Category: News

At our May meeting, EPASCE elected the following as our 2015–2016 officers:

President-elect – Roxanna Rivera
Treasurer – Chris Nance
Secretary – Thomas Vick
Section Director 2015-2017 – Yvonne C. Curry
Board Director 2015-2017:
Jorge Grajeda
Estefany Ramos
Director 2014-2016:
Sergio Mendez

The following officers will be proceeding based on prior elections:

Past President – Wendy Arredondo
President – Marvin Gomez
Director 2014-2016:
Jesse Valles

The following are nominees:

President-elect – Roxanna Rivera
Treasurer – Chris Nance
Secretary – Thomas Vick
Section Director 2015-2017 – Yvonne C. Curry
Board Director 2015-2017:
Jorge Grajeda
Estefany Ramos
Director 2014-2016 (vacated by Thomas Vick):
Sergio Mendez

The following officers will be proceeding based on prior elections:

Past President – Wendy Arredondo
President – Marvin Gomez
Director 2014-2016:
Jesse Valles

Download here.

via TexASCE

While most Texans are painfully aware our state has been in a drought for the past 3 years, many don’t realize we have been in a transportation funding crisis for the past 10 years.  In November, Texans will have a unique opportunity to permanently improve highways across the Lone Star State. Proposition 1 is a proposed constitutional amendment that would add billions in reliable transportation funding – an estimated $1.4 billion in the first year alone – without new taxes, fees or debt.

In Texas, our highways are showing their age. The Interstate Highway System is preparing to celebrate its 60th birthday. With a typical design lifespan of 50 years, most of the system now requires increased levels of expensive maintenance.  In 2004 the maintenance and rehabilitation needs surpassed TxDOT’s traditional funding from the gas tax, and we have continued to lose ground.  Texas is falling behind, with at least $5 billion in unmet transportation needs annually.

Our highways are also becoming more congested.  The population of Texas has grown 125 percent over the past 40 years, and is expected to rise another 65 percent by 2050. Texas highway use has subsequently risen 238 percent, but our highway capacity has increased a mere 19 percent over that same timeframe.  The Texas Section of ASCE applauds TxDOT’s innovative use of public-private partnerships and toll managed lanes to provide additional highway capacity and relieve congestion – but those solutions do not help maintain our existing freeways.

If approved by voters, the amendment would authorize annual disbursements from the state’s oil and gas production tax collections to the State Highway Fund. Specifically, half the money currently destined for the Rainy Day Fund will go to the State Highway Fund. (The other half would continue to build the Rainy Day Fund, which is forecast to reach a record high in 2015 and approach its constitutional cap by 2020, even with Proposition 1 in place.)  While the Proposition 1 may not be the whole solution, it is an important step forward.

Proposition 1 is a fiscally sound solution that does not divert money from other public investments, burden taxpayers or unduly jeopardize the Rainy Day Fund. On November 4, 2014 it will be up to Texas voters to do their part so that future generations of Texans continue to enjoy the commerce, safety, security and competitiveness of our highway system.

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Curtis Beitel is the 2014-2015 president of the Texas Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Experts from across the state gathered to discuss Proposition 1 and other vital infrastructure topics at the first-ever Texas Civil Engineering Conference in Galveston on September 16-19. For more information, visit www.TexasCECON.org.

Mr. Gonzales has over 28 years of managing projects in El Paso and Doña Ana County, New Mexico from the predesign phase through construction management and final project acceptance. Robert is a lifelong resident of El Paso and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at El Paso and has been licensed as a Professional Engineer in the State of Texas since 1991. His career began with the Texas Department of Transportation. In 2002, Robert founded Quantum Engineering Consultants, Inc. and has since been providing services on numerous City of El Paso Street and Drainage Improvement Projects, Quality of Life projects, various types of bond projects with El Paso Independent School District and high profile projects with the University of Texas at El Paso.
Robert has always been very involved in the El Paso community, particularly in improving the region’s recreational amenities and preventive health awareness. Mr. Gonzales helped develop the Bikeways Study for the City of El Paso’s Metropolitan Planning Organization and is also an avid bicycle advocate for the City of El Paso. Mr. Gonzales is a member of the TxDOT Bicycle Advisory Committee representing West Texas. Mr. Gonzales was involved in the Subdivision Ordinance Rewrite and updates for the City of El Paso, Dona Ana County, and the County of El Paso. His focus is building better communities which involves designing sites that are not only better for the environment, but more cost effective to operate and healthier for the people who will utilize them. In addition, he has led a number of projects utilizing SmartCode principles, where alternative engineering solutions were proposed and accepted.
Mr. Gonzales is also an accomplished multisport athlete with a career that has spanned over 25 years. Most recently, he placed 5th in the 50 – 54 age group at the World Duathlon Championships in Gijon, Spain (2011), was the 2012 National Sprint Triathlon Champion in the 50 – 54 age group in Burlington, Vermont, and 2013 Runner- Up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is a three time Hawaii Ironman finisher and winner of numerous multisport events throughout the United States. Mr. Gonzales was inducted into the El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.
In recent years, he has focused his attention on providing inspiration to the youth of El Paso by giving presentations on the dangers of drug use, as a Race Director for various children’s multi -sport events, and by mentoring young athletes as they embark on their own athletic careers.

The University of Texas at El Paso Student Chapter of ASCE was selected at the Texas Section spring meeting by their fellow student chapters to host the 2013 Steel Bridge Texas-Mexico Regional Competition.  Congratulations to the student chapter for being selected.  The UTEP Student Chapter will need support not only financially but also for the required equipment, staff, and event organization. Anyone who is interested in volunteering or in providing financial support, please contact Wendy Arredondo at 915.532.7272 or visit their website at http://utepasce.wix.com/2013txmxregionalsbc for more information.

This is a general call for papers to be presented and posters to be displayed during the Texas Section Spring Meeting in San Antonio, Texas, April 18-21, 2012. Check the Texas Section website, www.texasce.org, for more information.

http://www.texasce.org/associations/10803/files/Sp12_Call_Papers.pdf