Valerie J. Southern – Transportation Consultant, LLC
VJS Transportation Consultant, LLC | Representative Projects
VJS Transportation Consultant, LLC | Representative Projects


REPRESENTATIVE PROJECTS


  1. Complete Streets and Urban Trails Project, Providence Department of Planning and Economic Development, Providence, Rhode Island. 2018 - 2019.
    Work Performed: As sub consultant to Toole Design Group, performed program and policy analysis and structural development of a new urban complete streets program.  Conducted stakeholder interviews and national best practices research which provided policy foundation for the program.
     
  2. Consolidated Grant Application Evaluation Panel Project, Washington State Department of Transportation, Olympia, Washington. 2019.
    Work Performed: As prime, evaluated, prioritized, and ranked 160 competitive local-agency Federal and State funding grant applications for transit program, transit asset management, rural transit, tribal transit, mobility management, special needs transportation, and transportation capital investments.
     
  3. Long Range Transportation Plan and Transportation Improvement Program, Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. 2017 - 2019.
    Work Performed: As prime and project manager, assessed transportation assets and deficiencies, network safety, and parking supply and demand; inventoried island wide transportation services; and performed 22 federal, state, island, and tribe stakeholder surveys.  Prepared 183-page 20-year transportation plan with phased TIP.  Identified appropriate regional, state, and federal funding sources.
     
  4. Planning and Engineering Services, City of Edgewood, Departments of Public Works and Community Development, Edgewood, Washington. 2003 – 2019.
    Work Performed: As subcontractor, designed transit, pedestrian, and bicycle service and facility improvements along Meridian Avenue (SR161) in support of City and Washington State DOT context-sensitive-design objectives.  (2003 - 2005)
    Work Performed: As prime, identified pedestrian safety deficiencies along City traffic corridors serving elementary, middle and high schools.  Designed improvements to correct deficiencies which were presented in two-year and six-year capital improvement schedules with funding sources for each.  Administered City Council-appointed Pedestrian Safety Planning Committee that prioritized recommended improvements. (2004 - 2005)
    Work Performed: Currently serve as City on-call consultant providing transportation planning and engineering services. (2018 - Present)

     
  5. Guemes Island Ferry Replacement Project, Skagit County, Washington. 2017 - 2018.
    Work Performed. As sub consultant to Glosten, engineering and design of ferry parking, passenger, and vehicle services and ticketing operations; inventory of Federal and state ferry funding options.
     
  6. Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan, Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA), Providence, Rhode Island. 2017.
    Work Performed. As sub consultant to LSC Transportation Consultants, update statewide human services, transportation and transit coordination plan in compliance with Federal Transit Administration [FTA C 90701G Chapter V].
     
  7. Anacostia Waterfront Initiative - Signal/ITS Design Standards, District Department of Transportation, CH2M Hill, Washington, DC. 2013 - 2016
    Work Performed. VJS-TC recently completed Design-Build ITS design specifications and cost estimates for a AWI bridge corridor and 15 proposed signals.  This work also involved inter-agency coordination with DDOT engineering and AWI project staff. VJS-TC work continues with the preparation of additional corridor design and ITS specifications for other AWI traffic corridors.

     
  8. State College Area Universal Transit Access Study, Penn State University, Central Area Transit Authority (CATA). 2013
    Work Performed. As subcontractor to LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc., VJS-TC assisted with operational and implementation strategy for new university U-pass program, including coordination of regional and county transportation plans and policies to accommodate new service.

     
  9. Sakonnet River Bridge Tolling Project, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Compliance Analysis, Portsmouth, Rhode Island. 2013 - 2014
    Work Performed. As subcontractor to MLA, LLP,
    VJS-TC
    assessed bridge tolling environmental impacts in compliance with 23 CFR 771.05 and performed comparative review of supplemental and re-evaluation criteria for re-issued project FEIS and ROD.
     
  10. Transportation Planning and Training: U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC. 2010 - 2016
    Work Performed.
    VJS-TC
    served as Project Manager overseeing a team of financial, planning and educational specialists, involving the development and design of five (5) transportation planning training modules distributed nationally by the USDOT FHWA Office of Planning.
     
  11. Transportation Engineering Assessment: Office of the Inspector General, Department of Defense, Alexandria, Virginia. 2011 - 2012
    Work Performed. As lead subcontractor
    VJS-TC
    conducted an independent engineering assessment, with recommendations, on the impacts and assumptions of Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) Commission recommendation #133.  This formal analysis assesses the transportation and land use impacts resulting from the planned re-location of 7,000 DoD employees and government contractors to the Mark Center complex in Alexandria, Virginia.
     
  12. On-Call Planning and Engineering: Port of Tacoma, Washington. 2011 - Present
    Work Performed. For this assignment,
    VJS-TC
    is a subcontractor to DN Traffic Consultants, providing on-call traffic engineering and transportation planning services and support to the Port of Tacoma in Washington State. The Port of Tacoma is the 7th largest port in the United States.
     
  13. Expert Testimony: P3 Legislation, Lansing, Michigan. 2011
    Work Performed. VJS-TC assisted a private client in the research and presentation of transportation best practices and infrastructure finance techniques (such as TIFIA, SIBs, PABs and P3s). VJS-TC presented findings, on behalf of the client, in expert testimony to the Michigan Senate Economic Development Committee considering Public Private Partnership (P3) enabling legislation.

     
  14. National Research - Intermodal Commuter Facilities: TRB National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP). Washington, DC. 2010 - 2011
    Work Performed. As subcontractor,
    VJS-TC
    conducted national study of best practices in the management and financing of park and ride and intermodal commuter facilities. The research offers guidance and new information on effective management and financing techniques to State departments of transportation pressed to address the growing demand for park and ride and intermodal commuter facilities.
     
  15. National Research - National Guidebooks for MPO, Transit and Tribal Transportation: U.S. Department of Transportation. Washington, DC. 2006 - 2010
    Work Performed.
    VJS-TC
    , as prime consultant, conducted best practices research which resulted in the publication of a national guidebook by the USDOT FHWA Office of Planning entitled Tribal Transportation Best Practices, 2010. Additionally, VJS-TC’s 2008 policy analysis for FHWA resulted in the publication of FHWA-HEP-08-006: Tribal Transportation Funding Resources.
    Work Performed. VJS-TC also performed, from 2006 to 2008, as subcontractor to Vanasse Hangen Brustlin providing research, policy and technical support for the USDOT Federal Transit Administration publication, Transit at the Table II: A Guide to Participation in Metropolitan Decision-making for Transit Agencies in Small and Medium-Sized MPOs.
     
  16. Transportation Planning: Long Range Transportation Plan, Cle Elum, Washington. 2007 - 2010
    Work Performed.
    VJS-TC
    , as prime consultant, prepared the City's 20-Year Long Range Transportation Plan.  Services included analysis and evaluation of deficiencies in freeway, roadway, freight, transit, pedestrian, bicycle and recreational trail services. The final 140-page deliverable advances a phased and multi-modal capital, finance, policy and planning strategies and recommendations that support and complement the City's land use plan and policies. VJS-TC coordinated and managed the 14-member Transportation Working Group for this project, comprised of federal, state, regional, county and local elected officials, business owners and stakeholders.
     
  17. Transportation Planning:  Long Range Transportation Plan, Ellensburg, Washington. 2003 - 2005
    Work Performed. VJS-TC, as prime consultant, prepared the Kittitas County 20-year multi-modal transportation plan. Services included research, evaluation, analysis and development of county-wide transportation systems – freeways, roadways, transit, rail, freight, bicycle, pedestrian and recreational trail. In additional to traffic modeling forecasts, compliance with State Growth Management Act requirements, VJS-TC was responsible for project web site development and public facilitation and participation.

     
  18. Ferry Feasibility Study: U.S. Department of Interior – Bureau of Indian Affairs, Portland, Oregon and Makah Nation, Neah Bay, Washington. 2004 - 2005
    Work Performed.
    VJS-TC
    , as prime consultant, assessed feasibility of a regional cross-channel passenger-vehicle ferry service from Washington State to British Columbia, Canada.  Study involved marine engineering, vessel, dock and facility design, vessel specifications, roadway service requirements, intermodal connection and pedestrian-transit demand analysis.  Work also required passenger demand forecasting and regional economic impact analysis, Homeland Security Act compliance and environmental permitting review.  Work also involved presentation to and management of a bi-national US-Canadian stakeholder advisory group.
     
  19. Area Corridor Study – Transit Element, Sammamish, Washington. 2000 - 2002
    Work Performed. For the newly incorporated rural community of Sammamish, Washington, VJS-TC:

    • Performed transit systems alternatives analysis beginning with inventory of existing METRO and Sound Transit services; documenting deficiencies in location, frequency and coverage.
    • Prepared demand estimates for future service based on 2010 and 2020 population, concurrency assumptions and traffic projections.
    • Recommended new regional bus routes, park and ride facilities and service amenities and route linkages, including high-occupancy-vehicle and queue-bypass facilities on city and connecting county arterials.

  20. Port Intermodal Marine Facilities Project, Port of Anchorage, Alaska. 2002 - 2004
    Work Performed. VJS-TC served as Subcontractor to the engineering firm of Tryck Nyman Hayes. The TNH Team planned and designed the Port of Anchorage’s $150 million port expansion called the Intermodal Marine Facilities (IMF) project. VJS-TC work involved documentation and interpretation of the regulatory and legislative funding mandates established by Congress and Federal granting agencies (FTA, FHWA, DoD and Corps of Engineers) and providing written guidance on federal compliance requirements including, but not limited to:

    • Use of funds and local match requirements;
    • Pre-application, environmental, engineering, planning and public review requirements; and
    • Project funding restrictions, reporting and audit procedures.


    VJS-TC
    serves as project liaison to the Federal granting agencies, the FTA Seattle Regional Office and the Alaska Congressional delegation. VJS-TC assisted in the development, and was a speaker at, the “One-DOT” conference in Anchorage, Alaska, which assembled regional federal and state agencies to discuss IMF funding and compliance.

VJS Transportation Consultant, LLC | Valerie J. Southern

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