The Village of Essex Junction’s Trustees have named our firm the Village Engineer every year since 1996. Beyond surveying, designing, permitting assistance, and inspection services for municipal projects, we have provided project review services for virtually all of the development within the Village to ensure that they conform with the Public Works Standards and Land Development Code. 

Our firm also creates and updates street and utility plans, which provide complete inventory information for all of the streets, sanitary sewer systems, water and hydrant systems, and stormwater systems for the Village. Our firm has led the effort to produce and coordinate the Capital Budget by providing a comprehensive Capital Improvements estimate database. We also provide special investigations for the Village, such as sanitary sewer infiltration studies and stormwater flood modeling.

Our firm has been providing regular engineering services for the Town of Milton over the past four years. We have worked with the Town Manager’s Office, Planning and Zoning, and the Public Works Department on a number of town infrastructure improvement projects. We have prepared design plans, construction estimates, and bidding documents for roadway reconstruction projects, drainage improvements, and large-scale paving projects. Our office served as the project manager for a mile-long streetscape improvement project along Route 7 in the heart of Milton. We have performed plan review for new developments, the construction of new residences, and drainage improvements on Class IV roadways. We have assisted the Town with long-term capital planning and asset management.

We provided preliminary design, final design plans, bidding services, and resident engineering services for embankment repair on East Lakeshore Drive in Colchester, VT. Damages from Hurricane Irene caused shoreline erosion and slope failure on a 300 ft. long, 25 ft. high embankment, which underlies East Lakeshore Drive between Lake Champlain. Coordination with neighbors, supervision of erosion prevention and sediment control practices, diligent traffic control, and knowledge of specialized construction within and adjacent to Lake Champlain led to the successful completion of this project on time and within budget.

Our firm provided design engineering services for new pedestrian improvements at the intersection of Vermont Route 104, Maple Street, and River Street in Fairfax, VT. The project included field documentation of existing conditions and preparing design plans. The design plans included complete traffic control plans and pedestrian detour plans. This project improved pedestrian accessibility in a heavy traffic pedestrian route with a school and restaurant in close proximity to the site.

Our firm provided complete land surveying, design engineering, bidding, and resident engineering services for Essex Junction’s Main Street drainage enclosure project. This project involved enclosing an existing roadside ditch and installing concrete curbing, 4 ft. of new striped bicycle lanes, and new drainage pipe and stormwater structures. The existing roadside ditch required constant maintenance from public works because of its steep grades and a large drainage area that contributed to the ditch. The existing ditch was also conveyed through numerous driveways via culverts, which were routinely found in disrepair due to the high velocity and volume of the stormwater in the area. Along with the bicycle lane extension and the stormwater improvements, our firm provided engineering design for three gravity retaining walls along Main Street to allow future installments to the concrete sidewalk system.

Hillcrest Road in the Village of Essex Junction is approximately 800 ft. long and has roadway grades approaching 10 percent. There was no existing stormwater infrastructure on the site, which resulted in erosion issues and high velocity and volume of runoff that discharged onto Pearl Street. For this project, we designed a deep underdrain system to collect groundwater across N Hillcrest Road, which was flooding residential basements downgradient of the roadway. The underdrain system was connected to a new stormwater collection system installed on Hillcrest Road, which included nine new drainage structures and 850 linear ft. of new storm pipe. The project also included 350 linear ft. of new ductile iron waterline to eliminate a deadend line and create a looped water system between W Hillcrest and Hillcrest Road. The project included grinding the existing roadways, re-grading them, and installing a 4 inch pavement overlay. This project’s design included an extensive stormwater model shown to the left. We created the model to perform calculations and analysis of the entire drainage area between Summit Street, Hillcrest, N Hillcrest, and W Hillcrest Road. We modeled the existing stormwater system downstream of the site to determine the impacts of the connection of the new stormwater system to the existing one.

We provided land surveying and engineering design services for the complete roadway redevelopment and drainage improvements from the Indian Brook Bridge to the intersection of VT RTE 2A on Mill Pond Road. This project’s design included over 1,300 linear ft. of full depth roadway reconstruction with stone ditches on both sides of the road. The design included in-depth constructability analysis because of a high groundwater table, steep roadway grades, embankments close to both sides of the roadway, and the connection of the roadway to a bridge under construction at the same time as the road work. The design we performed was in cooperation with the State of Vermont Agency of Transportation Bridge Improvement Project STP 5600(12). Our design team worked with the VTrans project leader as the two projects were constructed simultaneously. We also made cut/fill calculations and adjustments to the finish grade of the roadway to accomplish a balanced grading scheme.

We investigated the site, collected data, and provided traffic and pedestrian engineering services for the evaluation of a new proposed crosswalk on Wilkinson Drive at the existing recreation path crossing. We developed short-term and long-term improvements to Wilkinson Drive’s signing and striping and proposed relocating the recreation path crossing location and installing a new marked crosswalk.

Our firm provided emergency engineering assistance and field investigations related to localized roadway and property flooding on multiple occasions during the summer of 2013 resulting from intense rainfall events in the Village of Essex Junction. We worked with the Public Works Department and performed ongoing field observations and monitoring during large, intense storm events of municipal drainage systems to identify flooding and hazardous conditions to protect public health and safety. We inspected municipal infrastructure to assess potential damage resulting from storm events.

We also performed drainage studies and culvert analysis computations to confirm the size and adequacy of the existing municipal drainage system components in accordance with current regulations. We recommended maintenance, repairs, and improvements to the municipal drainage system components as necessary.

We supplied complete surveying, engineering design, bidding, and resident engineering services for the full reconstruction of the roadway, curbing, and sidewalks along Summit Street in the Village of Essex Junction from Pearl Street to Prospect Street. The project replaced the existing waterline and coordinated between the new sidewalk and existing residential driveways with significant pedestrian traffic from the Summit Street Elementary School. We used foam insulation for roadway stabilization over poorly drained frost susceptible soils.

DLHCE performed a scoping study, created conceptual plans and final plans, and provided resident engineering for a bicycle and pedestrian path along Main Street in Essex Junction. The scoping study included roadway inventory and condition documentation and assessment of related infrastructure, including curbing, sidewalks, crosswalks, pavement, roadway and driveway geometry, subsurface conditions, drainage, existing utilities, and streetscape components. The project connected two existing multi-use paths that traverse between Essex Center and the Village of Essex Junction.

Our firm provided complete surveying, engineering design, permitting, and resident engineering services for the Five Corners North Drainage Project in Essex Junction. The design used bypass structures to divert existing underdrain and solid stormwater pipe flow discharge into an underground storage gallery consisting of over 1,000 linear ft. of 42 inch HDPE pipe. The goal of the project was to buffer and reduce urban stormwater impacts to an adjacent stream.

Our firm provided complete land surveying, permitting assistance, and design services for the Village of Essex Junction Public Works garage facility expansion and new salt shed. This project improved lighting around the facility, provided new drainage patterns to improve water management, and installed new infiltration chambers for rooftop runoff.

We provided resident engineering, construction inspection, and testing services for the McMullen Road Sidewalk Project developed through the VTrans Municipal Assistance Bureau. Our firm served as the Town of Milton’s main contact, and we were responsible for the construction inspection and testing services that ensured the project was completed according to the approved plans and specifications.

Concrete sidewalks and handicap ramps were installed, utilities were relocated, and associated landscaping and drainage improvements were made to the project area. Our resident engineering team also prepared plans for additional work on the project, including a new pedestrian crosswalk and a new stormwater infiltration system at the low point of the project site.

DLHCE performed three comprehensive capacity study updates for the entire Town of Essex sanitary sewer system to assist the Town in managing its municipal sewer system and its remaining capacity. We conducted a review of the basis of design for the current sewer system and evaluated the future system flows based on existing flow rates, known development plans, zoning changes, projected future growth, as well as system improvements, upgrades, and expansions. The studies included an analysis of the entire system based on the Town’s projected level of residential, commercial, and industrial build-out in five-year intervals.

Also included was an analysis of areas in need of pollution abatement that were not connected to the municipal sanitary sewer system. DLHCE prepared a summary report presenting an overall assessment of the present and future needs of the system and identified improvements to system piping and pump stations to accommodate future growth within the sewer core area.

DLHCE prepared the 3D conceptual models and served as the Local Project Manager for this LTF funded Circumferential Highway alternative project, which provided a bypass to the Five Corners in Essex Junction. The project consisted of a new segment of roadway that extends along the east side of the Burlington Spur rail line between VT 2A and VT 117 and continues between Maple Street and VT 15 along the existing alignment of Railroad Street. The Crescent Connector will provide important benefits to traffic circulation in the area, including the reduction of traffic volumes at the Five Corners Intersection and the reduction of traffic interruption due to train crossings.

DLHCE provided complete infrastructure analysis and documentation, hydrologic analysis and topographic survey, and design engineering services for the Smith Estates Stormwater Repair Project. Smith Estates is a large subdivision along East Lakeshore Drive in Colchester, VT. The existing drywell stormwater system had failed and allowed significant runoff to enter East Lakeshore Drive and caused erosion along a 30 ft. embankment between East Lakeshore Drive and Lake Champlain. Our firm designed an overflow catchment system to collect floodwaters prior to leaving the subdivision. Our firm used rainfall data from previous extreme rainfall events to model the proposed system and designed it to safely collect and convey the 100 year storm. This project also included roadway repair and a flow energy attenuation outfall structure.

DLHCE completed, as part of Chittenden County Municipal Highway Stormwater Mitigation Program, topographic surveying, engineering design, permitting, and resident engineering services for stormwater improvements to the Fairview Farms Subdivision in Essex Junction. The engineering services included the inspection, documentation, and hydrologic analysis of the existing stormwater system within the subdivision as well as the design of a retention pond, the repair of a 25 ft. embankment, and the installation of a stormwater discharge structure.

DLHCE provided resident engineering, construction inspection, and testing services for the Essex Junction Multi-Use Path Project developed through the VTrans Municipal Assistance Bureau program. We served as the main contact representing the Village of Essex Junction and were responsible for resident engineering services, ensuring the project was completed according to the approved plans and specifications. The project included fencing, retaining walls, drainage, lighting, landscaping, and a 10 ft. wide paved multi-use path. The project included communicating with and attaining access permits from the New England Central Railroad, as the project was located adjacent to the railroad right of way.

DLHCE provided engineering design and construction inspection services for the emergency repair of a concrete box culvert that allowed a tributary to the Winooski River to travel below the Jasper Mine Roadway. The engineering services included roadway inventory and culvert condition documentation, capacity computations, and assessment of related infrastructure, including pavement, roadway geometry, subsurface conditions, drainage, existing utilities, and culvert components. Our firm worked in coordination with G.W. Tatro Construction, Inc. to perform a design and build repair of the existing culvert by lining the culvert with HDPE pipe and filling the remaining void space with concrete. We used an innovative technique to repair the infrastructure with no disruption to the roadway or traffic.

DLHCE provided complete surveying, permitting, design and resident engineering services for over 2,000 ft. of channelized ditch repair between Meadow Drive and Macrae Road in Colchester, VT. Our permitting assistance included a Construction General Permit, Vermont Wetlands Permit, Stream Alteration Permit, Army Corps of Engineers Permit, Water Quality Certification, and the project was performed in accordance with the town’s current MS4 permit. The project also included replacing the existing culvert, which crosses Macrae Road and an energy dissipation outfall structure. Design included channelized ditch restoration, hydrologic and hydraulic analysis, erosion prevention and sediment control, and a significant amount of communication and cooperation with nearly every regulatory agency in the Vermont Department of Conservation and the adjacent landowners.

DLHCE prepared the scoping study, 3D conceptual model, conceptual plans, and construction cost estimates for a shared use path along a portion of the existing rail alignment in Essex Junction. The shared use path proposes to provide a critical link for pedestrians traveling to and from the Essex High School as well as a route for pedestrians traveling between the Five Corners and the Champlain Valley Exposition East Gate during fair season.

Our firm provided complete design engineering and permitting assistance for a new 2 acre dog park and a new gravel path that travels along the existing parking lot at the southern end of Bombardier Park to the entrance of the proposed dog park. The Town of Milton Public Works Department constructed all of the improvements, excluding the installation of the proposed chain link fence. Our firm worked with State regulatory agencies to site the dog park in a location that avoided impacting the natural resources. Our survey crew provided complete survey stakeout for the construction of the project. Along with the design plans, our firm prepared erosion prevention and sediment control plans for the construction phase of the project.

The Essex Sewer project brought municipal sewer to the Town of Essex in the early 1980s. The project was divided into five separate contracts that included over 10 miles of collection system, five prefabricated pump stations, and one master built-in-place pump station to serve the entire collected system. This project brought municipal sewer to over 300 homes and businesses within the sewer service area. DLHCE performed all of the surveying, engineering, and construction supervision for this project and assisted the Town with the grant and documentation processes.

The project was completed over two construction seasons and Richard F. Hamlin, P.E was the Chief Resident Engineer for the project, managing a staff of eight inspectors. The project offered many challenges, such as installing gravity sewer mains and services on Route 15 through the intersection of Route 15 and Route 128 and installing gravity sewer mains at depths of up to 20 ft. in active roadways. Richard Hamlin was also responsible for inspecting most of the individual sewer service connections, along with documenting final service piping configurations and providing those records to the Town of Essex upon the completion of the project.