Twists, Turns and Turbines: How Complete 540 (R-2828) Is Keeping Raleigh Rolling
A turbine-style interchange connects I-40, Toll N.C. 540 and I-42. (SkySite Images) “Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” – Jane Jacobs (author, The Death and Life of Great American Cities) When the new 18-mile, six-lane Toll N.C. 540 extension in Raleigh, N.C., opened on Sept. 25, 2024, motorists instantly experienced something rarely felt when traveling along this roadway during peak tra...
Building Bridges and Reefs: Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge’s Environmental Legacy in the Potomac River
The old Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge stood as both a testament to the past and a source of frustration for commuters. Since the late 2000s, the bridge earned notoriety for experiencing substantial traffic congestion, made worse by its design and the surge in traffic from southern Maryland—particularly during holidays and weekends. With narrow lanes, a steep incline and a reduced speed limit, vehicles crossing the bridge faced challenges, slowing down and merging in a way that often led to backu...
Innovative Steel Solutions Help Revitalize Gund Hall
Steel was used to strengthen and modernize Gund Hall’s existing structure, allowing for necessary upgrades without compromising the integrity of the original 1972 design. Since its completion in 1972, Gund Hall has stood as an architectural landmark on Harvard’s Cambridge, Mass., campus, embodying the bold vision of its designer, alumnus John Andrews. As home of the university’s Graduate School of Design (GSD), the iconic Brutalist building’s distinctive form—defined by its dr...
Will Tall Building Boon Continue? Mixed Uses, Infrastructure Hold Keys
The Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is the second-tallest building in the world at 679 meters. (Credit: Fender Katsalidis Architects) This article appeared originally on ASCE’s Civil Engineering Source. Tall building projects have expanded over the past several decades to include more disciplines and surrounding infrastructure, a trend experts say must continue in order to meet the growing demands of population growth, climate resilience, and sustainability on cities. An ina...
Industry Interview: Joseph Sczurko New U.S. Region President of WSP
In November 2024, Todd Danielson, Informed Infrastructure’s editorial director, interviewed Joseph Sczurko, WSP U.S. region president, via webcam. They discussed in detail WSP’s acquisitions strategy and why mergers and acquisitions are such an important element in the engineering industry. The full video interview can be viewed above or at bit.ly/3OSLhFQ. Danielson: Please briefly summarize your education and professional background. Sczurko: My background is as a civil and environment...
Location Intelligence Helps Commercial Building Developers Work Smarter, Not Harder
Developers can access maps with layers featuring key datasets such as tree overhangs (green), solar panels (purple), buildings under construction (yellow), construction sites (blue) and roofs with permanent repair (red). (Image credit: Nearmap) With the volume of development projects for new skyscrapers, stadiums, strip malls and office buildings on track to return to pre-pandemic levels, AEC firms need the proper technologies to gain efficiency and provide decision support throughout a...
Sensitive Situation: A Near Catastrophe Leads to Engineering Innovation at West Virginia’s Largest Airport
A photo shows the Yeager Airport with an 83-foot-tall, 400-foot-long reinforced retaining wall supporting the hillside beneath the restored EMAS system The situation at West Virginia International Yeager Airport in Charleston, W.Va., has always been sensitive. Locally billed as the gateway to the world, Yeager is West Virginia’s largest airport. Covering 767 acres, the airfield sits atop Coonskin Ridge in the Allegheny Mountains, and the airport’s existence remains an engineering ma...
Yadkin Water for Yadkin Needs - Securing Union County’s Water Future
A high-level overview of the Yadkin Regional Water Supply Project through south-central North Carolina. The intake and pump station are in Norwood, the water-treatment plant is near Unionville, and the drinking-water pipeline connects to Union County’s existing distribution systems in Monroe. More than 20 years ago, Union County, N.C., nestled just south of Charlotte, faced a looming challenge: how to secure a reliable water supply for its surging population. The existing system soon would...
Iconic Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge Turns 60
WSP’s History with Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge In writing this article, Informed Infrastructure Editorial Director Todd Danielson interviewed via webcam Jonathan Morey, P.E., senior bridge engineer at WSP USA; and Stuart Rankin, senior vice president at WSP USA, national bridges and structures practice. To learn more about this special bridge, its famous designer and what it meant to the engineers who worked on it as well as engineering details about orthotropic deck, Vierendeel trusses and main...
From the Ground Up: Stormwater and Erosion Compliance on Utility-Scale Solar Farms
Failure to establish sustainable vegetation on solar sites can cause costly damage to infrastructure. As the United States accelerates its transition to renewable energy, utility-scale solar projects have emerged as pivotal contributors to meeting clean-energy goals. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, solar developments have experienced an annual growth rate of 26 percent in the last decade, leading to more than 219 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity nationwide, which...
Stormwater Interview with Robert Page, P.E., Vice President, HNTB
Santa Barbara County North Branch Jail Expansion
February Issue 2026
