• Chicago is the City of Broadening Sidewalks. Chicago drafts first-ever master plan for pedestrians. Click to read article
• SSE Continues Busy Year of Growth with New Los Angeles Office. Eric Widstrand, P.E., PTOE, a veteran of consulting and most recently Seattle Department of Transportation (DOT), to head Los Angeles Operations.
• effective August 1, 2011, SSE is officially open for business with its new office in Los Angeles, California. The opening of the new office will allow SSE to improve on the efficiency of its deliverables while ensuring on-the-ground first-rate customer service. Click to read press release

July 2011

• East River Bridges: 100 Years of Free Rides Take Their “Toll” - The NYC Bridge Centennial Commission, co-founded by "Gridlock" Sam Schwartz, organized a re-enactment today near the Williamsburg Bridge, calling attention to the hundredth anniversary of the last toll collected on the East River bridges. Click to read blog
• A Century of Toll Free East River Bridges: Bridge historians claim lost income of over $31 Billion. Click to read article
• City Hall Resists a Proposal to Ban Cars on Some Roads in Central Park. The idea to ban cars in the park dates back decades, and it has always been met with opposition. Samuel I. Schwartz, a prominent traffic engineer who worked for the city under former mayors, including Abraham D. Beame, led one of the first tests that banished cars on the weekends; it met an ignominious end. Click to read article
• Jeffrey Smithline, Director of Traffic Engineering for SSE’s NYC Office, has joined the Executive Committee for the Institute of Transportation Engineers’ (ITE) Pedestrian and Bicycle Council, which has an international membership of approximately 650 individuals. He will also be serving as one of 12 members on ITE’s Ethics Task Force. Locally, Jeff will continue his active participation in ITE’s Metropolitan Section of NY and NJ as the Chairperson for Northern NJ Arrangements.

June 2011

• SSE’s Design Concept from the Brooklyn Bridge Transportation and Access Study to be Implemented. Click to read article
• SSE’s Richard Retting was the guest speaker discussing Red Light Cameras at the ITE Met Section meeting being held at the Newark Club in Newark, NJ on June 14. Photo enforcement technology is increasingly used in communities across the US to supplement traditional traffic enforcement methods. This presentation will provide a brief overview of documented experience and lessons learned from two decades of US experience with two major types of photo enforcement ‐‐ red light cameras and speed cameras. Literature and agency references include history of use in the US, effects on violations, effects on crashes, crash trends, public opinion, and major legal challenges and court rulings. Lessons learned from two decades of US photo enforcement experience are discussed.
• SSE is providing consulting services to Abu Dhabi DOT to identify best practices and develop transportation regulations for major roads. Attached photos are taken with the Abu Dhabi DOT Director of Traffic Safety and the Director of Strategic Planning.

May 2011

• The Plight of the Small Engineering Business Owner Click to read article
• Sam Schwartz Engineering’s Downtown Jamaica Bus Congestion Study for the New York City Department of Transportation made headlines this week, as our bus and traffic recommendations undergo the public outreach process. These recommendations would speed bus service throughout the congested Central Business District. Some improvements are slated for implementation this summer. Click to read blog
• Iconic New York City Gateway is a Canvas to NYU-Poly's Carl Skelton, Paying Tribute to City's Everyday Heroes, Past and Present. Click to read article Brooklyn-Queens Expressway Enhancements Project Click to read article Sam Schwartz, P.E. appeared on an episode of The Colbert Report: The Enemy Within - Unicyclists. Riding unicycles used to be a shameful pastime for circus animals and secretaries of defense, but this one-wheel lifestyle is seeping into the mainstream. Click to read blog
• Major Street Changes Coming to Barclays Center Area. Click to read article

April 2011

• Iconic New York City Gateway is a Canvas to NYU-Poly's Carl Skelton, Paying Tribute to City's Everyday Heroes, Past and Present. Click to read article
• Brooklyn-Queens Expressway Enhancements Project Click to read article
• Sam Schwartz, P.E. appeared on an episode of The Colbert Report: The Enemy Within - Unicyclists. Riding unicycles used to be a shameful pastime for circus animals and secretaries of defense, but this one-wheel lifestyle is seeping into the mainstream.  Click to view video

March 2011

• Mark de la Vergne participated in a panel discussion on Implementation Now at the American Planning Association National Conference in Boston, MA on April 10, 2011. Mark gave a presentation on how communities can implement low-cost solutions to help them achieve their goals of becoming more walkable, bikeable, and transit friendly. Some of the strategies that Mark discussed included temporary public space, open streets events, and using technology to manage parking.
• The Javits Center renovation was highlighted as the project of the month in the March edition of the NY real estate journal. SSE was a part of the project team, and SSE's Jeff Smithline is quoted halfway through the article.  Click to read article

February 2011

• Should cities charge motorists to drive in congested areas? Click to see StreetFilm
• New Temporary Urban Art Installation on Manhattan Bridge Colonnade
• Developed by artist Carl Skelton and supported by Sam Schwartz Engineering and the Bridge Centennial Commission, the installation is part of the DOT Urban ...
• On-Street Protected Bike Facilities Boost Mobility While Lessening Congestion: Clck to read article
• SSE is proud to anouce the promotion of Jeffrey Trim, P.E., PTOE promoted from Senior Vice President and General Manager of SSE’s Tampa office to Executive Vice President of Transportation Services.
• Gridlock Sam: Freedom Fees
• SSE assists the City of Clearwater with Hillcrest Neighborhood DrainageSSE is under contract to the City of Clearwater to provide storm water modeling , design, permitting, and construction administration services for storm water improvements in the Hillcrest Neighborhood. SSE Engineers will define drainage basins, model the subdivision and street inlets and design improvements to resolve long standing flooding complaints in this neighborhood. This work will be combined with the Hillcrest Traffic Calming design project that will be completed in late 2011.

January 2011

• SSE assists the City of Clearwater with Hillcrest Neighborhood Drainage - SSE is under contract to the City of Clearwater to provide storm water modeling , design, permitting, and construction administration services for storm water improvements in the Hillcrest Neighborhood. SSE Engineers will define drainage basins, model the subdivision and street inlets and design improvements to resolve long standing flooding complaints in this neighborhood. This work will be combined with the Hillcrest Traffic Calming design project that will be completed in late 2011.
• Jan 3, 2011 - Sam Schwartz Engineering, PLLC (SSE) announces that it has acquired the Metro Transportation Group, Inc. (Metro), a traffic engineering, planning, design and signal systems company headquartered in Chicago.

2010

November 2010

• SSE is now under contract to the Florida Department of Transportation- District One for a five year period for the District-Wide Push Button Roadway Signal Project. The SSE team will perform miscellaneous engineering services of a minor nature including minor roadway design, signalization, signing and pavement markings, lighting, surveying and sub-surface utility engineering. Sample projects are signal retiming, signal plans for a new signal, pole replacements, turn lane extensions, median openings, ADA ramps and other roadway and traffic operation items.

October 2010

• SSE (Chicago) has been awarded a major public sector contract by the City of Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT). The City of Chicago Pedestrian Plan (Phase II) will be a physical and policy tool for the advancement of Chicago as a world class pedestrian City. SSE will work directly with the Mayor’s Pedestrian Advisory Council to help craft a vision and pedestrian philosophy for the City. The process will include extensive public outreach in order to equitably prioritize public improvements for public safety, travel and enjoyment. The project is planned to take about one year to complete and will include an interactive project website and a graphically illustrated final plan.

August 2010

• SSE's Greg Trim was the designer of 22nd Street East improvements in the City of Tampa. Greg is shown with Mayor Pam Iorio at the groundbreaking ceremony on August 17, 2010.
• Harris Schechtman, VP/Director of Transit for SSE, recently attended the American Public Transportation Association 2010 Multimodal Operations Planning Workshop and presented “Intermodal Operations Improvement – Low-Cost, High-Impact Opportunities Beneath the Radar”. The conference was held from July 26-28 at the Westin New York Times Square.
• SSE’s Associate, Mark de la Vergne presented for the “Road Diets” Webinar on August 18. The Webinar focused on how space on wide, busy streets can be reallocated, turning mundane sidewalks into inviting linear parks that promote active transportation.
• August 10, 2010 - SSE Slammers defeated AVROKO 11–6.
• August 5, 2010 - SSE Slammers defeated SHOP 4-1.
• August 4, 2010 - SSE Slammers defeated PCPA/STUDIOS 10–3.

July 2010

• July 28, 2010 - SSE Slammers defeated Rockwell 2-3 in 10 tense-filled innings.

• SSE’s Sam Schwartz and Jessica Schmidt met with Aruba’s Prime Minister Michiel G. Eman for the Renobacion Urbano conference and workshop. Over 30 organizations and 150 local community members joined a delegation of 16 American, Dutch and Aruban experts in creating a vision for downtown Oranjestad. More information on Renobacion Urbano can be found here: click to read archive.

June 2010

• SSE’s Sam Schwartz and Jessica Schmidt met with Aruba’s Prime Minister Michiel G. Eman (center) for the Renobacion Urbano conference and workshop. Over 30 organizations and 150 local community members joined a delegation of 16 American, Dutch and Aruban experts in creating a vision for downtown Oranjestad. More information on Renobacion Urbano can be found here: click to read archive.
• Sam Schwartz Engineering announces our expansion into East Asia with the opening of our new office in Seoul, Korea.

May 2010

• Newark city officials, include Mayor Cory Booker, held a press conference on May 1 announcing New Jersey’s first on-street protected bicycle facility, as a part of SSE’s Mt. Prospect Avenue streetscape improvement project. Construction is scheduled for completion in 2011. The cycle track puts Newark on the map with only a handful of other U.S. cities developing advanced cycling facilities.
• SSE’s CEO and Founder, Sam Schwartz, was recently invited by the Metropolitan Planning Council to participate in their roundtable discussion on the Importance of Pedestrian Friendly Public Spaces. Sam's presentation focused on some of the unique pedestrian engineering and planning that has recently been completed in New York City. Click to hear.
• SSE’s Douglas Adams and Sabrina Lau show off the duds they’ll wear at the first ever “Big Apple Tweed Ride,” on Sunday, May 23. The Tweed Bike Ride will start near Prospect Park on May 23 at around 10:30 am. Click to read article.

January 2010

• On January 21, 2010 Samuel Schwartz joined Catherine Perebinossoff for Let's Travel on New York Talk Radio. Jump into traffic, bridges, infrastructure, etc. Bridges that can be “interrogated” remotely on their condition? How Sam saved the Williamsburg Bridge? What is traffic calming? Can people, trucks, cars, bikes, trains live happily together?

2009

December 2009

• SSE is pleased to announce the following new associates: Douglas Adams, AICP, Mark de la Vergne and Jolene Yeats.
• Congress for New Urbanism Illinois recognized the Wicker Park Bucktown Special Service Area (WPB) for its effort to "improve the built environment in Illinois through the employment of CNU principles." The CNU jury panel applauded WPBs special attention to detail and the participatory aspect of the Plan. SSE Chicago prepared the collective vision for land use, economic development and transportation planning along the commercial corridors which comprise the Wicker Park and Bucktown neighborhoods in Chicago, Illinois.
• The American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois also recognized the Wicker Park Bucktown Special Service Area (WPB) with its Special Achievement Award. WPB enlisted the support of Interface Studio, which served as project leader; Civic Economics, which developed the economic development portion of the plan; and Sam Schwartz Engineering, which surveyed all the transportation, parking and circulation issues. SSE Chicago prepared the collective vision for land use, economic development and transportation planning along the commercial corridors which comprise the Wicker Park and Bucktown neighborhoods in Chicago, Illinois.

November 2009

• NYS Society of Professional Engineers is sponsoring a dinner lecture, entitled "Developments in the Wind Power Industry," on November 18, 2009. Presenter Walter Q. Howard Chief, Executive Officer of Noble Environmental Power is scheduled to speak. Lecture to be held at Annie Moore’s, 50 East 43rd Street, 5:30 - 8:30 pm. Registration is required as space is limited. Click to view invite.

October 2009

• SSE's Washington, D.C. VP, Richard Retting at US Senate event with film actress Michele Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Memoirs of a Geisha; James Bond) and Norman Minetta (former USDOT Secretary.)
• NYS Society of Professional Engineers is sponsoring a dinner lecture, entitled "World Trade Center Construction," on October 20, 2009. Keynote addresser, Chris Ward Executive, Director of PANYNJ with presenter Steven Plate Director, World Trade Center Construction, PANYNJ are scheduled to speak. Lecture to be held at Cornell Club Ivy Room, 6 East 44th Street, 6 - 8:30 pm. Registration is required as space is limited.
• The NYC Bridge Centennial Commission (NYC BCC), a 501 c 3 non profit, kicks off the Manhattan Bridge Centennial celebration on October 3rd with a Walking Tour led by Adrienne over the Manhattan Bridge to Vinegar Hill and DUMBO 2PM - 4PM. Week long celebration to include bike tour, ceremonial parade, reception, fireworks, and lectures.
• Sam Schwartz, P.E. former NYC Traffic Commissioner, Chief Bridge Engineer for NYC DOT Henry Perahia and Manhattan Borough Historian Michael Miscione will present unique takes on the Manhattan Bridge on Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. at NYU-Poly, 5 MetroTech Center, Dibner Auditorium, Main Floor, Brooklyn. The lecture is entitled "The Manhattan Bridge - History, Construction & Safety".

August 2009

• Dr. Michael Horodniceanu, P.E., is scheduled to speak at the September 23 dinner lecture for the New York State Society of Professional Engineers. The lecture is entitled “ Challenges of the South Ferry Subway Station.” All are invited to attend the dinner and lecture to be held at Annie Moore’s at 50 East 43rd Street from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

June 2009

• Congratulations to Erich Arcement! On June 17, 2009 Mr. Arcement was installed as President of the New York State Society of Professional Engineers New York Chapter. Good luck! Crains Top 2009 Entreprenuer
• Sam Schwartz was awarded Crain's Top Entreprenuers 2009. "Mr. Schwartz has built a one-man brand by parlaying the experience and contacts gained in his nearly 20-year career in government—ultimately as chief engineer at New York City’s Department of Transportation. His claims to fame include coining the term gridlock and writing the weekly “Gridlock Sam” column for the Daily News. All of that helped Sam Schwartz Engineering, his Manhattan-based transportation consulting firm, post revenues of more than $8 million last year and add 12 employees in the past two months." Click to here to read article/see Crain's video.
• June, 2009 marks the beginning of Port Authority’s crossing guard program on Church Street. SSE recruited, trained, and placed ‘highly visible’ pedestrian traffic managers at the corner of Church and Liberty Streets. SSE’s highly trained pedestrian managers are retired NYPD or Port Authority Police Department personnel. Working under Port Authority's and the City Department of Transportation's (DOT) guidelines, the agents are managing large number of PATH commuters, tourists, tour buses and construction vehicles entering and leaving the World Trade Center site.

May 2009

• Sam Schwartz, CEO and Rob Phillips, COO, accept American Council of Engineering Companies national award for GreenLink, a Windsor Ontario highway design that is a 21st Century interpretation of Frederick Law Olmsted’s roadway integration in NY’s Central Park. Queensboro Bridge FireworksQueensboro Bridge TollsQueensboro Bridge Centennial Celebration
• The NYC Bridge Centennial Commission (NYC BCC) , a 501 c 3 non profit, celebrated the Queensboro Bridge’s 100th anniversary on Sunday morning May 31st with a parade reenacting the bridge’s opening, a fireworks display by Grucci and heaps of praise from dignitaries, including Mayor Bloomberg, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and Queens Borough President Helen Marshall. Sam Schwartz, President of NYC BCC, drew laughs from the crowd when he held up a sign showing the bridge's three cent toll from 1909 to 1911. "We're just links between the past and the future in taking care of these bridges," said Schwartz. Click here for a full list of Queensboro Bridge Centennial Celebration Events and Exhibits. Click here for NYDaily News Article "Feelin' groovy on Queensboro's 100th!" Click here to watch Queensboro Bridge Centennial Celebration StreetFilm.

April 2009

• SSE is pleased to announce that Jeff Trim P.E., PTOE, a consulting engineer with 24 years of roadway design experience, has joined the firm. He will serve as Senior Vice President and the Florida General Manager based out of Tampa and as the Director of Civil Design for the firm. Mr. Trim previously worked for the firm his father started in Detroit Michigan, Wade-Trim, leading their National Transportation Design Services out of the firm’s Tampa office. He has managed numerous roadway design projects ranging from intersection improvements to six lane urban and rural arterial highways. Mr. Trim has also managed roadway studies for state routes and US highways that follow FHWA and NEPA guidelines. In addition, he has managed roadway lighting, signalization, signing and marking projects for state and local clients in the state of Florida. Mr. Trim is a Professional Engineer in Florida and Michigan and is a certified Professional Traffic Operations Engineer by the Institute of Transportation Engineers.
• Sam Schwartz was a key note speaker at the 11th Annual Staten Island Economic Development Corporation Conference.

March 2009

• Sam Schwartz Engineering is currently working with Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP on a large scale mixed-use development in the City of Tianjin, China. SSE’s transport team has been involved with vehicular access issues which include; parking lot driveway, pick-up/drop-off, and truck service access locations.

February 2009

• Richard Retting, Vice President of SSE’s Washington D.C. office, was recently awarded the WDCSITE Transportation Service Award. This award is intended to honor those members of the Section who have made outstanding contributions to the profession. Mr. Retting will be given this prestigious award during the WDCSITE Awards Dinner on March 3.

January 2009

• SSE has been asked to consult and design traffic and transportation plans for the 2009 presidential inauguration. DDOT is working under a very tight schedule to complete all the planning required and has tapped SSE to provide expert services for car, bus and pedestrian traffic. “SSE has truly exceeded our expectations. Your (SSE) deliverables have been of the highest quality and your timeliness has been exceptional. SSE has delivered under some extreme circumstances (providing us (DDOT) a map at 3AM). We are truly grateful for all of your hard work and expertise. Thank you!” Greer Johnson Gillis, District Department of Transportation.

2008

November 2008

• Sam Schwartz Engineering of New York announces the acquisition of Land Strategies Inc, of Chicago. Land Strategies is a nine year old traffic engineering and transportation planning firm specializing in urban environments. “Land Strategies offers Sam Schwartz Engineering an excellent opportunity to expand into new markets while acquiring the knowledge and experience of the local staff”, says Rob Phillips Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Sam Schwartz Engineering.
• SSE is pleased to congratulate the finalists in the Forum for Urban Design's Red Hook Bike Master Plan Design Competition! The Route Peddlers team received 3rd place out of 60 entries and included SSE employees Douglas Adams, Sabrina Lau, Jacob Mason, Michael Porto, Kate Sargent, and Jawairia Sial; architect Fernando Vazquez; and videographer Jeremy Mather. Click to see Route Peddlers' design entry.
• SSE was retained by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to provide transportation planning and engineering services and support for the Office of Program Logistics for the World Trade Center reconstruction. We assist in the coordination of construction schedules for the multiple projects and contractors on this 16-acres site, while evaluating the effects of construction on the surrounding community and stakeholders, and making recommendations to improve on- and off-site safety, circulation, and quality of life. We provide coordination with multiple agencies, stakeholders, and community groups, including community "walkshops", wherein interested groups are led on walking tours around the perimeter of the site to discuss specific quality of life concerns and potential solutions. The above photo shows Sam Schwartz and other SSE employees leading a walkshop tour with Liz Berger (President of the Downtown Alliance), Catherine McVay Hughes (Chair of the WTC Committee at Community Board 1), and other members of the Port Authority, the Downtown Alliance and Community Board 1.

October 2008

• SSE won the 2008 NJAPA award in the Transportation Category for our work on Prudential Center. This is our second award for this project. In May, we won the Transportation Project of The Year award from the Newark Regional Business Partnership.

September 2008

• Erich Arcement, P.E., P.T.O.E. wrote for New York State Society of Professional Engineers regarding the cropping of young licensed engineers.

August 2008

• Rob Phillips: Mr. Phillips recently joined Sam Schwartz Engineering as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.
• Erich Arcement, P.E., P.T.O.E.: Mr. Arcement was promoted to Senior Vice President & General Manager, New York.
• Harris Schechtman: Mr. Schechtman was promoted to Vice President, Transit Planning Services.
• Daniel Plottner: Mr. Plottner was promoted to Acting Director, Traffic & Transportation Services.
• Douglas Adams, AICP: Mr. Adams was promoted to Project Manager.
• Erwin Alonzo, E.I.T.: Mr. Alonzo was promoted to Staff Engineer II.
• Daniel Schack, AICP: Mr. Schack was promoted to Senior Staff Transportation Planner.

July 2008

• Samuel I. Schwartz, P.E., aka Gridlock Sam, issues stern warning to U.S. in wake of the one year anniversary of the I-35 Minnesota Bridge Collapse. Read press release.
• A national panel of experts was convened Tuesday, July 29 and Wednesday July 30 to participate in a riverfront design charrette for the Delaware River Waterfront in Philadelphia. SSE's Dan Plottner participated on the panel as a transportation engineering and planning expert. Philadelphia Daily News Articles associated with the panel discussions: Casinos' Plans 'Incompatible' with City's, PennPraxis Unveils Redesigned Riverfront Casinos and How Casinos Fit Vision (Philly Plan Forum Video)
• Douglas Adams, AICP, was recognized by the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative for guiding the production of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway Design Principles.
• On July 23, 2008 SSE celebrated our 13th anniversary aboard the Rendevous along the Hudson River. We are celebrating thirteen years of creative traffic, planning, design and construction solutions.

May 2008

• On Wednesday May 10, 2008 Sam Schwartz appeared on CBS Early Show regarding the importance of maintaining America's Infrastructure.

April 2008

• Instead of a Transportation Person of the Year, The Newark Regional Business Partnership chose to recognize the successful opening of Newark's Prudential Center as Transportation Achievement of the Year. "Prior to its opening in October, many feared that the influx of nearly 18,000 visitors a night would snarl roadways. Instead, thanks to a team effort to plan for and manage trips to and from the facility, a successful campaign to encourage mass transit ridership has meant that the impact on the road network is greatly reduced."
• Samuel I. Schwartz has been named the winner of the ASCE Metropolitan Section Annual Civil Engineering Award 2008. ASCE Met Section Civil Engineer of the Year Award is section's highest award and is presented to an individual who is judged to have contributed substantially to the Civil Engineering profession.
• Samuel I. Schwartz was named ACEC's 2008 Engineer of the Year. The Engineer of the Year Award is given to an active or retired member of ACEC New York who has made significant contributions to the consulting engineering profession, the council and his or her community. A board member of ACEC New York, Sam's professional service, engineering achievements, and civic and humanitarian activities contributed to him being selected for this award.
• SSE's Senior Vice President Erich Arcement was been named Young Engineer of the Year by The New York State Society of Professional Engineers, Inc. He accepted his award and was asked to speak at the Awards Banquet in June.