Onward Engineering

Managing public works projects for more than 30 years, I’ve realized that there are always lesson learned from these projects. One important thing I learned working mainly on striping improvements is the importance of understanding the local agency’s expectations and specifying the correct Caltrans Standard Plans accordingly. Since most of the striping on this project was on PCC, the City wanted to add the black highlights to make sure that the yellow centerline striping and white lane/skip lines “pop out” and are clearly visible to the motorists. Striping contractors won’t add those black highlights unless they are properly called out on the plans, i.e., referencing 2023 Caltrans Standard Plans and Soecifications and more importantly, adding a separate bid item for the black highlights. And it pays to have a good contractor that knows its trade. The quality and workmanship of striping on this project is outstanding. Not like the last project I completed. But that will be the subject of another post. Onward and upward.

Second day in a row visiting the City of Bellflower Public Works Yard. This time with the Onward Engineering CM & Inspection Team. This is the Build Better half of OE. Onward and upward.

💼 Public outreach is about more than just sharing plans—it’s about helping people understand the purpose behind our projects and feel truly involved. At Onward Engineering, I’ve always believed in prioritizing outreach because it turns public works, which may not always seem glamorous, into a community-driven effort. When people feel connected and included, we can build stronger support and better results together. 🤝🚧 #designsmarter #buildbetter #PublicWorks #CommunityEngagement #OnwardEngineering #BuildingTogether #InfrastructureMatters 🌍

Come stop by our booth and learn more about Onward Engineering and Orange Vest.

Field work on a project that’s near and dear to me - Citywide Bus Stop Improvements in Norwalk. Aside from getting to work again with the incredible folks from the City and Norwalk Transit, I get to design upgrades to the original improvements consisting of Kaleidoscope shelters, benches and trash receptacles. The existing bus stops furniture were installed in 2008 during my time as City Engineer in Norwalk. Now I can say that I’ve worked on both sides of the fence - as the agency’s representative (2008) and engineering consultant (2024). I guess I’ve come full circle. Onward and upward.

🎉 Double Celebration Time! 🎉 Congrats to Ryan Dennis, P.Eng. for hitting 8 amazing years and Jason To for celebrating 2 fantastic years with Onward Engineering! You both bring so much to the table, and we’re lucky to have you on the team. I have the privilege to work alongside Ryan on most of our design proposals. Working with a person like Ryan is awesome because of his constant desire to improve, even if it means putting in extra work. That desire is contagious, and we would not be where we are today without him. Ryan, thanks for your dedication and all the great times over the years. Jason, you’ve quickly become an essential part of our crew! Here’s to more fun, success, and good times ahead. Let’s celebrate!

🎉 Congrats on 10 Years, Christopher Boren! 🎉 Today we’re celebrating a big milestone for a truly awesome guy—Chris Boren! 🎊 Chris has hit the 10-year mark with us at Onward Engineering, and we’re beyond grateful to have him on our team. He is not just an incredible inspector but also someone who always has Onward’s back. Chris is a guy that I enjoy talking to and hanging out with both in and out of the office. Chris, thanks for being such a rockstar and for all the hard work, dedication you bring every single day. Here’s to many more years of success and great times ahead! WE are truly LUCKY to have you. 🙌👏 #OnwardEngineering #10Years #TeamSpirit #Congratstochris #WorkFamily

On July 24, 2024, the California Attorney General issued an opinion stating that local government bodies in California must allow members with disabilities to attend meetings remotely if their disability prevents in-person attendance. This decision is based on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), reversing a 2001 opinion that in-person attendance was essential under California’s open meetings law, the Brown Act. Recent changes to the Brown Act, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, have allowed for more remote participation in meetings, which influenced the new opinion. The Attorney General now believes that remote participation can be a reasonable accommodation under the ADA without limiting the number of times a disabled member can attend remotely. The opinion also requires that remote participation includes real-time, two-way communication so the public can interact with the member, and it sets rules for transparency about who is present with the remote participant. However, the opinion does not address all potential issues, such as what happens if several members request remote participation, leading to a lack of a physical quorum, or whether members of the public have the right to request remote participation as a reasonable accommodation.

Onward Engineering and Orangevest go hand in hand …. Design smarter. Build better …. Efficiently and collaboratively. As PM/CM for Onward Engineering, I manage all my projects using Orangevest. I can’t imagine not doing so …. ever again!

🔍✨ Today, we had the pleasure of hosting Joe Franco from SafetyStepTD for an insightful lunch and learn session on ADA-compliant truncated domes. 🟡🔶 Joe walked us through their innovative product offerings and shared invaluable installation tips, which could help our team provide even better oversight on future projects. From special use cases to incorporating city seals and custom colors, SafetyStepTD seems to have covered a plethora of creative possibilities! Our engineers are particularly excited about the application of these products over manholes, which could significantly minimize high relocation costs. Thank you, Joe, for a great session and for showing us how functionality and design can go hand in hand. 🌟 #OnwardEngineering #SafetyStepTD #Accessibility #TruncatedDomes #InnovationInDesign #LunchAndLearn