Devon Kendall, PE

San Diego Chapter Webinar: Site Characterization UsingVS30 Per the ASCE 7-22 Wednesday, January 14, 2026 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Pacific Time Starting January 1, 2026, the ASCE 7-22 standard will be effective all over the country. Among the new changes, site characterization will now be based solely on shear wave velocities, and not on shear undrained strengths or SPT N-values anymore. To provide guidance and clarification on how to make site characterization consistent with the new ASCE 7-22 standard, EERI's San Diego Regional Chapter is hosting a webinar featuring Prof. Jonathan Stewart and Prof. Brady Cox. After presentations from the two speakers, we will have a 30-minute session for questions and answers. The intended audience includes geotechnical and structural engineering practitioners, engineering geologists, building officials, architects, engineering and geology students, academicians and researchers, and other interested earthquake engineering professionals. Speakers: Jonathan Stewart is a Professor in the Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles and an EERI Honorary Member. Presentation title: "Definition, measurement, and application of VS30 in the NEHRP Provisions and ASCE 7" Brady Cox is a Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Utah State University (USU) and the founding director of the new Utah Earthquake Engineering Center. Presentation title: "Best Practices for Shear Wave Velocity Measurements to Support Vs30 Site Classification or Site-Specific Site Response Analyses Consistent with ASCE 7-22." NOTE: Anyone can register for the webinar free of charge, but you will need to create a free my.eeri.org account to sign up if you don't already have one! Please register by 9:30 AM Pacific on the day of the event to make sure you get your link to access the webinar. https://lnkd.in/dFcriqPv

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As a member of the Wolf Pack, I’m proud to be part of an organization that prioritizes both infrastructure advancement and environmental responsibility. One project that reflects this balance is the Riverside County Transportation Department (RCTD) Integrated Mitigation Project in Southern California. To support five roadway improvement projects across Riverside County, the Michael Baker team provided environmental and design services for a 75-acre mitigation site that included Diegan Coastal Sage Scrub and forbland habitat. The site had been heavily impacted by historical agriculture, wildfire and upstream land use changes that increased flooding and limited public access to local trails. Michael Baker’s environmental experts worked closely with stakeholders and conservancy groups to restore six native habitat types—ranging from Southern willow scrub to coast live oak woodland—while also addressing flood management challenges. The team removed invasive species, preserved existing native vegetation and enhanced watershed connectivity to promote long-term ecological resilience. Projects like this not only protect biodiversity but also enhance public access and safety in flood-prone areas—an important reminder of how infrastructure and ecology can work hand-in-hand. Learn more about the project: https://lnkd.in/g4Cq2CnP

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As a member of the Wolf Pack, I’m proud to be part of an organization that prioritizes both infrastructure advancement and environmental responsibility. One project that reflects this balance is the Riverside County Transportation Department (RCTD) Integrated Mitigation Project in Southern California. To support five roadway improvement projects across Riverside County, the Michael Baker team provided environmental and design services for a 75-acre mitigation site that included Diegan Coastal Sage Scrub and forbland habitat. The site had been heavily impacted by historical agriculture, wildfire and upstream land use changes that increased flooding and limited public access to local trails. Michael Baker’s environmental experts worked closely with stakeholders and conservancy groups to restore six native habitat types—ranging from Southern willow scrub to coast live oak woodland—while also addressing flood management challenges. The team removed invasive species, preserved existing native vegetation and enhanced watershed connectivity to promote long-term ecological resilience. Projects like this not only protect biodiversity but also enhance public access and safety in flood-prone areas—an important reminder of how infrastructure and ecology can work hand-in-hand. Learn more about the project: https://lnkd.in/de73JHzw

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Check out my most recent publication for the Mineta Transportation Institute at San José State University. My co-author Stephanie Ivey and I developed actionable strategies for broadening the workforce participation in the transportation industry. Check out our report https://lnkd.in/ewvmEU7u

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As part of California's push toward renewable energy, the Solano Phase 4 Wind Energy Project in Rio Vista, CA was honored as the 2025 Best Energy / Industrial Project in the ENR West Region. WSP was instrumental in the geotechnical, structural and electrical design and integration of this large-scale wind energy development for SMUD (Sacramento Municipal Utility District) in collaboration with Clark Brothers, Inc and Fischer Associates. As part of a broader modernization strategy to increase renewable energy output and improve system efficiency, this project repowered an existing wind energy facility by decommissioning 23 outdated legacy turbines and replacing them with 19 advanced utility-scale wind turbines (Vestas V150. These turbines have a total height of 590 feet (280m), a hub height of 344 feet (105m), and a rotor diameter of 492 feet (150m). The project was repleet with geotechnical challenges that included unstable ground, fluctuating groundwater levels, expansive/dispersive soils and potentially very high seismic activity. From the initial geotechnical investigation through construction phase inspection services, WSP was onboard to provide outstanding technical support and client/team interaction.

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As a member of the Wolf Pack, I’m proud to be part of an organization that prioritizes both infrastructure advancement and environmental responsibility. One project that reflects this balance is the Riverside County Transportation Department (RCTD) Integrated Mitigation Project in Southern California. To support five roadway improvement projects across Riverside County, the Michael Baker team provided environmental and design services for a 75-acre mitigation site that included Diegan Coastal Sage Scrub and forbland habitat. The site had been heavily impacted by historical agriculture, wildfire and upstream land use changes that increased flooding and limited public access to local trails. Michael Baker’s environmental experts worked closely with stakeholders and conservancy groups to restore six native habitat types—ranging from Southern willow scrub to coast live oak woodland—while also addressing flood management challenges. The team removed invasive species, preserved existing native vegetation and enhanced watershed connectivity to promote long-term ecological resilience. Projects like this not only protect biodiversity but also enhance public access and safety in flood-prone areas—an important reminder of how infrastructure and ecology can work hand-in-hand. Learn more about the project: https://lnkd.in/euK9_A3h

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UC Irvine Civil & Environmental Engineering is proud to host Ronnie Medlock, P.E., VP of Tech. Services at High Steel Structures LLC Structures of Lancaster, PA, to deliver his American Institute of Steel Construction T.R. Higgin's Award Lecture! Anyone is welcome to join us in ISEB 1310, Monday 2/23/26 at 10am to hear Mr. Medlock speak on: "Achieving Excellence in Fabricated Structural Steel" Abstract What does it mean to achieve excellence in fabrication? How does the degree of excellence impact the success of a steel bridge project? How is excellence achieved? Answering correctly is paramount for achieving quality bridge projects that are cost-effective and on schedule. The 2025 AISC T. R. Higgins Lecture addresses these questions, providing shop floor insights that transcend bridge fabrication to any custom manufactured engineering components. Speaker Ronnie Medlock is a professional engineer with 37 years of experience in bridge design and construction. As VP - Technical Services, Ronnie is responsible for quality control and is the chief technology officer for High Steel Structures of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. A graduate of the University of Texas, Ronnie worked for TxDOT before joining High Steel in 2006. Ronnie advises engineers in bridge design and advances best steel bridge design and construction practices nationally through several associations, including AISC / NSBA, AISI, AREMA, AWS, and TRB.

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We’re excited to share that the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) has selected our team to provide design engineering services for the Sacramento City College Station Project! SJRRC is continuing to improve current commuter and intercity passenger rail services, creating a transformative, integrated rail passenger system that spans from the San Joaquin Valley to Sacramento and the Bay Area. The new 15-foot-wide by 975-foot-long at-grade side-loading passenger platform adjacent to the existing SacRT City College Light Rail Station will include the construction of a new track within the station area and a new crossover track to the south of the station area, just north of 26th Avenue, to allow northbound and southbound passenger trains to pass using existing track siding. Upon completion, the Project will expand the Sacramento City College Station to become a regional transit hub by providing intercity ACE and San Joaquin rail service to serve the College and the surrounding community in the City of Sacramento, and improve connectivity to local transit services with SacRT light rail and buses. #Railroad #WeAreMarkThomas

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We are now five years out from VMT reform in California. Is it working as intended? I'm excited to share an independent white paper comparing the locations of development projects in the City of San Mateo before and after SB 743. I selected San Mateo, California as the study subject for a few reasons: the City has a diverse mix of land uses, a diverse mix of travel options (freeways and transit), and a reasonably transparent website that maintains updated lists of ongoing projects. I found that the proportion of projects in Transit Priority Areas (TPAs) grew from 69.4% before implementation to 80.0% after; among approved projects, the increase is more dramatic: from 58.8% before implementation to 87.5% after. In contrast, the proportion of projects in Low-VMT Areas dipped slightly. These results suggest there has indeed been a post-SB 743 bump in projects at VMT-efficient locations, but the effect is driven by TPAs, where the incentives (economic and political) are numerous, clear, and tangible. The effect is more limited towards Low-VMT Areas, which are more abstract as a concept. Of course, there are numerous caveats and limitations, which I discuss in the paper. It would be great to explore this topic with an expanded geographic study sample. Read my commentary here: https://lnkd.in/gDuYGURZ And the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/gfx4Z8Yg (note: link downloads file) I'm looking forward to sharing more on Substack in the months to come. If you want to see more work like this, please let me know.

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The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) is a pre-eminent organization that credentials and awards projects for dedication to sustainable and resilient infrastructure performance. This is a very rigorous award process that integrated independent peer review and adjudication based on 64 individual sustainability criteria. San Mateo State Route 101 Express Lanes project received the ISI Silver Award in May 2021, the first ISI award in Caltrans District 4 (Bay Area) and was published in the Social Media. The Project reduces congestion in the corridor, encourages carpooling and transit use, improves travel time and reliability for express lane users, uses modern technology to manage traffic and makes upgrades to pavement and lane striping.

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Jacobs is pioneering water reuse in Los Angeles and Ventura counties with one of the first surface water augmentation reuse projects in California. This groundbreaking facility is turning recycled water into safe, sustainable drinking water for the Las Virgenes–Triunfo region. #OurJacobs team is leading program management to advance water reliability, protect resources and support climate resilience. 💧 🔗 Learn more: http://jcba.co/wlwU50X1Ctf 😎 Explore more about how we’re shaping a smarter, more resilient future for California: http://jcba.co/qYOh50WXuhE #OneWater #WaterReuse #ChallengeAccepted #Infrastructure #California

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Planned improvements range from new infrastructure such as interchanges, bridges, and highway lanes to community-building measures such as extending transit routes and building trails. “Every day, Utahns are out driving to work, picking up kids, heading to the mountains or just getting where they need to go,” explained Lisa Wilson, Utah DOT’s deputy director, in a statement. “Our job is to make sure those trips are as safe and smooth as possible,” she said. “These projects might cause some short-term delays, but in the long run, they’ll mean better roads, less congestion and a safer and more reliable way to get around — no matter how you travel.” More than 1,200 projects are planned this construction season,” said INDOT Commissioner Lyndsay Quist in a statement. “Nearly 200 of those aim to improve traffic flow and safety, and over 7,600 lane miles of pavement will be resurfaced or replaced. It’s vital for motorists to keep safety top of mind when traveling through work zones, for themselves, other drivers, and road workers.” https://lnkd.in/gfkRu2ZM

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Huge thanks to Evan Babcock and Samantha Soderlund (Kufrin), E.I. from our CDM Smith Albuquerque office who took the time to represent our group at the UNM career fair. Showing up for students, sharing real-world experiences, and being willing to talk candidly about what a career in water and environmental engineering looks like truly matters. Events like these don’t just help students explore career paths—they also strengthen our profession by making it more visible, approachable, and inclusive. I’m grateful for team members who are willing to invest their time, energy, and enthusiasm into mentoring the next generation of engineers. Well done, ABQ team—and thank you for representing us so thoughtfully. University of New Mexico School of Engineering #Teamwork #EngineeringCareers #Mentorship #UNM #EarlyCareerEngineers

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Coastal engineering relies on geotechnical engineering to assess and manage the soil and rock conditions at shorelines for projects like port construction, erosion control structures, coastal roads, and offshore platforms. Geotechnical engineers analyze the stability and behavior of earth materials under the dynamic forces of waves and currents, ensuring that coastal structures are built on a stable foundation and that the surrounding ground can withstand these powerful environmental forces.

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On March 11, 2025, a section of roadway in San Clemente failed due to scour. There wasn’t a bridge there. The road crossed over a box culvert, and the ground gave way. Beyond the engineering, a failure like this affects everyday life. It impacts safe mobility, emergency access, and local connectivity. Now the plan is to build a proper bridge, and for me this is where estimating truly starts: soil data first. Geotech work like SPT helps reduce unknowns early and shapes scope and takeoffs, including foundations, excavation, concrete and rebar quantities, and protection works. It also makes cost and schedule risk more visible before construction begins. #ConstructionEstimating #Infrastructure #QuantityTakeoff #ProjectManagement

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Our team of students and professors from CIEST (Center for Infrastructure, Energy, and Space Testing) and University of Colorado Boulder Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering is looking forward to participating in #GeoCongress2026 (Salt Lake City) this week: - PhD student Amir Sayari: “design and integration of a pneumatic rainfall system with seismic shaking in geotechnical centrifuge” on Wednesday. - PhD student Sina G. Senji : “performance-based testing of trenchless pipeline rehabilitation” on Thursday. - PhD student Jonathan Schmidt: 1) “next generation probabilistic liquefaction model building at the regional scale” on Wednesday; 2) co-moderating panel on “future environmental hazards and conditions in geotechnical engineering practice” together with Dr. Sissy Nikolou. - MS student Jenna Stein: “chloride corrosion and earth retaining systems: novel measurement and calibration techniques to track chloride movements in soils” on Thursday. - PhD student Mohd Sheob: “Experimentally studying the thermal sensitivity and mechanical response of kaolin clay due to climatic warming” on Wednesday - PhD student Angela Mink: “Fluid-soil-interaction observations from a dam break wave generator using the centrifuge” on Wednesday. - Prof. Srikanth Madabhushi: 1) moderating session on “Centrifuge Modeling and Civil Engineering Practice” on Wednesday; 2) co-presenting on “centrifuge modeling of laterally loaded piles and CPT-based p-y curves in soft clay” on Tuesday. - Prof. Shideh Dashti: technical chair of the conference. Also presenting in: 1) JGGE Editor’s Choice Papers special session on Tuesday; 2) panel on “solutions, not problems: research-to-practice application” on Thursday; 3) moderating young member’s panel on Thursday.

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During Engineering Week, we’re highlighting the importance of investing in the next generation of structural engineers. The Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC) Pathways program is designed to support structural engineering students and early-career professionals through mentorship, professional development, and direct access to industry leaders. Participants also receive funding to attend the SEAOC Convention, strengthening both technical knowledge and professional networks. A resilient profession depends on a strong pipeline. By expanding access, building community, and prioritizing mentorship, SEAOC is helping shape the future of structural engineering in California. If you’re a firm leader, mentor, or emerging professional, consider how you can contribute to strengthening the next generation of our industry.

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