The Government of Yukon retained Associated Engineering to provide engineering services for the airfield upgrades at the Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport to reconstruct Runway 14R-32L to extend the runway life. The Airfield Upgrades Project is currently in the fourth year of a five-year program that includes detailed design, tender, and construction services.
Associated Engineering had previously completed an Options Development Report that identified and evaluated six rehabilitation and reconstruction options for runway 14R-32L that also considered potential scheduling synergies with other airside projects. Deputy Project Manager, Derek Blayney, says, “The preferred option was for full reconstruction of the main runway, with a proposed pavement structure that was designed to provide moderate-level frost protection.”
Associated Engineering completed the pavement design by assessing each section of the runway, while considering the existing pavement structure and subgrade strengths. Runway 14L-32R was also extended and strengthened, as part of the overall phasing plan to facilitate the reconstruction of Runway 14R-32L.
“To minimize the impact on airport operations, we first proposed extending the existing smaller parallel runway to facilitate the reconstruction of the main runway. The runway was extended to accommodate Boeing 737-sized aircrafts that typically use the airport.”
We coordinated with the airlines to confirm that the proposed runway length was suitable for their operations. By completing this work, we have also provided the Government of Yukon with a long-term parallel runway that allows greater flexibility for future maintenance works and during snow-clearing operations.
Associated’s key personnel on this project are Steven Bartsch, Derek Blayney, Dave Anderson, Sang-Hyun Chung, Kerri Hildebrandt, Erin Hamel, Cam McCrea, Christa Luckasavitch, Jaryd Nachtegaele, and Matt Henderson.
Over the past two decades, the Timberlea Neighbourhood in Fort McMurray has been subject to flooding during heavy rainfall events. These storm events overwhelm the sanitary sewer system, causing the sewer to surcharge and backup, resulting in basement flooding. In 2014, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo developed a Wastewater Master Plan (WWMP) for Fort McMurray with a focus to prioritize resolving this problem. The Municipality defined the Confederation Way Sanitary Sewer Upgrade capital project to address areas prone to sewer surcharging.
Project Manager, Owen Mierke, tells us, “The scope of the project sought to address sewer back-up and failing infrastructure, and accommodate future growth. The first phase of the project addressed localized basement flooding, while the second phase delivered larger system upgrades.”
Phase 1 traverses through the existing Timberlea neighbourhoods, along the top of the bank, and terminates at the existing trunk sewer in the north boulevard of Confederation Way.
Phase 2 extends from Phase 1 and includes replacing an existing 450 millimetre gravity trunk sewer with a 750 millimetre gravity trunk sewer, a siphon inlet control structure, upgrading an existing double-barrel (500 millimetre and 300 millimetre) siphon with a triple-barrel (650 millimetre, 650 millimetre, and 550 millimetre) siphon, metering chambers, a flow control structure, and a rock trap structure at the wastewater treatment plant.
Using an integrated design approach, the project team collaborated with the Municipality, geotechnical specialists, trenchless contractors, residents, regulatory agencies, general contractors, and multiple stakeholders to develop an innovative design that addressed the complex geotechnical issues and built-up environment. Associated Engineering implemented a tailored project management plan to help address the project’s many challenges.
“Risk management, an integrated project delivery approach, contractor pre-qualification, proactive communication, and extensive stakeholder engagement with the residents and municipal stakeholders contributed to public acceptance and the success of the project.”
The 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire had a large impact on this project, affecting the scheduled completion and transportation and construction logistics. The Municipality had to minimize traffic disruptions on the wildfire rebuild haul routes for Stone Creek, within the residential neighbourhood of Timberlea, in which wildfire destroyed 379 structures, and was located beside the project site. Owen tells us, “Offloading of materials and equipment was restricted to single-lane temporary closures, as total closure would have impacted the contractor’s completion of wildfire restoration works.”
Extending from the Timberlea Neighbourhood to the wastewater treatment plant two kilometres away, with 100+ metre elevation difference, the Confederation Way Sanitary Sewer upgrade traversed unstable slopes; crossed several pipelines, shallow utilities, and two interchanges; and passed through the built-up residential neighbourhood and a busy wastewater treatment plant site that never shuts down. Using trenchless technologies, including horizontal directional drilling (HDD), microtunnelling, and pilot-tube auger boring, minimized impact on the environment, residential neighbourhoods, and the public.
Substantially completed in 2023, the $40 million Confederation Way Sanitary Sewer Bypass (Phase 2) project provides the Timberlea Neighbourhood with additional sewer capacity, supporting growth and reducing risks associated with basement flooding due to sewer back-up. In addition to providing a resilient sanitary sewer trunk, the Municipality received the added benefit of modern flow control and metering, regulating flows to the treatment plant and easing plant operations. The project demonstrates an integrated design and construction approach and proactive and open stakeholder engagement to implement infrastructure that benefits the community.
2024 has been another great year at Associated Engineering. I want to thank our staff for your incredible efforts. Because of your commitment and innovation, Associated Engineering was recognized as a Best Managed Company for the 16th consecutive year! We also received local and national awards for many of our projects, across all our disciplines, including an ACEC-Canada / Canadian Consulting Engineer Award of Excellence for the City of Calgary Valuation of Natural Assets project. Congratulations!
The work we do wouldn’t be possible without our clients – thank you for your continued trust in us, and for the opportunity to collaborate to create sustainable and resilient solutions.
At Associated Engineering, we not only want to create an environment that cultivates creativity and innovation, but also support a fun and collaborative workplace. Aligned with this goal, we hosted our latest AE Olympics in Kelowna BC in April, bringing together over 300 staff and guests at this bi-annual event that we’ve held for 26 years. Our first hockey tournaments were held in the 1970s. The modern AE Olympics started in 1998, and now feature dozens of social and sporting events, which foster camaraderie, relationship building, and networking.
As 2024 draws to a close, from my family to yours, we wish our staff and their families, our clients, and our project partners a safe and very merry holiday season and a happy new year.
A high-traffic route located west of Prince Albert in central Saskatchewan, Highway 3 had a record of collisions and fatalities. Recognizing the need to prevent future tragedies, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways selected Associated Engineering to assess highway safety, recommend safety upgrades, and complete the design and construction to twin Highway 3. The Ministry’s vision was to transform the corridor into a four-lane highway from Highway 2 to the Shell River bridge, a total distance of 7.5 kilometres.
Project Manager, Shawn Fehr, tells us, “Compared to a typical one-year timeline, we completed the Preliminary Design Report for the Highway 3 twinning in only one month.”
A major challenge was that the highway twinning had to be constructed within its existing right-of way.
“A standard twinned highway design was not feasible as widening the highway would have a major impact on the adjacent residential and businesses properties, and land acquisitions would create significant delays.”
A significant achievement on this project was the research conducted to identify, recommend, and adopt design standards from Alberta and British Columbia, which had not previously been used for Saskatchewan highways. These included standards for a flush median cross section with concrete median barriers, and a protected left-turn intersection at four locations.
To confirm the recommended design, the team completed a LIDAR survey, GIS mapping, traffic modelling (PTV Vistro), and cross-section modelling (Civil 3D). In addition, we used video-based data collection, the latest traffic monitoring and assessment technology, to provide traffic counts and identify near-miss collisions at intersections. We also developed renderings using Infraworks 3D and conducted video fly-throughs.
“Working within the restrictions of the existing right-of-way, we significantly improved safety through controlled access and protected “T” intersections to reduce collisions with left-turning vehicles, as well as a concrete median barrier instead of the depressed median, typical for most twinned highways.”
For the benefit of both the community and highway travellers/commuters, the design ensured access for adjacent landowners, while limiting direct access to Highway 3.
The preliminary design began in Spring 2021. Once the design was finalized, we worked with the utility companies through the winter of 2021-2022 to minimize the impact of relocations on the road construction work. The team also led communications with the public, including a website with project information and updates, along with the opportunity for visitors to submit questions and comments.
The Ministry wished to start construction in Fall 2021 and complete the improvements by the end of 2022 – an extremely ambitious timeline. Our fast-track approach facilitated design, construction, and opening of the upgraded highway to traffic in Fall 2022.
With an effective safety design permanently in place for this major highway corridor, the municipality can now proceed with complementary, sustainable urban planning, and commercial-industrial development.
The Highway 3 Twinning Project was completed on time, to the satisfaction of all stakeholders, and fully met the expectations of the Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways, enhancing safety for travellers and the public on this busy highway.
At the highway opening, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe remarked, “With the significant growth across our industries, this is an important infrastructure investment….it’s also an important investment into the safety of the thousands of people who travel it every day.”
Climate change is affecting people, infrastructure, and ecosystems across Canada. Although the impacts are currently most pronounced in coastal regions, people and infrastructure everywhere are at risk. Many communities and infrastructure built in floodplains are at increased risk of flooding due to the projected effects of climate change and other non-stationary factors such as wildfires, dams, and other anthropogenic changes. In response to these risks, both the Canadian federal and provincial governments are mobilizing to identify and respond to flood hazards.
The goal of flood hazard mapping is to provide the first step towards tangible improvements to public safety. Real improvement comes from planning, analyzing, and developing adaptation and mitigation projects that are successfully implemented in communities.
Once a hazard has been identified, we often conduct flood risk assessments that evaluate the path of a potential flood and quantify the damages expected to people, infrastructure, and assets (such as houses, parks, or culturally significant places). This information helps secure funding for adaptation and mitigation projects by providing a quantifiable return on investment, and helps decision-makers prioritize adaptation or mitigation projects or areas.
Custom-built GIS tools are a key part of identifying flood hazards and determining adaptation and mitigation strategies
To facilitate flood hazard and flood risk assessments, Associated Engineering uses custom-built GIS tools to identify flood hazards. With the development of new, custom-built processes, work that was previously labour and time intensive can now be completed more efficiently. This allows our team to focus on collaborating with our clients to discuss risks and mitigation strategies, and design solutions that provide tangible improvements to public safety and flood risk reduction.
These tools have been used successfully on projects, and more are in active development to expand our suite of modelling and mapping tools. Additionally, our team is working on a research assignment to further optimize flood hazard mapping and make analysis more efficient and effective.
Automation in GIS data processing, including the tools discussed below, allows our team to more efficiently identify flood hazards so that we can focus on implementing solutions.
The Tools
Our team developed these automated, GIS data-processing tools to support flood mapping for 165 kilometres of rivers in BC, as part of the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program. The visuals shown are not final; final mapping will be available online within one year of project completion. The tools address the challenges of providing large-scale, high-detail flood mapping. Some of these tools include:
Survey Processing and DEM Development: Linearizing, interpolating, and overlaying bathymetric survey with LiDAR to create a representative surface for use in hydraulic modelling. These automated methods help preserve data and expedite the processing time.
Model Results Extraction and Processing: Automated comparison and combination of result surfaces allows for robust analysis of multi-hazard scenarios.
Automated Generation and Review of Legal Flood Maps: Application of required freeboard and preparation of flood construction levels using a data-driven methodology.
About the Authors:
Andromeda MacIsaac, P.Eng. is Water Resources Engineer in our Vancouver office. She has 11 years of experience in hydrology, hydraulics, hydrologic/hydraulic modelling, and integrated water resources management. Her expertise includes modelling, analysis, and design of minor and major surface water systems and related hydraulic structures, including flood-plain mapping, existing system capacity analysis, fish passage structures, bridge sizing, stormwater best management practices, inflow/infiltration, and scour protection.
Chloe Sirges, E.I.T.is a Water Resources Engineer in our Vancouver office. Her water resources experience includes hydraulic modelling, flood-risk assessment and mitigation, site inspection, bridge scour condition assessments, and coastal work. Chloe is proficient in GIS data processing and flood-plain mapping
The path to Associated Engineering’s Creative Leader role was a winding one for Michael Tolboom. He shares, “I left high school with a love for chemistry, and thought for sure that the University of Alberta’s Organic Chemistry Specialization program was my ticket to happiness and a future career. But there was so much calculus. I took a year off, learned to play guitar, and got back into illustration, after a decade of teachers telling me not to doodle in the margins.”
Back at the University of Alberta, but this time in the Visual Communication Design program in the Faculty of Fine Arts, Michael found a much more inspiring, calculus-free environment, with classes in layout, photography, typography, and even stage lighting design. A chance visit to University newspaper The Gateway led to an ongoing commitment for a comic strip (Moe), which later became the first syndicated strip in the Canadian University Press system. One of the strip’s fans, Stephen Dodd, offered Michael his first job in the design world, at boutique graphic design firm Black Type White Paper (BTWP) in Edmonton.
Michael admits, “Stephen and I were learning everything the hard way, on our own. The design world changed so fast in the 1990’s, with the production techniques taught at university being made obsolete by computers. Fortunately, the design theory I’d learned still held!”
As BTWP (later renamed Transcena) grew and expanded to the UK, it exposed Michael to diverse graphic projects: identity design, book covers, publishing and layout for the Edmonton Symphony magazine, layout for the APEGA newsletter of the day, and site design for the Alberta Government in the early days of the world wide web. Associated Engineering was a web client, and when Transcena wound down in 2008, Michael made a call to Associated Engineering’s Vice President, Business Development, Lianna Mah, pitching a dedicated in-house design role for the growing firm.
He recalls, “I had seen stories in AE Today about people celebrating 25, 30, 35-year anniversaries with the firm, and thought that was a very good sign for the company culture. Coming to AE was the best decision I could have made – Lianna was great to work with as a client, and she’s been even better as a colleague over the last 16 years.”
In his current role as Creative Leader, Michael advocates for good visual design in both internal communications and external project and proposal work.
“Graphic design is visual problem solving – a specific solution that interprets and presents information to a specific audience. Designers have this toolkit, this knowledge of how humans explore an image, read type, and conceptualize information, that we use to make the mysterious sensible.”
At Associated Engineering, that toolkit gets put to use in projects ranging from process graphics, to client reports, to murals and signage, to the whole spectrum of staff communications.
“It’s always rewarding to share what I’ve learned on my own journey as a design professional. The best designs are often invisible, but I relish the challenge of presenting the excellent work of our engineers and scientists in a way that supports our reputation as an innovative firm.”
Internally, Michael enjoyed developing the visual design for the company’s Strategic Plan documents, and collaborating with our Climate Risk Team to develop our 16-part climate change awareness training videos, along with a poster series on climate change in Canada.
“I have a couple of quotes on my desktop to remind me of the twin wolves of graphic design. ‘We can’t become the hands of unethical men… the worst of what we create will outlive us.’ reminds me of the designer’s responsibility. The other quote, ‘When it looks right to the person who’s paying you, it’s perfect’, reminds me that sometimes you’ve just got to put down the stylus.”
Michael is currently Vice President of the Edmonton Chapter of DesCan, Canada’s Society for leading, supporting and advancing professional design communications. He loves cooking as a path to relaxation, plays a variety of instruments (poorly) in his home studio to have fun, and enjoys travelling with Maria, his wife of 20 years.
He is also one of the hosts of the AE Live podcast and a long-time participating fundraiser in Associated’s annual Movember campaign.
Richard Annett is a Senior Structural Engineer based in our Whitehorse office. He has over 30 years of consulting engineering experience on a wide variety of structural and civil projects in Canada and overseas. His structural expertise encompasses a variety of building materials, including timber, masonry, steel, and concrete.
Later, Richard moved to Lusaka, Zambia where he spent six years learning about engineering in developing countries. His next move took him to Papua New Guinea to work as a deputy project manager on an European Union-funded road paving project. Richard then returned to the UK to complete a masters degree in construction management. After his studies, Richard moved to South Wales where he focused on a personal project: designing a deep water, floating wind turbine, with hydrogen as the energy source. He subsequently patented the device.
After working in many hot climates, Richard decided that relocating to a cold climate would be an interesting challenge. In 2012, Richard joined Associated Engineering, and moved to our Whitehorse office. With the company, Richard has worked on projects across the Yukon and Northwest Territories, including design, structural assessments, and rehabilitation of commercial, industrial, municipal, institutional, and residential buildings.
Outside of work, Richard has volunteered with the Yukon Science Institute and helped organize lectures and “bridge breaks”. He also assisted with adjudicating school science projects and the Yukon Quest raft race from Whitehorse to Dawson.
Notwithstanding his professional achievements, Richard tells us his biggest accomplishment is building his house, off the grid in a boreal forest. Living in a cold climate without the convenience of municipal services comes with unique challenges. Richard shares that six kilowatts of solar energy that is more than enough in the summer is insufficient for three months of deep winter, and thus a generator is required. A two kilowatt wind turbine helps to keep the batteries topped up over the winter months. Other low power adaptations are needed, such as high efficiency pumps; heat pumps are being used. Super insulated 600 millimetre thick walls keeps the energy demand low and a grey water system helps minimize water deliveries.
For his contributions to the community and his profession, and living life off the grid in the North, Richard is shaping our shared future.
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