Calendar of Events

The Physics of the Yellow Traffic Signal – ITE’s First Recommended Practice

On March 2, 2020, the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) published its first recommended practice for calculating the duration of the yellow traffic signal. Though ITE has published yellow change interval practices since 1965 and Departments of Transportation have adopted those practices, on March 2, ITE admitted that its old practice is wrong and replaced it with a new practice. The old practice forces drivers to run red lights. Unlike the old practice, the new practice has a new math equation which satisfactorily describes both unimpeded turning and thru-movement traffic. The result of the new equation is that turning yellows are several seconds longer than the thru yellows. Though the new practice is better than the old, the new still omits the case of impeded traffic, misapplies the dynamics of uphill movement, and does not quantify tolerances.

This presentation covers the physics of the new practice and its omissions. The presentation also touches on a history of the yellow light--after all, this is the 100th anniversary of the yellow traffic signal. This history starts with William Potts, continues with Robert Herman (the inventor of the ITE old equation), and ends with Mats Järlström (the inventor of the new equation) and believe it or not, your presenter. There is a tale to tell.

1 PDH

Brian Ceccarelli
Brian Ceccarelli is a licensed professional engineer in the State of North Carolina. Mr. Ceccarelli has a degree in physics from the University of Arizona. As principal software engineer for Talus Software PLLC, Mr. Ceccarelli has developed applications for mining, mechanical engineering and space exploration.

Ceccarelli became interested in traffic engineering when the Town of Cary, North Carolina bestowed upon him a red-light camera ticket. Since then, Mr. Ceccarelli has been published in Traffic Technology International and has been an expert panelist in traffic signal timing for the Institute of Transportation Engineers. Mr. Ceccarelli was one of three appellants who successfully convinced ITE to adopt a more comprehensive physics in its yellow light practice. Ceccarelli has presented for NSPE-NC, the North Carolina Society of Engineers, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and for the United Kingdom International Press’s Autonomous Vehicles Symposiums in Europe and America. Ceccarelli is an expert witness in traffic signal timing and red-light cameras in several States.

So, You Want To Launch a Forensic Engineering Consulting Practice

The practicing professional engineer can use their technical and professional experiences gained in their engineering career to assist insurance carriers, the legal profession and government agencies in the investigation of events or circumstances resulting in litigation. Some professional engineering firms perform forensic engineering investigations as a subset of their overall engineering business model while other professional engineering firms specialize solely in forensic engineering investigations.

Forensic Engineers can operate as sole proprietorship, partnerships, professional corporations or be part of a multifaceted forensic engineering company or one of the many national forensic engineering investigation firms. This session addresses the opportunities for engineers interested in performing forensic engineering services as well as the issues they will need to address.

John Certuse P.E.

John Certuse P.E. is an NSPE Member and Past President of The National Academy of Forensic Engineers. John holds a B.S. in Marine Engineering from The Massachusetts Maritime Academy and is a licensed Mechanical Engineer, Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator, oil burner technician and pipefitter. John is President of ISE Engineering in Attleboro Massachusetts and author of the book “Heating Systems Troubleshooting – Maintenance Tips and Forensic Observations” (Industrial Press). John has testified in courts regarding forensic matters throughout the Atlantic region and New England.

Michael Leshner P.E.

Michael D. Leshner PE has practiced as an Engineering Consultant and Expert Witness since 1982 and was the 2017 President of the National Academy of Forensic Engineers (NAFE). Testifying in City, County, State and Federal courts as a Mechanical Engineer, Automotive Engineer and Safety Engineer, he is known for his integrity, careful and thorough investigation of claims, expert analysis and professional courtroom presentation.  Mr. Leshner began his Forensic Engineering consulting part-time while working in industry, and transitioned to a full-time practice in 1997, when he became a NSPE Member and NAFE Fellow.  Mr. Leshner continues to serve on the NAFE Board of Directors.

James Petersen P.E.

James A Petersen P.E., (aka Jim or Pete), grew up in Northeast Nebraska on a farm. He attended the local schools and then Kearney State College and the University of Nebraska at Lincoln - where he obtained a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1975. That same year he obtained a BS in Mathematics from Kearney State College. He worked as an engineer for valve and regulator manufacturers for the next 20 years, obtaining two patents in that period. He started Petersen Engineering in 1995 and has operated a forensic engineering business from then to the present. He is licensed in Iowa, Texas, Alabama and Arkansas. He is currently the President of the National Academy of Forensic Engineers. He lives in Texarkana Texas with his wife of 50 years, Denise. They have two children, five grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Samuel Sudler P.E.

Samuel Sudler P.E. is Senior VP of NAFE and Chairman of the NAFE Ethics Committee. Mr. Sudler has over 10 years’ experience relating to industrial and manufacturing facilities that has allowed him to successfully conduct well over 2000 investigations throughout his 18-year career at S-E-A, concerning numerous consumer and vehicle products produced by leading manufacturers in product liability litigation. Mr. Sudler is frequently retained nationally by product manufacturers, attorneys, and insurance companies and has also been retained to conduct high profile investigations internationally in Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and South America.

The Four Languages of Influence

Improve your influence by customizing your interactions to four distinct communication styles. Based on the DISC communication-style instrument, you will learn:

• The four distinct communication styles
• Your communication style
• Each communication styles’ preferences
• How to use the four languages of influence to:
  - Make better connections
  - Tailor content so that it “rings true” for each recipient
  - Reduce interpersonal friction
  - Gain agreement

You will learn practical skills you can put to work immediately. Plus, you will polish your communication skills and feel more confident in one-on-one and group interactions.

Roger Grannis

Roger Grannis has helped professionals improve their presentation skills at some of the biggest names in business: GE, Underwriters Laboratories, Synchrony, Thomson Reuters, Wells Fargo, Pepsi, Foot Locker. Prior to forming GrannisGroup, in 2004, Roger spent 17 years at Gartner, where he contributed to growing revenues from $22 million to $850 million by building Gartner Sales University.

Roger holds a BA in speech and psychology from Willamette University and did graduate work in theatre and creative writing at San Francisco State University. He is an active member of the National Speakers Association.

Vintage/Heritage Trolley Cars in Transit Use - Past, Present, and Future

The presentation will help attendees better understand the unique nature, challenges, and opportunities of vintage and heritage trolley cars in actual public transit use in the modern age, including vehicle engineering support and technical assistance, for these vehicles.

Matthew Nawn, P.E., PMP

Matt Nawn is a licensed professional engineer in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of Maryland and is a certified Project Management Professional. Mr. Nawn is the Chief of the Technical Services Division at the Federal Transit Administration in Washington, D.C. and his duties include specialized expertise with regards to vintage and heritage rolling stock still used in public transit service.

Mr. Nawn also is an adjunct instructor at Frederick Community College in the Construction Management and Supervision Program, and has performed technical assessments, project management, and estimating services as a private consultant for restoration and repair of vintage railway rolling stock.

Mr. Nawn earned a Master of Science in Engineering Management from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Villanova University. Mr. Nawn is a US Navy veteran.

Too Many Crashes at Your Roundabout? Learn Design Techniques to Optimize Safety

Roundabouts are a performance-based intersection and their operations and safety are predicated on adherence to design principles for safety. Many multi-lane roundabouts are having excessive PDO (property damage only) or minor crashes, which is creating challenges for future implementation of roundabouts in these communities.

This presentation will discuss how design safety principles affect how drivers receive and process information. For optimal safety and operations the roundabout design must simplify decision-making and provide clear, concise information as to the correct way to drive the roundabout.

We will present two case studies:

1. The design review of an existing poorly performing “urban, multi-lane” roundabout
2. A roundabout design optimization/peer review for a “rural, high-speed” application

We will discuss the essential design components for optimal roundabout safety and operations, including:

• Operations/Geometrics: Avoiding Over-Design
• Safety Design Principles
• Improving Driver Messaging and Information Processing

Mark T. Johnson, PE

Mark Johnson is Principal Engineer for MTJ Roundabout Engineering. Mark founded MTJ in 2005, after 12 years of public- and private-sector transportation engineering positions, including 4 years for the City of Loveland, Colorado, and 4 years at the Wisconsin DOT where he was a key contributor to WisDOT’s roundabout program.

Mark has published papers on roundabout design and application issues and is a co-author of the 2010 FHWA Roundabout Guide (NCHRP 672). Mark is an authorized FHWA Peer-to-Peer Roundabout Reviewer, Vice Chair of the ITE Roundabout Committee, and an active member of the TRB Roundabout Committee.

2021 Winter NAFE Conference

Save the date, and please join us for the 2021 NAFE (National Academy of Forensic Engineers) Winter Conference.

2021 Professional Engineers Conference

Save the date, and join us, July 7–12, 2021, in Philadelphia, for the 2021 Professional Engineers Conference.

2021 NAFE Summer Conference

The July/August 2020 NAFE Summer Conference has been postponed until July 30-August 1, 2021 in Providence, RI (Hilton Providence).