Metric Momentum Continues!
Walking The Line of Safety
As we recognize National Safety Month, we reflect on the many opportunities our Metric teams provide including: safety consultation, audits,
and assessments of projects around the mid-West and mid-East. For the past few years Metric has been working on the West Lake Corridor Project in northwest Indiana. The West Lake Corridor Project is a southern branch extension of the existing commuter rail South Shore Line (SSL) to reach high-growth areas in Lake County, Indiana. This Project is being constructed from Hammond, Indiana and extending South into Dyer, Indiana. The entirety of this lengths urban and largely residential areas. Large stretches of the new rail run adjacent to roadways, as well as sections of the 4.4 mile Monon Trail from Munster to Hammond. The West Lake Corridor Project is designed with a focus on sustainability and wetland mitigation, incorporating best practices to protect the environment.
Along with general environmental compliance oversight, one key task Metric performs is the weekly project-wide audit of the construction team’s safety and security practices. While the safety and security of the contractor teams are very important, an all too often neglected consideration when it comes to health & safety is the public.
Metric personnel conduct weekly project site inspections to ensure that best management practices are implemented such as using signage and barricading methods that are appropriate and in good repair. This signage includes roadway and detour signs/placards, as well as sidewalk closure/detour signs. One large concern for construction-related projects, especially in urban settings, is the importance of work area housekeeping in preventing injury to workers and the public. Metric documents any trouble areas concerning workspace hazards as early as possible to mitigate any potential issue proactively. Due to the more urban setting of the projects, the inspection process includes checking the area fencing. The fencing is used to protect the public from getting too close to active work areas such as soon-to-be-active tracks, intersection crossbars, railroad platforms and sidewalks.
Metric also works with all project contractors and lead designers on the short- and long-term emergency action plans. These plans include safety protocols for active lines, and during construction work, coordination of police and emergency personnel routes during construction. Metric’s inspection findings are communicated to the lead project designer, and subsequently to the project owner, Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, via weekly audit reports. Every month a detailed report is filed to provide more specific information should adjustments or corrective action need to be made.
Teamwork, Integrity and Excellence
When we talk about our company values of Teamwork, Integrity and Excellence, we aren’t just talking about words we put on our website or in the company employee manual. These words are the principles and beliefs that provide a cohesive vision and define who we are and how we strive to conduct ourselves as a business. Here is what a few of Metrics leaders have to say about our company values.
Luella Beth Hillen, Director of NEPA Resources on “Teamwork”
We all have a role to play in our success as a firm or on a project team with our partner firms. As in most sports, a successful team isn’t just the starting lineup or one star player; alongside those players are coaches, managers, trainers, and support staff. For us that is much the same, everyone has role, whether they are the company president putting together a business plan, business development building relationships to win work, technical staff doing project work, or administration and accounting staff making sure registrations are up to date, invoices go out and payroll gets processed. Being a good teammate is performing your role to the best of your ability, striving for excellence, to achieve overall success of the team. Teamwork is recognizing all those various roles are needed and contribute to the overall success of the team. Teamwork also means challenging each other to be better. Teach others what you know, learn from them, work together to solve problems. We get the best out of everyone when team members help each other grow and achieve their goals.
Amy L. Noel, Natural Resources Senior Project Manager on “Integrity”
Clients rely on us and trust us to guide them through complex environmental processes and our integrity as a team is a very important part of the process. I take integrity very seriously in all that I do and strive to be honest in all aspects of my life, but especially when it comes to producing quality work that I can be proud of. Our team utilizes our expertise to help clients navigate challenging situations that arise whether that be unexpected obstacles, or changes in environmental regulations that can shift a project’s direction in its compliance.
Environmental protection is important and educating others on the seriousness of regulations and their existence to create a better and healthier environment is serious business that impacts every one of us. I enjoy the challenge of helping clients interpret and understand these laws so that all parties involved can ensure that we are meeting our project goals as well as making sure the environment is protected. Managing and maintaining our natural resources with integrity is crucial in providing a sustainable future for generations to come. My hope is that they will enjoy all the benefits of our hard work now and they will follow our example of caring for the environment
Paul Melillo, Director of Business Development on “Excellence”
Welcome With Us New Metric Team Members
Introducing New Senior Project Manager
Richard (Rich) Herndon is a prehistoric archaeologist and principal investigator with approximately 25 years of experience completing Section 106 projects in the Midwest, particularly Kentucky, Illinois, and Missouri. Much of his work has been through the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Missouri Department of Transportation, although he has completed work for a variety of business clients including coal operations, wind farms, and natural gas pipelines. Rich’s research interests encompass the Early Woodland through the Mississippian/Fort Ancient periods with a strong focus on prehistoric pottery analysis. Professional highlights include the excavation of a Middle Woodland period Havana hamlet with associated ring enclosure and reframing the Woodland chronological sequence in northeastern Missouri.
When asked what the most important qualities in client relationships are, Rich said, “I believe the most important quality to have is the ability to consistently guide our clients through the regulatory or permitting process and effectively minimize natural and cultural impacts that may occur during construction while successfully meeting their internal scheduling requirements”.
Rich would like his future clients to rest in always knowing that their project is the most important throughout the lifecycle of that contracted work. He is committed to communicating regularly and keeping them updated on important scheduling, delivery milestones, and potential red flags that may develop. He works hard to address all their concerns or questions in a timely manner and strives to meet the project budget and promptly notify them if any core scope assumptions have been exceeded.
Rich will work out of our Louisville, KY office and is very excited to join the Metric team as he has already hit the ground running!
Rebuilding Together
April was National Rebuilding Month and Metric partnered with Rebuilding Together Indianapolis as a 2024 contributor in helping to revitalize communities! We provided muscle and flair working on two Indianapolis homes alongside AECOM Hunt and CHA Consulting, Inc. doing painting, yard work and other home repair tasks. Rebuilding Together Indianapolis provides free assistance to people who, because of physical limitations or low income, are struggling to cover the costs of home repair.
Metric is working in Pennsylvania!
We are pleased to announce that Metric Environmental is now operating in the western suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA as an additional location to Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia. Metric registered in the PennDOT ECMS system as Business Partner 018169 and is looking to work with mentors in the PA-UCP mentor/mentee program, especially in the western to central PennDOT Districts. Metric Environmental is approved in the ECMS system for environmental work such as NEPA, natural resource studies, hazardous waste studies, permitting, and cultural resource studies. If you would like more information please get in touch with Paul Melillo (paulm@metricenv.com) or Linda Zug (lindaz@metricenv.com) for more information.
