Minnesota county engineers host national conference
The Minnesota County Engineers Association (MCEA) hosted the National Association of County Engineers (NACE) annual conference and business meeting April 22-26.
Formally known as the NACE Annual Management and Technical Conference, this meeting is the primary means for county engineers from all over the United States to share information with contemporaries and to attend a variety of managerial and technical sessions. The 368 delegates and 112 guests—as well as the record-setting 111 exhibit booths—attest to the conference's resounding success.
The focus of the conference was to provide sessions offering the very latest thinking on a wide variety of topics of interest to county engineers. The opening general session included addresses by Minnesota Congressman James L. Oberstar, Mn/DOT Commissioner Elwyn Tinklenberg, and technology futurist M. James Bensen.
Another general session topic was a review of Minnesota's research partnership by Wayne Fingalson of Wright County and Julie Skallman of Mn/DOT State Aid and the T2/LTAP Steering Committee. (The partnership consists of the Minnesota Local Road Research Board's Research Implementation Committee, T2/LTAP, and Mn/DOT.) Also, Professor Max Donath of the University's ITS Institute gave a presentation titled "Driving Down the Virtual Roadway."
Concurrent sessions were organized into management, technical, and environmental tracks. The management track included presentations on performance measures, tort liability experience in Minnesota, technical and engineering workforce shortages, communication strategies for dealing with decision makers, and equipment management.
The technical track included presentations on bituminous pavement design, results from the Mn/ROAD research facility and potential applications, new bridge design and materials information, geographic information systems, and highway signs and markings.
The environmental track featured presentations on context sensitive design, new storm water and erosion regulations, recycled product uses, and bio-engineering in roadside management.
The program also included a tour of 3M's research facility and its outdoor nighttime signing demonstration.
MCEA wanted to make sure the visitors had an opportunity to get a good "taste of Minnesota" through the social program. This included a reception in the exhibit hall featuring many Minnesota food favorites such as walleye, wild rice, and other delicacies--but no "hot dish." Throughout the conference, the team of "Ken and Don"—Ken Skorseth of South Dakota's LTAP and Don Anderson of North Dakota's LTAP—amused the attendees with Scandinavian stories in order to provide a better understanding of "historic Minnesota culture."
This was the first NACE annual conference held in Minnesota since 1965, and the Minnesota County Engineers Association was dedicated to making it one of the best. The planning committee members worked many long hours during the past year, and during the conference itself, nearly every county engineer and spouse was involved in making it a success. Congratulations to MCEA for putting on a truly memorable national conference.
—Pat Murphy T2 support engineer