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Director’s Corner

Diversity, equity help fuel today’s Caltrans

Fifty years ago, on July 1, 1973, the Division of Highways was formally reimagined and renamed as the California Department of Transportation – or, as we informally call ourselves, Caltrans.

We celebrate this landmark anniversary with equal parts pride, for all we have accomplished, and determination, to steadfastly continue improving our state’s transportation system.

One of the many improvements Caltrans has made in the past half-century is we have greatly diversified our workforce. No longer can it be viewed as a sea of monochromatic males. Here in 2023, the Caltrans workforce can instead be seen as a vibrant landscape of colors, ages, genders and beliefs.

Diversity abounds in our department, and equity is something we pursue within the organization, with our subcontractors and other partners, and for everyone who depends on our transportation network. Our Equal Employment Opportunity Program (EEOP) summarizes our inclusive philosophy in its homepage message:

“At Caltrans we value our workforce and aspire to reflect this state’s most valuable asset; the diversity of its communities. A diverse and highly qualified workforce is essential to our mission to provide a safe, sustainable, integrated and efficient transportation system to enhance California's economy and livability.”

We pay tribute to diversity throughout the year. June, for example, is LGBTQ+ Pride Month. Caltrans supports equal rights for all people and stands with the LGBTQ+ community as it seeks greater acceptance and inclusion. We celebrate individuals like U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, who is the first openly gay member of a president's Cabinet and the first openly gay person to launch a major political party presidential campaign.

The EEOP will be providing a resource page with LGBTQ+ stories, movies, podcasts, and other useful resources.

In February, we celebrated African American history, culture and the accomplishments of African Americans who have worked together to serve and strengthen their communities, and to bring social justice and equity for all.

In March, as part of Women’s History Month, the EEOP invited Chantal Hildebrand, the deputy director of The Alliance for Girls, to speak how to create safer public transit spaces for girls and gender-expansive youth. The accompanying discussion addressed what role public transportation has in creating these safe spaces.

In April, Caltrans observed Arab American Heritage Month. In May, we marked Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Both months included related special events and activities.

Learn more about diversity we celebrate at Caltrans by visiting the EEOP’s History and Heritage Resource Page Archive.

As always, stay safe. And please enjoy this latest edition of CT News.

News

Who you gonna call? The safety assessment team

By Dave Changizi
Chief, Headquarters Major Damage Restoration Branch

On Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022, phones began ringing nonstop at 2:35 a.m., one minute after a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck 7.7 miles southwest of Ferndale in Humboldt County.

Minutes later, Caltrans ShakeCast went off with automatic notifications to hundreds of Caltrans employees, including the members of the Office of Structure Maintenance and Investigations (SM&I), with incident information comprising a list of potential Caltrans facility impacts.

Over the next several days, aftershocks ranging from 4.1 to 4.9 magnitude continued in the area, with a more significant 5.4 magnitude aftershock occurring on Jan, 1.  The earthquake and aftershocks damaged the area’s residential and commercial structures and bridges.

At 7:03 p.m. on Dec. 21, The California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) tasked Caltrans by Mission Task to activate Caltrans Safety Assessment Program (SAP)-trained engineers to respond to the city of Rio Dell’s call for help to assess the damaged buildings from the initial earthquake and ongoing aftershocks. The city needed to evaluate how many residents could return to their houses or provide safe and sustainable shelters.

On Dec. 23, five SAP inspectors – Larry Wooster, Brandon Miller, Raymond (Charles) Leong, David Romero and Glen Wheeler – reported to a CalOES representative at the Rio Dell Volunteer Fire Department to be sworn in and begin to assess the damaged structures.  They were joined by John Mutyaba and Shahe Terjimanian on Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve), and by Joyce Copelan on Dec. 26.

Following the 5.4 magnitude earthquake on New Year’s Day, four of the engineers – Brandon Miller, Charles Leong, David Romero and Joyce Copelan – were redeployed a second time when a second mission task for SAPs was issued.  They were joined by Glen Wheeler, Talitha Hodgson, Noel Tapia and Tamara Marchenko.  They traveled home on Jan. 12 in inclement weather.

Following the earthquakes on March 10 in Sierra County and on March 14 in Mono County, a series of destructive snowstorms hit California. CalOES began mobilizing agencies’ SAP inspectors for assistance. The damage primarily had to do with snow that had built up on roofs and caused collapses in several mountain communities.

SAP inspector Brandon Miller reported to the CalOES representative at El Dorado County on Saturday, March 11,  and began to assess structures in El Dorado County. On March 13, Brandon drove from El Dorado to Mono County to continue his mission. Charles Leong was deployed on March 13, to Mono County. Two days later, Brandon Miller had to travel back home to deal with the damage caused by snow to his own property. Upon completing his mission, Charles Leong traveled back home on March 18.

The colleagues who selflessly volunteered to help others in crisis, especially over the Christmas holiday, are the same ordinary people that live among us. Their act is highly praised precisely because they are someone like us with no wings to fly or magic wand to make things happen.

Caltrans has the largest number of civil engineers within the state agencies. The expectation of CalOES from Caltrans is proportionate to the available resources to assist during a crisis through the SAP. Five hundred SAP volunteers are set as a target for the department. Currently, we are at 150. This program is being revitalized through more training and incentives. As the state experiences more unexpected and destructive natural events, the department’s role becomes even more significant in the collective response actions.

Please sign up for the SAP if you are interested; contact us at HQ.SAP@dot.ca.gov.

What is SAP?

• SAP is Post-Disaster Safety Assessment Program intended to help local governments perform building and infrastructure safety evaluations as quickly as possible.
• SAP’s services and program are managed by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) and multi-hazard agencies.
• CalOES is the hub center to respond, direct, coordinate, and bring all the parties involved to address disaster-caused problems.
• CalOES has the authority to issue a mission task to state agencies, including Caltrans, to assist other agencies or localities within the state regarding resources and expertise.
• Civil engineers and architects are the most qualified to participate in this endeavor. Certified building inspectors can also assist in building evaluation.

Quite the life, and career, for Thienan Nguyentan

By Bob Highfill
District 10 public information officer

Thienan Nguyentan and her family emigrated from Vietnam to the United States when she was 14 years old.

She had mixed feelings. She was full of hope and excitement about the prospects of a brighter future in a country that offered more and better opportunities. However, naturally, she was concerned about adapting to a different culture and language in a new, strange land.

Thienan overcame many obstacles and drove herself to succeed. She joined Caltrans after a successful stint with San Joaquin County and has ascended to District 10 Traffic Safety Branch Chief North Counties (Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, and Mariposa), a role she said she enjoys and finds meaningful and impactful.

“Traffic safety is our No. 1 priority, and we are such a people-first organization,” she said. “This is a really fulfilling and rewarding position for me. Any projects we do are to improve safety.”

Thienan is devoted to public service. It stems from her upbringing. The Nguyentan family had nothing when they arrived in Stockton in 1995. They lived with an uncle, who helped them get settled. Thienan was especially vulnerable at her school. She was an easy target and was bullied and harassed – one particularly mean classmate stole her backpack, an incident that brought her to tears.

But Thienan was tough and resilient like her parents, who emphasized education, hard work and self-development. Thienan worked two jobs while studying at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, where she graduated with a degree in engineering management with an emphasis in civil engineering. Thienan was hired by San Joaquin County out of college and held several positions over 10-plus years in project management, design and construction.

In 2018, Thienan joined Caltrans as a traffic safety investigator, and traffic safety devices and traffic surveillance and analysis systems (TASAS) coordinator. She later accepted a temporary assignment as a project manager. She resumed her role as a traffic safety investigator before she was promoted in March 2021 to traffic safety branch chief.

Among her duties, Thienan approves traffic safety investigations and initiates traffic safety projects. She supervises eight employees and said her involvement with Caltrans’ Mentorship Program was especially valuable in her personal and professional growth.

“The supervisory role requires more of the soft skills including people skills and managing different personalities and having emotional intelligence,” said Thienan, whose mentor in the program was District 10 Director Dennis T. Agar. “That was very lacking for me. It’s just not part of what I grew up with. In my family, it was very academic, and ethics focused. Over the last two years, it has been a humbling experience for me to learn and to lead.”

Thienan said someday she would like to serve as a mentor in the program.

“That is something I really work on, not just being a good manager but being a good leader,” she said. “I really recommend the mentorship program to others who want to look into the future of their career advancement.”

Thienan said she looks forward to doing all she can to improve traffic safety and fulfill Caltrans’ mission to create a safe, reliable transportation network for all Californians in all modes of travel, as well as Vision Zero (zero fatalities and zero serious injuries on state highways) by 2050.

“Any projects we do are to improve safety and when we initiate a project, we want to make sure we address the safety concerns in those underserved communities and the vulnerable road users,” Thienan said. “Being in this position, I’m able to tell my team we can always do more.”

Highway safety poster contest winners named

By Caroline Moreno
Division of Public Affairs

Each year, Caltrans holds its annual Highway Safety poster contest. The contest is open to children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews of Caltrans employees, and it gives the children an opportunity to express their messages about the importance of driving safely in or near highway work zones.

The contest also allows them to be part of Caltrans’ educational outreach and life-saving message.

The contest was open to children 17 years old or younger, and judges selected posters based on creativity, how well the poster conveyed the highway safety theme, and the use of color.

Although the posters differ greatly in appearance, they all convey one of these important messages, "Be Work Zone Alert" or "Move Over."

The winners for the age categories are:

Ages 6 and under

Sofia Vazquez is an energetic 5-year-old kindergarten student at the Canyon View Elementary School. Sofia usually has a pen and paper close at hand because she loves crafts and drawing, especially making cards to keep in touch with out-of-state friends and relatives. Sofia’s favorite things include family, friends, and “all things Disney.”

Sofia – who calls Rogelio Sanchez-Rangel, an associate planner in District 11, “Uncle Roger” – looks forward to eventually being able to join her friends as a safety patrol officer or crossing guard because she wants to be able, “to help all the kids in her school stay safe and learn about road safety.”

Ages 7 to 10

Catalina Beck is a busy 9-year-old fourth-grade student at St. Apollinaris School whose father, Michael Beck, is a District 4 bridge maintenance supervisor. Catalina speaks Spanish fluently, likes to run, dance, sing, and draw, and counts unicorns among her very favorite things.

Her interest in art, and her father’s profession, inspired Catalina to enter the Caltrans Safety Poster contest because she wants, “to help keep my Papa safe at work.”

Ages 11 to 13

When Raya Tabassum Saptorshi isn’t playing piano or writing sci-fi stories, she often can be found drawing, sketching, or making fabric paintings, artistic skills that came in handy when she created a winning submission for the Caltrans Safety Poster contest. Raya is an enthusiastic 12-year-old seventh-grade student who particularly enjoys studying math, anime, and music at Granite Ridge Intermediate School.

The daughter of Mohammad Rana, a transportation engineer tech in District 6, Raya says the contest’s theme is important because, “It’s important to keep our Caltrans families, and those who drive, safe,” and adds hopefully, “A little awareness makes a big difference.”

Ages 14 to 17

Shoshoni Guinn is a talented 16-year-old 10^th-grade student at Yreka High School. She likes to explore, hike and swim, and is very interested in motorcycles and sports cars. Art and drawing are also important to Shoshoni, so she was excited when her father Kenneth Guinn, who is a District 2 equipment operator II, told her about the Caltrans Safety Poster contest.

Her winning entry features several classic Caltrans safety campaign slogans and even includes Caltrans’ new safety cone mascot, “Safety Sam.” “I love my Dad and want him to come home every night,” Shoshoni says, and emphasizes, “I want everyone’s loved ones to make it home safely.”

For more information about the contest, including the list of honorable mentions, visit this webpage.

Making a difference one investigation at a time

By Haleigh Pike
District 2 public information officer

Tucked away in an office at the California Highway Patrol’s Northern Division office sits Scott Gregory, a senior transportation engineer for Caltrans District 2. An odd place for a Caltrans employee to be, except Gregory is part of the Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) and uses his expertise as a transportation engineer to help investigate major injury or fatal traffic collisions when CHP management determines a more in-depth investigation with specialized training is required.

This can include collisions involved Caltrans or CHP personnel.

Inspired after a conversation with former District 2 MAIT engine Ken Reed, Gregory joined the MAIT program full-time in 2019 after going through months of training and courses.

“I had met Ken Reed and he started talking about the position and it just really interested me. Going out and investigating crashes, it was just something that I thought was interesting. So, from that point on, I always kind of thought that if that position came open, I was going to apply,” said Gregory.

A team consisting of one CHP sergeant, two or more CHP officers, one motor carrier specialist (MCS), and Gregory, the Northern Division MAIT Program covers 14 of California’s northern-most counties, including all of District 2. This program, established in 1978, was created to provide CHP with the means to conduct in-depth investigations and analyses of major traffic collisions throughout the state. Gregory’s education and technical knowledge allow him to assist in a way no one else on the team can.

In addition to investigating major injury or fatal traffic collisions where the CHP is the primary investigating agency, MAIT also assists with investigations by request from allied agencies. These are often referred to as supplemental investigations where the team will handle a specific aspect of the investigation and their report will be supplemental to an original report.

For primary investigations, MAIT is called, and they respond to the scene to conduct a full comprehensive investigation. The team uses a variety of tools and techniques to document the collision scene, including 3D laser scanning and aerial photography. They also measure physical evidence such as tire marks, vehicle debris and roadway damage.

The team then uses the information collected to reconstruct the collisions and determine the cause of the accident. The team utilizes multiple software programs to create a detailed reconstruction of the collision, which can be used to illustrate the sequence of events leading up to the collision.

On average, the Northern Division MAIT program gets 30 cases a year but that includes all investigations. Gregory says they will typically see an influx in cases during summer months when more people are traveling.

When asked what he enjoys most about the job, Gregory said the team environment and the challenge but also knowing that you’re making a difference.

“I feel like there’s more of an immediate benefit because you know that you’re helping someone. I actually just got done working a case where we were able to prove that the person that they thought was guilty of causing the death of another person was not actually at fault. So, in that regard, we changed that person’s life.”

Award-winning stormwater campaign gets flowing

 

By Loren Magaña
Manager, Caltrans Stormwater Campaign

Caltrans Stormwater Program’s public education campaign, “Let’s Change This to That,” just launched the next iteration of the campaign creative, taking a deeper dive into the previously released pollutants of concern and what communities across the state can do to help.

The pollutants include bacteria, pesticides, nutrients, metals, litter and sediments.

The statewide campaign is running through June 30 and includes billboards, radio ads, streaming TV ads, digital executions, print articles, gas-pump toppers, posters in highly trafficked areas, paid and organic social media, influencer videos and several summertime strategic partnerships, including the San Francisco Giants’ Triple-A minor league team, the Sacramento River Cats.

Recently, the campaign was presented with the “Award of Distinction” as one of the Top 5 public information campaigns in the state for excellence in public information and communication at the annual California Public Information (CAPIO) Awards in Monterey.

Additional resources and information about the campaign, as well as information about local cleanups can be found at: About Stormwater | Caltrans. Please contact Loren Magaña, Loren.Magana@DOT.CA.GOV for more information.

Storms and resultant damage test Caltrans’ resources

By Dave Changizi
Chief, Headquarters Major Damage Restoration Branch of the Office of Emergency Management

This year the wintertime in California has been different in many ways for us Californians. The three years of consecutive drought shrunk our water sources, such as lakes, reservoirs and aquafers statewide. We hoped for some relief this winter and wished for enough to recover the losses during the past three years.

We got our wishes beginning Dec. 24, 2022. However, it came in a mixed package; the volume of the precipitation was monumental, and our resources were inundated with an unprecedented workload.

The successive storms caused Department Operations Center to be continuously active for four months. Nearly all districts had to follow suit at their operations center with the same rate and intensity of staffing.

For months, state highways 1 at Big Sur and 70 in the Feather River Canyon District 5 and 3, respectively, have been shut down. An estimated 590 million cubic yards of snow have been plowed. 3.5 million miles of roadway have been plowed since the beginning of this snow season.

According to the latest report to CalOES, the cost estimate of the damage to the State Highway System (SHS) assets has been assessed at about $700 million for Dec. 27, 2022, through March 2023. As of this writing, in early May, we are updating the damage assessment by including the sites that are buried under tons of snow or are still inaccessible. Some of the main SHS assets that these storms have impacted consist of culverts, pavement, pumps, electrical components, embankments, guardrails and trees.

The SHS assets have been subject to flooding, slides, slip-outs, mudslides, rock falls, debris flow and washouts.

So far, the total cost estimate of damage to the SHS is over $1 billion, which may be in excess of the record total for fiscal year 2016-17 once all the damage has been assessed.

Historically, the department has experienced an average damage cost of $650 million for the past seven fiscal years (from FY2016 through FY2022), while the average seven years before that (FY2009 through FY2015) amounted to $179 million. The available data points to an even lower amount in the years before FY2009.

The Headquarters Major Damage Restoration branch has continuously collected and communicated the latest damage costs with our internal and external partners. As a result of our collaboration with district MDRs, and through the invaluable effort by CalOES, we received multiple proclamations from the governor. Each proclamation enables the department to seek federal reimbursement. Upon the availability of the funds by FHWA and FEMA, we should expect a return of more than 75 percent of the expenditure of the eligible costs.

All in all, this year has been a remarkable year of precipitation. The drought seems to be a story of the past, but the effect of the storm is lingering around through continuous precipitation and cold temperature. Nonetheless, we Californians have once again proven our formidable resiliency in coping with nature’s surprises.

Wildlife crossing seeks to reduce elk strikes in Siskiyou County

By Mario Montalvo
District 2 public information officer

The Wildlife Crossing project is situated in Siskiyou County approximately 15 miles north of Weed. It spans from 0.5 miles north of Deer Mountain Road to 0.2 miles south of the Grass Lake Maintenance Station and is meant to create a safe wildlife crossing over U.S. Highway 97 with funding from Caltrans and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

The project, which is expected to go to construction in 2024 and be completed in 2025, aims to reduce collisions involving animals and vehicles, which occur frequently, about once a month on average, along this stretch of corridor.

“From Weed all the way to the Oregon border, it's a lot of impacts to deer and elk and other species,” supervising environmental planner Wes Stroud said. “This location in particular was selected through a process with a bunch of regulatory agencies.”

The project also aims to improve the natural landscape and restore wildlife connectivity. The preferred plan includes a wildlife bridge, fencing, escape ramps and guards to prevent wildlife access to the road. Measures will also be taken to protect wildlife and cultural resources during construction.

The region is also home to various animal species whose habitats have been severely impacted by the highway's presence. The construction of the wildlife overcrossing and fencing on Highway 97 in Siskiyou County should help in preserving and protecting the diverse wildlife while also increasing safety for the traveling public and Caltrans maintenance workers.

“It was really the first situation in District 2 where we were seeing a problem like this,” Stroud said. “And so it was maintenance who reached out to us, and we started looking into how do you solve this problem.”

By providing a dedicated crossing and implementing safety measures, such as the exclusionary fence and escape ramps, the project aims to reduce elk strikes and enhance the overall well-being of the local wildlife population. It also aligns with broader environmental goals, including promoting landscape permeability, reducing human-wildlife conflicts, and restoring ecological connectivity. Through the combined efforts of Caltrans, federal funding and careful construction practices, this project will contribute to a safer and more sustainable coexistence between humans and wildlife in Siskiyou County.

“So it's just was our way of trying to create a safer highway, not only for our people but also the traveling public and the elk, deer and all the other species that will end up using that crossing, from the biggest elk to the tiniest squirrel.” Stroud said.

Relief’s on the way as I-5 project advances

By Skip Allum
District 10 public information officer

Caltrans’ Safety roadside rest areas are a welcome sight to motorists who may be travelling the vast expanse of California’s state highway network.  Most travelers have utilized these rest areas at some point, taking advantage of the opportunity to safely stop, stretch, take a nap, use the restroom, get water, check maps, place telephone calls, switch drivers, check vehicles and loads and exercise their pets.

Rest areas also reduce drowsy and distracted driving and provide a safe and convenient alternative to unsafe parking along the roadside.

With rest areas providing such valuable services for motorists, it is important for Caltrans to routinely perform maintenance tasks such as litter removal, pavement striping, electrical work and sewer repairs.

Additionally, more-significant projects may be necessary to upgrade or replace rest area facilities to address the aging and capacity deficiencies of comfort stations, utilities and other site elements as these facilities are deteriorating and require constant repairs due to age and the overuse of amenities.

One such project currently under construction is the John “Chuck” Erreca Rest Area Replacement Project located on Interstate 5, approximately 20 miles south of Santa Nella near the Merced/Fresno County Line.  With a total estimated cost of $27.9 million, Caltrans District 10 Construction and contractor Walsh Construction Company (Concord) began work in April 2022 to demolish and replace the existing comfort station buildings and increase the capacity of the existing northbound and southbound I-5 facilities.

Upgrades will include reconstruction, expansion and modernization of the facilities to comply with current ADA, Cal-OSHA requirements, and energy efficient elements as part of the California green building code.  Additionally, an on-site wastewater treatment plant is designed to capture and recycle approximately 80 percent of the wastewater, while special landscape design techniques will be used to help minimize future water use.  

 

As of April, nearly half of this work had been completed to include 6,500 cubic yards of site grading, construction of nine new buildings, and the majority of concrete paving of the southbound facility. 

Remaining work includes concrete paving of the northbound facility, installation of ultrafiltration water supply system, electronic controls for site operations, and landscaping. 

All work is scheduled to be complete in September.

With the John C. Erreca Rest Area closed for construction, motorists traveling on I-5 continue to be advised to use the following alternate rest area locations:

• Westley Rest Area, located approximately one mile south of the San Joaquin/Stanislaus County line.

• Coalinga-Avenal Rest Area, located just north of the Fresno/Kings County line.

• Charging stations, ZEV (zero emission vehicle) charging stations at the Westley Rest Area on northbound and southbound I-5.

For more information on the project, please visit this Caltrans webpage.

Caltrans would like to thank tourists, commercial truck drivers, and all Interstate 5 motorists for their patience during construction of this project and look forward to the opening of this greatly improved facility for the traveling public later this year. 

Info officer hailed as a 'woman who means business’

Note: The following news item was shared via email on June 19 by Caltrans Chief Deputy Director Michael Keever.

I am pleased to announce that today Interim Chief Information Officer Marcie Kahbody was honored with the prestigious ‘Women Who Mean Business’ Award by the Sacramento Business Journal.

In her current roles as Caltrans CIO as well as CalSTA Deputy Secretary of Technology, Marcie leads technology and collaboration across California transportation departments to increase innovation and successful information technology project delivery.

This Sacramento Business Journal award recognizes women who have had an impact on their industry and honors Marcie’s 31 years in public service, through which she has built and led successful teams to pursue progress and modernize government systems in meaningful ways.

In selecting Marcie, the Journal is recognizing her leadership, her staying power, her ability to inspire and innovate, her resilience, and her proven track record of success.

Please join us in congratulating Marcie on this well-deserved recognition. We look forward to her continued success as she leads us into a bright future across California transportation and beyond.

Hats Off

Sweet accomplishment in District 5

In mid-May, the following email was sent to District 5 by Lorraine Cruz, environmental services manager for the city of Santa Barbara.

“The city of Santa Barbara is thrilled with the amazing work performed by the Caltrans District 5 Construction and Maintenance teams, along with their contractor, landscape support services and the sub-contractor Tropical Creations, for highway improvements along U.S. Highway 101 in the Santa Barbara area from the city of Carpinteria to the city of Goleta.

“We would like to show our appreciation by providing donuts and coffee to all of you. We would be happy to host your team when convenient for all.”

Soon after, the treats were served, as the pictures below show!

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Cyclist feels safer thanks to bridge update

The following email from was sent by Lea Brooks of San Luis Obispo to Ayla-Louise Mateo, Complete Streets coordinator in District 5.

“I had the opportunity yesterday to ride the Toro Creek Bridge north of Morro Bay and was wowed. The beautiful new northbound shoulder is fabulous!

“I've been bicycling this route since 1973 and will no longer have to look over my shoulder, gesture to motorists that I'm taking the lane and keep my fingers crossed that no one will hit me from behind at highway speed. I had many close calls over the years and am delighted and relieved that I only have to look forward at the spectacular coastline!

“Thank you, Caltrans District 5!”

DOT Shots

Staff members of METS, Aggregate Materials Testing Branch, visited the Sacramento aggregate quarry operated by Vulcan Materials. Shown from left are, from Caltrans, Hesam Nabizadeh, Bang Nguyen, Mandy Xu, Francisco Romero, Jay Horton and Ryan Kester. At far right is Andrew Nuttall of Vulcan Materials.

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Caltrans Director Tony Tavares, second from left, was among those participating in a May Is Bike Month event in Sacramento. Also participating, shown below, were CalSTA Secretary Toks Omishakin (second from left) and the agency's director of media relations, Tamie McGowen (next to Omikshakin),

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The following three photographs, taken by Josh Dixon, Caltrans' Quincy area Maintenance superintendent, on June 12 show a stretch of State Route 70  shared by Butte and Plumas counties. The roadway had been beset by numerous debris slides and was closed until further notice as crews worked to clear the messes.

 

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NASCAR series cup driver Ross Chastain joined the Caltrans safety mascot and Caroline Moreno from Headquarters' Public Affairs team at a teen driver safety event earlier this month in Vallejo.

Health and Safety

Containing stress can help improve your quality of life

By the Employee Assistance Program

You probably know that your physical and mental health can be harmed when stress levels get out of control. And, when stress accumulates and isn’t relieved for an extended period, true burnout can result. No one wants to go there if they can help it.

Fortunately, you can find stress management techniques that work best for you. It may take practice to adopt new stress busters, but the effort will be worth it.

Here are some ideas to consider for keeping the stress of a fast-paced modern life at bay.

Prioritize self-care. Remember to focus on the building blocks of good self-care such as eating nutritious food, getting adequate rest, exercising, and engaging in healthy stress relieving practices such as meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, deep breathing, and writing your thoughts in a stress journal. Such activities can boost your resilience and keep stress from gaining a foothold.

Talk things out. If you’re feeling beaten down by life, it’s important to not self-isolate – despite the temptation to do so. Instead, talk with someone who can listen and empathize with your situation. Sharing your struggle can help calm the nervous system and reduce stress. If you can’t find relief, arrange some counseling time with a mental health professional through EAP.

Set more limits. Many accomplished people get in the habit of trying to help and doing too much. However, there’s no harm in telling others that, at present, you’re feeling tired and can’t take on new tasks. This will give you more time to focus on your own wellness.

Build in more balance. If you feel like you’re neglecting something that is important to you, make sure to seek meaning and satisfaction in your personal life – via your family, friends, creative hobbies, or spiritual practice. Increase your involvement with the elements of life that bring you joy.

Take the time off you’ve earned. If you’ve noticed the accumulation of excessive stress over time, take the basic yet often-needed step of scheduling time off. Taking in new physical and psychological landscapes refreshes the mind. If you can’t get away, do brief staycations with self-soothing activities.

Who’s New

Chris Clark, broadband media specialist

Chris Clark has rejoined Caltrans after previously serving the Public Affairs unit in 2020-21, where he specialized in media relations and crisis communications during the pandemic.

His current post as the broadband media specialist focuses on strategic message development, media outreach and public relations regarding Caltrans’ role in facilitating the Middle Mile Broadband Initiative (MMBI).

Prior to public service, Chris spent two decades as a front office executive in professional sports and served as communications director for two U.S. Congressional campaigns.

A lifelong Sacramentan, Chris enjoys watching baseball, outdoor recreation, and spending time with his wife, Nicolette, and their 2-year-old daughter, Olivia.,

 

 

 

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John Kirkpatrick, deputy division chief in Traffic Operations and Safety Programs

John Kirkpatrick is the new deputy division chief for the centralized administration program serving both the Division of Traffic Operations and the Division of Safety Programs.

In this role, John oversees the Program Support, Program Management and Talent Management Offices that serve a critical role in supporting both the headquarters divisions and the statewide programs seeking to bring transformational change in mobility and safety. 

John began his career with Caltrans in 1998 with District 4 as a toll collector and subsequently served the district in many areas, including business and administration, traffic management, tolling, and data validation.  He also provided valuable leadership to the traffic management teams (TMT) during the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge East Span replacement and emergencies such as the 2017 Napa fires response.

John joined the Division of Traffic Operations in 2017 on a temporary assignment to lead the development of a zero-based budget using data analysis to drive programmatic decisions in collaboration with the districts and was permanently appointed as the chief of the Office of Program Management.

In March 2022, John began an acting assignment as the deputy division chief for administration, where he led the administrative and resource management teams in support of the statewide Traffic Operations and Safety Programs activities and successfully coordinated the merger of the Traffic Operations and Safety Programs administrative teams. 

John is also an experienced facilitator, and his various skills were highlighted when he provided logistical support at the 2022 Intelligent Transportation System World Congress in Los Angeles and other department and industry events.

John is a passionate sports fan and follows the Warriors, Raiders, A’s, and the Glasgow Rangers of the Scottish Premiership. He also has the distinction of attending the World Series, NBA Finals, Super Bowl, FIFA World Cup, and the College Football National Championship! John also enjoys relaxing with his wife and three children and visits his family homeland of Scotland often.

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Bonny Nyaga, DBE-SBE support manager in Director’s Office

Bonny Nyaga is the new construction Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) and Small Business Firms (SBE) support manager in the Director’s Office.

Bonny has more than two decades of experience with Caltrans, performing diverse functions across multiple divisions including Maintenance and Construction. During his career in public service, he has championed innovation and built lasting partnerships with other agencies, contractors and stakeholders.

Bonny joined Caltrans in 2001 as a civil transportation engineer in District 4, which spans the nine Bay Area counties. For most of his career, Bonny has worked in the Division of Construction - as a resident engineer, structures representative, and the district functional support branch chief. In 2018, Bonny was promoted to the position of office chef/transportation asset management for the Division of Maintenance.

Currently, Bonny is a district division chief, responsible for specific functional activities within District 4, Division of Construction – a position he has held since 2020. He serves as the principal construction engineer for San Francisco and San Mateo counties, seven toll bridges and district office engineer (DOE). Project workload varies from tens of millions to over a billion dollars.

Bonny actively advocates for small business participation in Caltrans procurement and contracting. Since 2007 he has been instrumental in the development, implementation, and management of the Caltrans Construction Mentor Protégé Program (CMPP). The goal of the CMPP is to increase the participation of emerging construction companies – small business firms, disadvantaged business enterprises and disabled veterans business enterprise – in the procurement and contracting of public works construction projects.

Bonny is a licensed professional engineer and a graduate of San Jose State University, where he earned a master of science degree in transportation management. He earned his bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the University of Nairobi in Kenya.

Bonny is committed to working through the many Caltrans employees and other stakeholders to advance equity and economic opportunity for all through Innovation and engagement. 

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Nikki Tiongco, South San Diego County and Trade Corridor director

In District 11, Nikki Tiongco is the new South San Diego County and Trade Corridor director, effective June 1. 

Nikki has been with Caltrans for 15 years.  In those earlier years, she rotated through various departments in the Division of Engineering Services.  In 2018, she was promoted as senior bridge engineer and in 2021 she took over the responsibility of project manager for the South County Trade Corridor (SCTC). 

As the acting SCTC director appointed in 2022, Nikki leads the Otay Mesa East site preparation contract, the Harbor Drive 2.0 and Vesta Street environmental clearance, and the South County asset management projects.

Nikki’s vision for the corridor is a more efficient, economically competitive, and less-polluting transportation network.  She is committed to delivering projects that align with and bring to fruition the California Sustainable Freight Action Plan, the Border Master Plan, Caltrans Strategic Plan, and the region’s Regional Transportation Plans.

Nikki’s commitment to equity was highlighted during a recent Title 6 audit of the district, when the auditors credited Nikki’s leadership for the Title 6 program of the SCTC as the best in the district.

Nikki has been responsible for overseeing the construction and rehabilitation of many complex structures in District 11, including the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge.  She was the structures lead for many emergency projects and a regular trainer in the Resident Engineer Academy and the Structures Construction Winter Training Program. 

Throughout her career, Nikki has demonstrated her ability to lead and motivate effective teams, to engage our stakeholders and the public, to resolve complex engineering issues and negotiate conflicts fairly.

If Nikki is not at work, she’s practicing yoga, hanging out with friends, playing the piano, or out of town sightseeing.

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Duper Tong, District 10 deputy district director of traffic operations

Duper Tong is the new District 10 deputy district director of traffic operations. He is responsible for the supervision over a multi-disciplinary staff and for managing and leading the Division of Traffic Operations in the district, which includes the Office of Safety and Office of Mobility.

Specific responsibilities include planning, organizing, budgeting, controlling, reviewing and directing the work of Traffic Operations programs of safety and mobility.

Duper has more than 25 years of professional experience in transportation planning, design, traffic safety, electrical systems and traffic operations from both the private and public sectors, including working for Caltrans for the past 20 years. He is a licensed professional engineer in civil engineering and traffic engineering and received his bachelor of science degree in civil engineering and master of science degree in transportation engineering from California State University, Sacramento.

Before joining the public sector, Duper worked as a project engineer in a private traffic engineering and design consulting firm for over five years. Duper began his Caltrans career as a team leader with the Traffic Investigation Branch and the Traffic Accident Surveillance Analysis System (TASAS) Branch in the Headquarters Division of Traffic Operations.

In 2005, Duper joined District 10 to serve as the chief of the traffic safety branch with the District Division of Maintenance and Operations. Next, Duper served as chief of the legal liaison branch in the HQ Division of Traffic Operations, providing a wide range of traffic and transportation engineering consultations for the Legal Division.

When Duper served as office chief in the HQ Division of Traffic Operations, where he managed various traffic engineering functions including the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CA MUTCD), traffic investigations, mait investigations, pedestrian/bicycle safety, traffic control devices, traffic safety devices, transportation management system, mobility data, weigh-in-motion and traffic electrical system. As a lead on the California Traffic Control Devices Committee, he represented Caltrans to consult with local and federal agencies and partners for development and continuing revisions to the CA MUTCD and provided technical advice for the uniform application of traffic control devices in California.

Duper served as a voting member of the AASHTO Committee on Traffic Engineering (CTE) where he provided technical expertise in assessing the effectiveness of traffic control strategies and devices for the efficient and safe operation of the nation’s highway system.

Duper received an award for Operation Efficiency Program of the Year from the California Transportation Foundation. Most recently, he was the chief of the office of standards and procedure in the HQ Division of Design, where he managed the Highway Design Manual, Design Information Bulletin and Project Development & Procedures Manual. Duper established the Roadshow for Safety, Equity, and Climate Action training to provide broad education regarding Caltrans’ three foundation principles.

He has been leading a team to create “DIB 94, COMPLETE STREETS: Contextual Design Guidance,” and the Traffic Calming Guide to encourage more walking and biking and improve safety.

Duper is married with two older children and enjoys reading, running, and watching basketball and soccer outside of work.

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Kathie Vizgaudis, administration deputy district director for District 1

Kathie Vizgaudis is the new administration deputy district director for District 1.  She succeeds Jana Hollifield.

Kathie started her Caltrans career in 2008 as the small business liaison, working in the Public Information Office and also assisted with various PIO duties.  Over the years she has held several positions in administration including district safety officer, chief of administrative services and most recently administrative operations manager. 

Kathie has lived in Humboldt County for most of her life.  She and her husband, Dennis, reside in Fortuna with their 7-year-old son, Levi, their beloved pup Sadie, two cats and 16 chickens. 

In their free time, the family enjoys exploring different states while camping in their travel trailer, spending time with friends and family, and attending Levi’s various sporting events. 

 

 

Obituaries

Keng Mun Low, senior bridge engineer

Note: The following obituary appeared on the East Lawn Cemetery website in February.

Longtime senior bridge engineer Keng Mun Low passed away on Feb. 10 at the young age of 57. 

He was born in a small town of Bentong, Malaysia, on Nov. 14, 1965, the first son born to Low Teck-Hoi and Fu Sai-Mui. His younger brother, Keng Choong made the family complete in 1967.

Keng Mun was already independent at a young age. He left home at the age of 15 to attend school in Kuala Lumpur, followed by Singapore Polytech for higher education at 17, and at the age of 21, he crossed the Pacific to attend college in Arkansas. While in college, he interned and worked at various jobs (such as blueberry farms) to earn money to travel home to see his family.

 During the summer heat of 1990, he trekked from Arkansas to California, with no air conditioning and bucket of ice on the passenger seat on his VW Scirocco, to work for Caltrans in District 6.

Ask any of his colleagues during his 33-year career at Caltrans, and they would tell you Keng Mun loved his job and was good at it. He could discuss bridge design and construction endlessly, providing guidance and support with his soft-spoken approach.

Keng Mun deeply treasured the lifelong friendships formed along each step of his journey. He loved receiving updates about his friends and family, and always looked forward to reunions around the world.

In 1999, he suavely invited Tety (a foodie) to lunch, convincing her he was so hungry, he could eat a horse. The rest was history. They married in 2000 and welcomed their sons Ian, Adam and Jacob. Although he wasn’t a man of big stature, his heart was of a giant. His family meant everything to him. If the boys would still let him, you would see Keng Mun hold his kids’ hands while crossing the street, even though they are 22-, 20- and 18-year-olds.

Among the many things Keng Mun enjoyed was bingeing on Korean drama (K-drama). His favorite phrase was “Sarang-eh” (love you) which was music to Tety’s ears. If his vocal cords weren’t damaged, we would have seen him on “American Idol” as he liked to belt his Conway Twitty and Rod Stewart’s songs. Sadly though, he could only claim that he was just a badminton and chess champion in college.

Keng Mun is survived by his mother, brother, wife and their three sons, as well as many family members spanning from the United States, Malaysia and Singapore. 

He will be immeasurably missed but eternally loved. 

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Michael Rodney Pope, bridge engineer

Note: The following obituary appeared on DignityMemorial.com earlier this year.

Bridge engineer Michael Rodney Pope, 61, of Auburn died on Feb. 25.

He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Lisa; his three children, Matthew, Brandon (Darian), and Taryn (Matthew Boal); his grandchildren, Riona and Sofina; his sister, Cathie; his mother-in-law, Patsy Van Dyke; and a host of extended family and friends.

Mike graduated from California State University, Sacramento with bachelor’s degrees in business and civil engineering.

He was a devoted employee of Caltrans for over 30 years working his way up to senior bridge engineer, bridge design branch chief.

Mike was a man full of life, energy, and generosity for others. He was an avid cyclist riding cross country three times as well as completing many local century and double century rides. He was also a loyal spin and fitness class member of Cal Fit and Auburn Racquet Club and appreciated the camaraderie of the gym community. He enjoyed living in the Auburn area and could be seen walking most everywhere regardless of the weather.

He was a dedicated fan of Placer High School Hillmen football, serving the kickoff team dinner for 12 years as well as watching in the stands. He also loved the San Francisco 49ers.

He was a member at Sierra Grace Fellowship Church for many years.

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Robert Vincent Syverson, District 1 biologist

Note: The following obituary appeared on the Lost Coast Outpost website on May 22.

Caltrans biologist Robert Vincent Syverson died on March 27 at age 56.

Born in Endicott, New York, Robert was the youngest of four boys. His parents, Marsh and Dian, moved the family to San Jose, when Robert was a young boy, and that’s where he spent the majority of his youth.

In part due to his rambunctious nature, in his late teens, Robert moved to live with his uncle George in Columbus, Mississippi, for a couple of years. During that time, they lived on Columbus Air Force Base with George’s family. As a young man on the base, he had a dream of being a helicopter pilot, it was then he learned of his glaucoma that caused difficulty over the years.

Traveling back to California to attend his grandfather’s service, Robert took the opportunity to move back to San Jose. He moved in with his parents, and as he told it, his dad told him he had three days to get a job and pay rent. And, so he did! Robert worked various jobs from Home Depot to construction project management.

It was at the young age of 21, Robert became the father to Brittany. He was a very caring, giving soul who loved to teach others. He greatly enjoyed and loved raising his daughter.

A victim of a vehicle accident in his mid-20s that left him with a serious back injury, Robert had the opportunity to re-evaluate life. He was strong enough to work through the pain from getting off pharmaceuticals with water aerobics and light stretching to eventually mountain biking and jumping the wake, wakeboarding! When Brittany went to live with her mother, Robert hit the reset button. He earned his associate degree from Evergreen College in San Jose. In 1996 he moved to Arcata to attend Humboldt State University. He graduated with a bachelor’s in natural resource planning and maintained a lifelong friendship with roommate Jerry “Bones” Snow.

After graduation, Robert held jobs as a PG&E consultant and for the city of Arcata. In 2001 he started his 22-year career with Caltrans, first in planning, then as a field maintenance biologist.

He worked all over the district with the Caltrans maintenance crews to protect and enhance the environment when completing maintenance projects, and for storm response. Robert worked in rivers and streams improving fish passage and overall watershed health. Many a tree he planted and saved with creative multidisciplinary solutions.

Wildflower surveys made some of his favorite days at work and he took beautiful wildflower photos. A local artist at one time bought his photos to recreate as paintings.

As a bicyclist and advocate, he encouraged safe riding on the highways, from contributing to the bicycle touring guides to riding to set timing for bike loops on bridges.

Robert’s outgoing personality netted him many colleagues as friends. Most of all, he enjoyed sharing the beauty of protecting the natural world with anyone who would listen. As he called it teaching folks to “pet frogs.”

In 1999, as neighbors at the laundromat, Robert met his future wife, Brenda. She moved to Arizona, where two years later for their birthdays, they took their first of many trips to Sedona, Arizona. Shortly thereafter, Brenda moved back to Humboldt where she and Robert joined their cat families (Weather, Sprocket, and KBear) along with tortoise Kokopelli.

They resided in Fortuna for 15 years and found the most amazing, supportive neighbor friends (Brandon and Lluvia, Noah, Eli, Jim and Terry, Aaron, Mark, Debi and Mike, Penny, Mr. McKnight and others). Robert and Brenda’s union of marriage ended in 2019, however the love remained.

Robert is survived by mother Dian Syverson; brothers Mark Syverson (Mary Jean) and Joe Syverson (Anafe); uncles George Refeedie and Marlo Syverson; cousins Ali Colton Syverson, Shannon Primasing (David); daughter Brittany Loofbourrow; niece Danielle; nephews Joey, Tommy, Matthew; and many other cousins and second cousins.

Robert was proceeded in death by father Marschelle Syverson and brother Paul Syverson.