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Session Information
10:00AM - 11:00AM Session (PDH 1)
Title: Efficiency vs Deficiency, Designing Projects for Maximum Practicable Extent
Speaker: Falecia Rowe
Naki Group
Session Description:
Through this comprehensive session, attendees will gain insights on the following topics:
- Geometry – substandard vertical curve, lane widths, shoulder width – mitigated by speed limit, ADT, meeting NJDOT standards would require significant grade changes, impacts to historical structures
- Structure – substandard design loading to maintain hydraulic opening, mitigated by low ADT
- Roadside Safety – no end treatments on bridge rail / parapets, cannot use NJDOT standard CRT, adjust lane width and lengthen rail outside of clear zone
- Staging / MPT – cannot use detour for Chapel Drive or Temporary Traffic Signal, mitigated by low ADT
- Hydrology – lack of data for bridges for full analysis, maintain existing opening size for efficiency in analysis and permitting (Dewberry)
11:00AM - 12:00PM Session (PDH 1)
Title: NJDOT State Aid Updates
Speaker: Akash Sutariya
New Jersey Department of Transportation
Title: Public Engagement for SS4A, Vision Zero, and Active Transportation Initiatives
Speaker: Melissa Johnson
Melissa Johnson Associates
Session Description:
Municipal engineers are increasingly leading projects funded through SS4A, Vision Zero, and Active Transportation programs, where technical excellence must be paired with meaningful public engagement. This session will provide a practical overview of right-sized outreach strategies for these types of initiatives.
Using real-world examples from Safe Streets, Vision Zero and Active Transportation initiatives in the tri-state area, the presentation will cover the fundamentals of public engagement in the public sector: selecting appropriate engagement tools based on project scope and risk, coordinating with elected officials and municipal leadership, partnering with community organizations, and gathering actionable input that strengthens project outcomes.
The session will also address one of the most challenging aspects of municipal work—managing and facilitating difficult public conversations around traffic calming, roadway reallocation, and safety trade-offs. Attendees will leave with clear, implementable strategies to build trust, reduce opposition risk, and align community expectations with engineering realities.
Designed specifically for municipal engineers and public agency staff, this presentation bridges the gap between technical design and public acceptance—helping municipalities deliver safer streets with confidence and credibility.
2:00PM - 3:00PM Session (PDH 1)
Title: NJDOT Session
Speaker: Nisharg Dalwadi
New Jersey Department of Transportation |
