On the heels of our Metro Detroit Best & Brightest win, NTH Consultants, Ltd. (NTH) is pleased to announce its selection as both a 2020 Best and Brightest Companies to Work for in the Nation by the National Association for Business Resources, and a Top Workplaces 2020 by the Detroit Free Press. For these awards, nominated companies were assessed by independent research firms regarding criteria such as HR practices, Employee Enrichment, Communication, Diversity and Inclusion, Work-Life Balance, and more, both via company applications and anonymous employee evaluations.
 
For the Top Workplaces award, the Detroit Free Press partnered with Philadelphia-based Energage to rank the Top Workplaces in Michigan. The process was based on a scientific survey of employees who rate their workplace culture and give company insights about what makes them unique. The 150 winners were named in three categories, small, midsize and large and were celebrated in videos streamed online, which can be viewed here.
 
The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® competition identifies organizations that display a “commitment to excellence and employee enrichment that lead to increased productivity and financial performance.” Companies are scored regionally, and those regional winners are then entered into the National Competition. This national program celebrates those companies that are “making better business, creating richer lives and building a stronger community.” Best and Brightest National honored 151 winning organizations from across the country out of 1,100 nominations. A full list of the winners can be found here.
 
“Receiving these awards is incredibly meaningful to NTH as it reinforces what we’ve done to create a culture where our employees feel engaged and appreciated,” said Jeff Jaros, Executive Vice President & COO. “Even with the current pandemic, NTH has worked hard to maintain a supportive culture that prioritizes safety, fun and cohesiveness, even when we cannot be physically together. We are honored to receive these awards, but even more so that our employee-owners acknowledge the efforts we’ve made.”
 
Through the course of our 52-year heritage, NTH’s vision, mission and core values have remained the same. The words may have changed over the years, but the meanings have not. Our culture has always been grounded in a desire to provide high quality solutions at a fair price, conduct ourselves with the highest levels of integrity, and treat others with respect.

Over the years, his unwavering work ethic exuded the NTH commitment to quality and professionalism and set an example for all to follow. He was on the job, on time, every day, putting in whatever level of effort was required. From showing up in the middle of the night to working 16 hour or more shifts, to the coldest or hottest days of the year, Ernie never ushered a single complaint.

Embracing opportunities to pass along his knowledge and professionalism, Ernie trained a significant number of younger staff over the years, demonstrating the quality way of performing tasks and supporting them until they felt comfortable on their own. He always went the extra mile to answer questions about a construction project and/or related tasks in a detailed, methodical, and understandable way. 

Colleagues at all levels within the organization resoundingly reflected upon Ernie’s professionalism, poise and up-beat approach to every situation, no matter how difficult.  His calm demeanor always wore off on the client and / or the contractor so that problems could be solved in a collaborative rather than adversarial manner.
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Ernie’s impact on NTH is summed up eloquently by esteemed colleague, Larry Gilbert: “Ernie is a respected and able veteran of the construction world, cheerful in all weather, never shirked a task, as dependable as a close friend, and a professional by every definition – he is a difficult guy to replace and he leaves behind a legacy worth emulating.”

Please leave a comment for Ernie below, giving him your well wishes, telling a story about him, or letting him know he will be missed!

At each of the seven schools, NTH provided pavement design, SESC plans, demolition plans, grading design, and standard pavement details designed specifically for this project to meet LPS Standards, along with project submission and permitting assistance. NTH also provided project specifications for the asphalt, concrete, aggregate base, excavation, grading, stormwater management devices, and all other applicable site/civil items. 

NTH also facilitated ease of construction by coordinating pavement undercuts with the contractor and third-party testing company. Areas with poor subgrade were dug out and replaced with MDOT 21AA aggregate to ensure the new pavement would be placed upon a supportive base, which will help the proposed pavement last well into the future, rather than cracking in the same spots in a few years’ time. NTH assisted and provided guidance throughout construction, including coordination with the contractor and third-party testing company, as well as site visits and the undercut detail and specifications. 

In addition, each school had its own unique requirements. For example, one of the schools’ main pickup and drop-off area was ill-equipped to handle the daily traffic flow each day after school. NTH sub-contracted a traffic engineering firm to perform a traffic study, and together designed a new pickup and drop-off area layout that organized bus and vehicular traffic flows in a highly efficient layout, while providing extra parking spaces for staff. This new layout turned this previously congested area into one that is significantly safer for pedestrians and vehicles alike, by providing protected walkways for pedestrians, separating bus and vehicular traffic, and establishing intuitive traffic routes and parking areas. 

At a different school site, NTH designed the main parking lot layout to maximize the number of spaces available on-site. However, during construction, the owner received word from users that the new parking lot striping felt a little too tight. NTH rapidly developed three new layouts that incorporated the client’s new requests and created a straightforward yet comprehensive comparison of each alternative. After incorporating feedback from all users and the client, the lot was restriped in a more desirable way, in a compressed schedule, while still providing an overall increase in parking spaces on-site.

Livernois Avenue from Margareta Street to 8 Mile Road was previously configured as two lanes of traffic each direction at a moderately-high speed limit, separated by a concrete, center-turn median. In an effort to improve pedestrian walkability, increase bicycle access, and calm vehicular traffic flow, the City of Detroit undertook a complete streetscape re-design for 1.3 miles of Livernois Avenue. In coordination with the landscape architect, NTH provided the civil engineering plans and specifications for the removal of the median and existing travel configuration, completely re-designing the entire corridor to the right-of-way limits, including new roadway design, utility upgrades, expansion of the existing sidewalks, and the addition of separated bicycle lanes. 

As part of this redesign, NTH provided striping, maintenance of traffic, and staging plans to route traffic, and provided locations of temporary parking lots to promote access to businesses during construction. A proposed sequence of construction plan was designed by NTH and refined with input from the City and local representatives alike. 

NTH provided geotechnical investigations to determine soil conditions and feasibility of bioretention facilities on-site. NTH’s findings confirmed that bioretention areas would be a practical, sustainable way to manage stormwater runoff by infiltrating captured stormwater back into the soil. These geotechnical investigations also helped determine the behavior or the subgrade beneath the proposed roadway which factored into the pavement design. Since the roadway was being completely redesigned, NTH was able to create a new geometric design for the roadway’s vertical curves, which changed the stormwater flow regime substantially. NTH created utility plans that captured the runoff and decreased flooding, which was an issue previously. This new storm sewer layout had to tie-in with the previous sewer layout, and NTH was able to incorporate existing utilities and connections where possible, and NTH routed the new utilities in an efficient way that avoided many potential conflicts. These stormwater routes were refined by performing hydraulic and hydrologic analyses to ensure that the previous roadway drainage design would adequately serve the re-configured roadway design.

NTH also provided construction administration by answering submittals and Requests for Information as applicable during the construction process. As site conditions varied and new information was taken into account during construction, NTH provided several updated construction and grading plans as dictated by these unforeseen conditions. This ultimately saved time and money for the contractor and the owner by being responsive to the sometimes-unpredictable nature of the construction process. NTH’s adaptability and responsiveness kept the project on track during the height of construction season. ​

Detroit is best known for pioneering the mass-produced automobile, but its role as an incubator for transportation innovation extends to the roads themselves.  Over a century ago, Woodward Avenue became the country’s first paved road and hosted the first tri-color traffic signal.  Now, another major metro Detroit thoroughfare—Mound Road—is poised to build on that legacy.  Our team at NTH is excited to be part of this effort.

The Mound Road corridor famously supported tank manufacturing (the “Arsenal of Democracy”) during World War II and has since evolved into a major hub for national automotive, defense, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing industries.  Recognizing its economic importance, the U.S. Department of Transportation has issued an INFRA (Infrastructure For Rebuilding America) grant for its reconstruction of the nine-mile segment north of Interstate 696.  The design-build project, led by HNTB, will not only repair aging pavement but also modernize the route.  It is anticipated to include intelligent sensors and signals; pedestrian, cycling, and transit facilities; roadway widening and traffic flow improvements; as well as landscaping, lighting, and beautification.

Uniquely, it will also incorporate recommendations from an ‘Innovation Council’ of mobility experts to ensure that emerging autonomous and connected vehicle technologies are considered—and proactively planned for—during design.  In a recent article for Driven, Macomb County Department of Roads planning director John Crumm explained, "The overall goal of the project is to access the technologies that are there right now, that are low-hanging, but planning flexibly enough and far enough ahead that when we get to fully autonomous vehicles, that corridor can be converted over at minimal cost."

Mound Road currently carries more than 70,000 vehicles daily including more than 47,000 commuting employees as well as trucks supplying ‘just-in-time’ freight deliveries to manufacturing plants.  NTH is serving on behalf of the Macomb County Department of Roads preliminary engineering team to collect and depict subsurface utility information along this very busy route.  NTH’s investigative capabilities include state-of-the-art geophysical prospecting and non-destructive vacuum excavation techniques.  The data will be used to reduce areas of potential utility conflict in advance of the final design, ultimately reducing costs as well as construction impacts to local businesses and residents.

Visit Innovate Mound for more about this project, and learn more about NTH’s Transportation market and Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) services on our website.

Thank you to everyone who attended our latest PFAS Webinar. There were several questions that were asked during the webinar - some that were answered and some that we were not able to get to. Rick Burns, one of our speakers, has answered these questions that you will find below. 
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1. Has the discussion with MPART about treatment and testing of PFAS chemicals discussed financial considerations since neither WRRFs nor landfills are generators? Is there thought about alternative funding for treatment or linking sources or generators to treatment costs?
   Answer: This is an excellent question.  The short answer is no.  So far, our discussions with MPART/EGLE have focused on source reduction. Treatment funding sources is a planned discussion topic for future meetings.
   
   
2. Any efforts underway to better understand air emissions in landfill gas, potential gas to energy plant emissions and leachate evaporators?
   Answer: As of now, based on my knowledge  of recent developments, the impact of PFAS emissions from LFG WTE and evaporators is at the beginning stages. I am not directly involved with these discussions, which are likely to expand with MPART/EGLE/MWRA soon.  
   
   
3. You stated that the Rule 57 numbers are drinking water standards, but they are not. 
   Answer: Correct. Rule 57 PFAS HMCV are applicable to surface waters used as a source of drinking water or not.
   
   
4. Do we know how much PFAS is in the WRRF residuals?
   Answer: Biosolids PFAS concentrations vary  at individual WRRFs statewide, ranging from ppt to ppb values, depending if influent is "industrially-impacted".  MPART, working with AECOM, published a summary biosolids report a few weeks ago. Here is the link: https://www.michigan.gov/documents/egle/wrd-pfas-initiatives_691391_7.pdf. 
   
   
5. Much of Michigan is rural and the homes use septic systems.  Have you heard if EGLE is considering investigating private septic fields? 
   Answer: To my knowledge, MPART has not yet initiated a study regarding PFAS septic field discharge, which is needed to fully understand the overall mass balance and fate-and-transport of these compounds in the environment.  The results of such an investigation would be both interesting and useful.
   
   
6. You said that WRRFs do not create PFAS, they only receive them, but earlier you said that more go out than come in, due to conversions occurring in the treatment process.  Is there an understanding of how those conversions occur and how to potentially prevent them? 
   Answer: As discussed, the total WRRF PFAS mass balance is under-studied and not fully-understood.  In cases where effluent PFAS concentrations exceed influent concentrations, current evidence suggest transformation of PFAS cogeners and precursor compounds to PFOA and PFOS, both "terminal" products, within the WRRF system.   Another explanation is residual PFAS concentrations with the WRRF piping/equipment that is released randomly or a result of changes in the treatment system that allows desoption of PFAS from these infrastructure components and/or biosolds.
   
   
7. What are landfills doing to look at their upgradient sources?
   Answer:  If you are referring to refuse accepted for disposal, each landfill is implementing source reduction procedures that include PFAS waste isolation, load rejection, including biosolids and plating sludge wastes that have elevated PFAS concentrations.
   
   
8. Seems to me reduction of PFOS and PFOA at the source would be money better spent.
   Answer:  I agree with you; however, except for industries that use PFAS in manufacturing processes (e.g., platers and AFFF producers) who are able to replace our substitute componds, it is very difficult to remove all impacted materials from the waste stream (landfills and WRRFs).   Also, PFAS removal systems create concentrated residues, exacerbating the problem.  PFOA and PFOS are two of nearly 5,000 PFAS compounds with a plethora of other emerging contaminants on the regulatory horizon that may be best managed economically  using existing, centralized treatment systems as opposed to individual systems that will require upgrades to handle future demands.

Below are the slides from our presentation for download.

If you’ve visited your favorite Great Lakes beach, shoreline fishing location or a local marina lately, you may have noticed some changes.  Lake levels never saw their typical decline last fall, setting the stage for record high water levels this spring.  Despite record outflows into the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Great Lakes remain more than full.
According to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers data for Belle Isle, water levels in southeast Michigan reached their peak just before Memorial Day. The current forecast for Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River is for a gradual decline over the summer months.  Lakefront communities on the west side of the state will continue to experience high water through the summer, peaking around July.

The impacts are not only recreational; an abundance of critical infrastructure—public and private—resides along the Great Lakes.  These include power plants, drinking water intakes, and municipal sewage systems as well as privately owned industrial sites and marine terminals.  Even when inland flooding and erosion do not threaten occupied structures, they can expose underground utilities, wash out pavements, and cause sinkholes and slope failures. After the recent shoreline failure at Detroit Bulk Storage in late November 2019, the City of Detroit stepped up inspections the shoreline within the City including existing docks and seawalls and initiated enforcement of the maintenance requirements in city code.  Citations and fines have been issued as a result.

Because natural shorelines undergo a dynamic process of erosion and deposition, resilient designs are needed to adapt to these changes.  Appropriate solutions can help private owners and municipalities alike adapt to the changing lake levels, avoid property damage, and reduce maintenance and repair costs. NTH has extensive experience with shoreline projects on the Great Lakes and Detroit River.  We have ongoing relationships with divers and seawall contractors and can assist with evaluation of current conditions and rehabilitation of existing structures.

​Even though the current levels have broken records, they may not be an anomaly.  Although lake levels were low several years ago, water levels have significantly exceeded the historical averages for the last three years due to increasingly intense storms and rainfall.  Shoreline protection has never been more important, and investments made now – both private and public -- will protect valuable recreational, commercial and industrial assets into the future.

James joined the military in August 2004. There were several things that motivated him to join but one in particular, he was always fascinated by his family’s history of those that have served which included his Grandpa (served 22 years) and his Dad (served 26 years). James said he has so many memories from bootcamp/training but one that stands out the most was “the night our bus pulled into Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois.  After we were separated into our assigned division and barracks I remember someone started laughing out of nowhere, I don't think we ever found out who it was but our RDC heard it. Our Recruit Division Commander stormed in and started yelling and asking who was laughing, off course all of us didn't know how to respond to the question. So, our RDC ended up having us do the famous 8 counts body builders for about 2 hours or at least it felt like two hours. On top of that, we had to run up and down the stairs in our barracks for I don't know how long.”

James served in the U.S. Navy as an Information Systems Technician. He served for 8 years, stationed on the USS Abraham Lincoln CVN72 located In Everett, WA and Naval Ocean Processing Facility located at Oak Harbor, WA. James said the proudest moment for him was getting all his qualifications completed and finally being able to start training the new sailors out of A school.  He received 3 Navy Achievement Medals, 2 Navy Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment ribbon and My Surface Warfare Specialist Insignia. James’ Military Training along with rate training taught him discipline, responsibility, and to adjust and handle difficult situations. ​

​Sarah Gamache joined the military in March 2003 after completing a semester of Community College. She knew she wanted something different and wanted to travel. Sarah was part of a special division boot camp. They trained as regular recruits but also drilled as a performance division. They got to travel for parades during Memorial Day and performed in other boot camp gradations ceremonies. Sarah was in the Navy and worked as a CTM, which stands for Cryptologic Technician Maintenance. She worked on satcom equipment and set up networks, antennas, and receivers. Her first duty station was a NSGD Suslak, in Seoul, Korea.


Next she went to the USS Bataan(LHD 5), then to USS McFaul (DDC 74) both out of Norfolk, Va. Lastly, she worked for WHCA out of Washington, DC. Sarah’s proudest achievement was making E-6 because she worked and studied really hard. Sarah says the military requires you to grow up quickly and have responsibility for expensive equipment, and to be in charge of people, even before you’re ready for it. This helped her grow up always ready and preparing for anything, which also helped prepare for her current position at NTH.

May is National Military Appreciation Month, so this week, NTH would like to show appreciation for our staff who have served in the military and for the sacrifices that they and their families have made. Our next Military Appreciation post is for Brett Schwenke whose one year anniversary at NTH is today!

Brett joined the military on May 12, 1982. He joined to serve his country, grow up a bit, and earn some money for college. He thought he was ready for bootcamp and in great physical shape - he said he was so wrong! But he was in heaven spending days on rifle ranges.

Brett Served in the US Army, then Michigan Nation Guard, and US Army Active Reserve. He served at Ft. Knox, Ft. Leonard Wood (boot camp), Ft. Riley, and was deployed twice overseas to Europe. Brett’s proudest achievement was competing on a battalion rifle team in division competition at Ft. Riley - he was 7th on post out of 52,000 soldiers competing!

He earned the Army overseas service ribbon, Army achievement medal, letters of accommodation, and a Minute Man pin. Brett’s military experience helped prepare him for NTH by teaching him self discipline, personal drive, achieving his goals, and learning that nothing is impossible. 

May is National Military Appreciation Month, so this week, NTH would like to show appreciation for our staff who have served in the military and for the sacrifices that they and their families have made. Our first Military Appreciation post is for our longest term employee, Harry Price.

Harry Price joined the Military in March 1968 when he received a letter from Draft Board telling him he was to report to Fort Wayne, Building 205B, which is now a parking lot. On the day Harry was inducted, a snowstorm struck Detroit closing the airport. They had to send them by train to St. Louis and a bus from there to Ft. Leonard Wood, where he did both basic training and advanced individual training. Harry served with the 84th Engineer Company, stationed at Merril Barracks in Nuremberg, Germany from August 1968 – March 1970 and also the 84th Engineer Company, an Armored Combat Engineer Company, attached to the Second Armored Cavalry.

His proudest achievement was designing a series of wooden border observation buildings. They prefabricated the building in the Barracks gymnasium. A second crew erected the structures along the Czechoslovakia / German border. The experience Harry received in explosives and demolition has been applied to multiple projects that Harry has worked on in his 50 years at NTH.