What’s Happening at Civiltech

Civiltech excels at guiding a project through all phases, from the original idea to construction, and it’s exciting when that project involves all of our teams. The US Route 14 Grade Separation at CN/EJ&E Railway for the Village of Barrington is an example of such...

Civiltech staff are often asked to speak at their alma maters. These opportunities are encouraged and supported by Civiltech as a meaningful way to inspire future engineers! Recently Jake Rytina, a Phase II Design Engineer, was invited to speak to several math classes...

In August 2024, Civiltech welcomed Barry Stuedemann, P.E., SPWS, to lead our newly formed Nature-based Solutions department, focusing on natural and nature-based feature (NNBF) planning and design. Civiltech’s NbS practice utilizes the expertise of our engineers,...

Civiltech is thrilled to announce the launch of our new Nature-based Solutions (NbS) department under the direction of Barry Stuedemann, P.E., SPWS. Civiltech's NbS services offer our clients a nature-led, nature-based design approach to their transportation, civil...

The Road Safety Professional (RSP) certification is a national credential offered by the Transportation Professional Certification Board (TPCB) that demonstrates competency in providing safety for the traveling public. While certification is pursued by a variety of...

Civiltech loves inspiring future engineers! Earlier this month, we welcomed Township High School District 214 students Joel Ross and April Toyofuku for a 30-hour internship. Joel is a Senior at Prospect High School in Mount Prospect, and April is a Senior at Buffalo...

We all agree those cicadas were loud! But just how loud were they? Thankfully, Civiltech has a curious engineer who specializes in measuring traffic noise. Armed with a Class I sound level meter usually used for highway traffic noise monitoring, Civiltech’s Jim Woods,...

Civiltech’s North DuSable Lake Shore Drive Phase I Study seeks to redefine one of the most iconic roadways in America with the reconstruction of the drive between Grand and Hollywood Avenues within Lincoln Park in Chicago. Civiltech is the lead consultant on this...

Civiltech’s Tom Liliensiek, P.E., CFM, participated on a panel of experts presenting the IDOT requirements for Preparation of Location Drainage Studies and Location Drainage Technical Memorandums at the ACEC Illinois District 1 Drainage Seminar on April 16 and 17. Tom...

The North DuSable Lake Shore Drive Phase I Study seeks to redefine one of the most iconic roadways in America with the reconstruction of the drive between Grand and Hollywood Avenues within Lincoln Park in Chicago. Civiltech’s Jen Hyman, P.E., and Phil Hutchinson,...

Every February, we celebrate National Engineers Week (E-Week). This year’s theme was Welcome to the Future. E-Week is a large, national, STEM event intended to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of Engineers throughout the United States and within the...

An award winner and a first for Illinois, the Houbolt Road at I-80 Diverging Diamond Interchange was completed in December 2023. With Brent Giesen, P.E., as Resident Engineer, Civitech provided Phase III Construction Engineering services on this large and complex...

Civiltech’s Director of Landscape Architecture, Phil Hutchinson, PLA, LEED AP, traveled to Denver in January to volunteer with the Council of Landscape Architecture Registration Board (CLARB). Phil and 15 other Landscape Architects from across the US and Canada...

Civiltech’s Transportation Planning team closed out 2023 with the completion of the Des Plaines River Trail Central Feasibility Study. Civiltech provided bicycle and planning services to Active Transportation Alliance and Cook County as part of a study that explored...

Civiltech is providing urban design and roadway design services for streetscape and safety improvements along Chicago Avenue from Austin to Cicero. This Chicago Department of Transportation project is intended to spur economic development within the “Soul City...

As 2023 comes to a close, Civiltech is wrapping up 35 Signs of Kindness. This year-long initiative allowed us to give back in meaningful ways, both as a company and as individuals. 35 Signs of Kindness kicked off on February 17 – National Random Acts of Kindness Day,...

Governor Pritzker presided over 2 ribbon cuttings on Civiltech projects! The US Route 41 at Deerpath (Pump Station #38) and the Houbolt Road Diverging Diamond Interchange are recently completed significant projects on which Civiltech provided Construction Management...

The North DuSable Lake Shore Drive Phase I Study website features many exciting resources presenting information on the project. The study’s project team often receives questions about current and future lake water levels and how designs are taking climate resiliency...

On October 12 of this year, Civiltech celebrated its 35th Anniversary. In honor of this milestone, Civiltech embarked on a year-long initiative called 35 Signs of Kindness, with a goal of giving back to our communities and to organizations that are meaningful to our...

At Civiltech, we recognize the importance of having a positive impact on the people affected by our projects. While we strive to ensure our projects improve the quality of life in our clients’ communities, we also look for opportunities to give back through volunteer...

The 2023 APA-IL State Conference was held September 11-13 at North Central College in Naperville. The annual conference showcases the best in Illinois urban planning and provides educational sessions, mobile workshops, and social events. Civiltech was not only a proud...

Mid-September can leave us pondering how summer could already be over. Adding to the perceived quick passing of the summer season is saying goodbye to our summer interns. Civiltech enjoyed a robust internship program in 2023 with 12 summer interns! As they wrapped up...

Earlier this year, the Transportation Research Record published the article, Linking Police and EMS Records: An Approach to Strengthen Bicyclist Injury Reporting. Civiltech Transportation Planner Josie Willman was included as a co-author on this important study. The...

“One of the things this world needs most is the kind souls who, when crossing a bridge, say 'it would be very difficult to cross if it weren't for this bridge' and thank both the bridge and those who built it!” — Mehmet Murat Ildan, Turkish Playwright. Why is it that...

Phil joined Civiltech in 2017 bringing extensive experience in Landscape Architecture and Urban Design. Phil specializes in designing and developing pedestrian environments, with a focus on placemaking, community identifiers, urban design solutions, and green...

The Intelligentsia Cup Chicago bike race series was held July 21 – 30. Ten exciting days of bike racing took place in communities around Chicagoland culminating with the Chicago event held in the Fulton Market neighborhood on July 30. The series attracts top racers...

Civiltech is proud to announce the launch of our new Landscape Architecture department under the direction of Phil Hutchinson, PLA, LEED AP. Our Landscape Architecture services were previously part of our Urban Design & Traffic department. The Landscape...

In early July, Chicago hosted its first-ever NASCAR street race. The exciting and highly-anticipated event melded the iconic NASCAR Cup Series with our iconic city. North DuSable Lake Shore Drive (NDLSD), Michigan Avenue, and Columbus Drive were transformed into a...

Jennifer Hyman, P.E., has been named Director of Environmental and Design Studies. Jen has been employed with Civiltech since November, 2011. . In her previous role as Project Manager, Jen has brought strong leadership skills to Civiltech’s most complex Phase I...

With the Fourth of July, Civiltech is halfway through our 35 Signs of Kindness initiative (#35SignsofKindnessCEI), and our staff has provided over 140 hours in individual volunteer activities since February. As America celebrates Independence Day, Civiltech recognizes...

Civiltech’s Amanda Kleinwachter, P.E., recently graduated from the Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association (IRTBA) 2023 Emerging Leaders Program (ELP). In August, Amanda was selected to participate in the annual program that runs from October to May and...

What happens when a Water Resource Engineer and a Second Grade Teacher are good friends? A collaboration bringing flood water management to 2nd graders, of course! Civiltech Water Resources Engineer, Weronika Moskal, P.E., CFM, made a splash utilizing her flood...

Civiltech’s newsletter, Between the Lines - Issue 57, featured an article on the approval of the Section 106 Historic Properties Identification (HPI) Report for the North DuSable Lake Shore Drive (NDLSD) Phase I Study. The article explained that the purpose of the ...

May is National Bike Month! The observance is promoted by the League of American Bicyclists and is celebrated across the U.S. as a way to encourage biking and promote its benefits. Civiltech supports awareness of cyclists sharing our roads and applies a Complete...

Civiltech staff love to support their kids! Often our staff’s volunteer activities are in support of our little ones, their schools, and their extracurricular activities. As part of Civiltech’s 35 Signs of Kindness initiative, Hugh Gilgunn, P.E., and Jen Hyman, P.E.,...

In February, the women of Civiltech kicked off our renewed and refreshed Women’s Affinity Group called MERGE! This was a much anticipated event since the group had been paused during the pandemic. MERGE stands for Meet, Engage, Respect, Grow, and Extend. The goal of...

Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act requires Federal agencies to take into account the effects of their undertakings on historic properties and afford the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation a reasonable opportunity to comment on such...

On Wednesday, January 4, Civiltech staff were in attendance at the media event announcing the Bridge Investment Program funding that was awarded to the City of Chicago to be utilized for the Illinois International Port Calumet River Bridges. The award will be used...

Civiltech is proud of our successes securing funding for our clients. Our team has secured millions in funding dollars for communities through various county, state, and federal grant sources. We work to stay up to date on potential opportunities, and work with our...

The City of Naperville has seen considerable growth and redevelopment. The area has been built with various standards and streetscape designs that had been incorporated at different times and generally in conjunction with previous City led projects. Civiltech was...

Civiltech staff turned to the Roundabout, the company’s intranet platform, to crowdsource a snowman! Kristin Kalitowski, P.E., led the Civiltech effort with the goal of entering the 1st Annual Snowman Contest being held at the APWA Chicago Metro Chapter’s 2022 Holiday...

Historic Drexel Boulevard is part of the City of Chicago’s Boulevard System. The boulevard system covers approximately 28 miles and contains approximately 540 acres of greenspace. The Boulevards link together many inland parks as well as parks along the Lake Michigan...

Civiltech’s Transportation Planning team hit the road this fall bringing their expertise in Complete Streets, network-wide bicycle route planning, spatial and statistical data analytics, ADA compliance, freight planning, streetscape design, and bicycle and pedestrian...

Civiltech’s drone program continues to soar. Drone photography enhances and supports our services across the company. This includes providing backgrounds for digital renderings and marketing materials, an eye-in-the-sky for complex traffic studies, and sophisticated...

The City of Chicago is working to improve pedestrian safety and accessibility throughout the city. In support of this goal, Civiltech has provided design and construction engineering expertise through a number of overarching contracts. The Chicago Department of...

The City of Milwaukee is working to create safer streets for pedestrians. The existing roadways around the city are wide and lack dedicated pedestrian spaces such as crosswalks. As part of their rapid implementation program, the City committed to installing low cost,...

Lake Cook Road is a critical regional arterial — a heavily traveled east-west roadway that cuts a swath across multiple northern suburbs, contains many major interchanges with significant north-south interstate routes, and is under the jurisdiction of Cook County...

Nothing marks the bittersweet end of summer quite like kids heading back to school or returning to campus.  At Civiltech, that end of summer ritual also involves saying goodbye to our summer interns. Civiltech has a robust internship program with many interns that...

Civiltech’s Anmol Shrivastava, P.E., PTOE, RSP, recently completed the Institute of Transportation Engineer’s (ITE) LeadershipITE 2022 program. Through this program, ITE strives to build a base of high-level transportation professional leaders who will shape the...

With the rapid growth of e-commerce, logistical centers are being constructed across the region. Often, they are located in rural or newly developing suburban areas that may not have the infrastructure for freight, which creates negative impacts to livability....

“Indiana, we are simply passing through history. This is history.” ~ spoken by Belloq in the Raiders of the Lost Ark.¹ As part of the Naperville Streetscape Improvements Project, Civiltech Resident Engineer, Art Politowicz, P.G., was working with the contractor to...

At Civiltech, our engineers take design and connectivity of bike trails seriously. When not designing, improving, or working to connect our region’s bike trail networks, we are using them! In June, Civiltech’s Steve Pautsch, P.E., PTOE, together with his dad Bob...

Civiltech’s Jennifer Hyman, P.E. recently completed the Illinois Road & Transportation Builders Association (IRTBA) Emerging Leaders Program (ELP). In August 2021, Jen was selected to the program which recognizes emerging leaders from member firms and is designed...

Civiltech’s Transportation Planning team works on both planning-level and engineering studies, examining how our projects fit within the overall fabric of the community. Looking at an engineering project through a planning lens brings expanded considerations that...

As the Jackson Park Transportation Improvements project transitions from design into construction, the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) was interested in creating an informational video to illustrate the project in a presentation that would be easily...

Defining Program Management When providing Program Management services, Civiltech works as an extension of our clients’ staff to deliver large-scale projects and groups of projects in the most efficient manner possible. Municipalities and other public agencies can be...

With construction on the Naperville Downtown Streetscape Improvements project about to get underway, the City had reached out to Civiltech’s digital rendering team to provide images of the finished project. Their initial goal was to display the images at a community...

While we didn’t know we needed it, Tom Hanks gave us a pretty comprehensive list of the different types of rain in the 1994 film, Forrest Gump. “We been through every kind of rain there is. Little bitty stingin’ rain, and big ol’ fat rain, rain that flew in sideways,”...

Civiltech, together with our C*NECT partners, has been providing design services to the City of Chicago as part of the Chicago Works program to repair streets originally built through the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The WPA reconstruction program, which had...

Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day is being recognized on February 24 as part of 2022’s Engineers Week. The purpose of this day is to encourage and inspire girls to consider a future in engineering. Who better to mentor and inspire a young woman to pursue engineering...

Civiltech joined Baxter & Woodman to bring a highly experienced and skilled Construction Engineering team to the $47 million Randall Road Reconstruction Project for the McHenry County Department of Transportation. The project involved reconstructing approximately...

Civiltech is working with the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), as part of their Arterial Resurfacing program, to implement pedestrian, bike, and transit-focused improvements. The evolution to expand the AR program from strictly pavement rehabilitation to...

Civiltech is proud of our successes securing funding for our clients. Our team has secured millions in funding dollars for communities through various county, state, and federal grant sources. We work to stay up to date on potential opportunities, and work with our...

Public involvement efforts during Phase I are usually a requirement for federal funding or to gain approval under a federal process such as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) or Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act for use of public park...

Little Civiltech ghosts, superheroes, princesses, and characters of all shapes and sizes celebrated Halloween with a virtual Pumpkin Carving Party! Greatly anticipated party packages, including pumpkin carving tools and Halloween goodies, arrived on porches a few days...

October is National Pedestrian Safety Month. The goal of which is to increase awareness around pedestrian safety and remind drivers to watch for pedestrians each and every time they are behind the wheel. Civiltech’s design work on Chicago Department of...

Sometimes the significance of a roadway improvement is larger than the improvement itself. One such project is the recently completed Audrey Nixon Boulevard (formerly 14th Street) Reconstruction, which stretches from IL Route 131 to Jackson Street in North Chicago and...

At the intersection of art and technology is the exciting medium of digital rendering. Civiltech’s growing digital rendering team and abilities are creating cutting-edge opportunities to serve our clients and pursue new work. Civiltech’s digital rendering team is part...

The last two years have been unprecedented in many ways. At Civiltech, this includes two years of tremendous company growth. Since January 2019, we have welcomed 48 new staff to the Civiltech family, bringing our team to over 130 employees! This growth is across all...

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) together with the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) launched the COVID Bus Lanes Program to study the impacts and installation options of bus-only lanes. Greatly reduced automobile traffic during the first two months of...

Traffic noise generated by existing traffic and anticipated future traffic is one of many important criteria to help determine appropriate design alternatives. Between October and March, Civiltech Phase I staff conducted noise monitoring for the North DuSable Lake...

Wetlands are sensitive areas that provide unique and interesting ecological functions that are important components within a regional environment and are afforded special protections by public agencies. Wetlands are sometimes referred to as “nature’s kidneys” -...

Civiltech just published the 50th issue of Between the Lines, our company newsletter! Our first newsletter was published in the Spring of 2006. To mark this milestone, we decided that the most newsworthy story to feature is the story of us – Civiltech. You may already...

Civiltech landscape designer, John Magill, volunteered his time and talents to create a special place for children that promotes health and wellbeing – an opportunity that John viewed as a dream project. Kimberly Folkening, a 2nd grade teacher at Ideal Elementary...

Civiltech was honored to have our client, Illinois Tollway, and project, IL Route 47 and Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) Interchange recognized with an Honor Award as part of the ACEC Illinois 2021 Engineering Excellence Awards. The virtual event was held on Thursday,...

On Tuesday, March 2, Civiltech’s Rockland Road Improvement Project was awarded the APWA Lake Branch Project of the Year in the Transportation/$5M to $25M category. The project was nominated by our clients, the Village of Libertyville and the Libertyville Township Road...

Civiltech is thrilled to be named the ISPE 2021 Best Place to Work in the Large Firm category. We are grateful to be nominated by a member of our team whose nomination was then supported by a large number of additional staff by participating in an anonymous ISPE...

Advancing the Jackson Park Mobility Project in Support of the Obama Presidential Center In early February, after much anticipation, Civiltech was thrilled to learn that the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) statement for the Federal Actions in and adjacent to...

The Chicago Neighborhood Engineering and Construction team, or C*NECT, has been providing comprehensive engineering support services across all Chicago communities. One large initiative assigned to the C*NECT team is to analyze and document the pavement condition of...

The Long Grove Bridge is a historic one lane covered bridge that crosses Buffalo Creek just outside of downtown Long Grove. The beloved bridge has had an eventful past few years, being closed at various times for oversized vehicle impact damage, a major...

Civiltech’s Anmol Shrivastava, P.E., PTOE; Jen Hyman, P.E.; Nate Murphy, P.E.; and Phil Hurst, P.E. combined forces to prepare and present, “Rockland Road – A Virtual Shadow Day.” Civiltech’s involvement in the Virtual Shadow Day began through Anmol Shrivastava’s,...

Unique Challenges | Massive Earthwork in Kane County A project as interesting and multifaceted as The Longmeadow Parkway New Alignment Roadway and Reconstruction Project doles out equally interesting and multifaceted challenges. This project on which Civiltech...

On October 26th, Steve Pautsch, P.E., PTOE prepared a video presentation for the 6th grade science students at Kipp1 Academy Charter School. Civiltech celebrates and encourages giving back to our communities through volunteering both as individuals and as a company....

Normally, Halloween at Civiltech is filled with a busy and noisy cadre of ghosts and goblins, superheroes and princesses, dinosaurs and dragons, and characters of all shapes and sizes playing tricks and snagging treats. This year however, the Halloween fun had to be...

When a “What If” Idea Prompts an Exciting New Application of an Existing Technology At Civiltech, we strive to be innovative in how we work, in our studies and design solutions, and in our use of technology. Recently, those nodes of innovation collided, and a “what...

Brian DeSalle, P.E., PTOE Begins His Term as a Planning and Zoning Commissioner with the Village of Pingree Grove Civiltech's Brian DeSalle, P.E., PTOE was recently appointed to the position of Planning and Zoning Commissioner with the Village of Pingree Grove. As a...

In This Together | How Civiltech is Adapting to the New Normal Here we are in Phase 3 Recovery, soon to enter Phase 4 Revitalization in the Restore Illinois Plan to safely reopen our state. The only thing we all know for sure is that we are all in unprecedented...

The ENR (Engineering News-Record) Midwest Top Design Firms list, ranks  “the largest U.S.-based designs firms, both publicly and privately held, based on design-specific revenue.” For the 2020 list, Civiltech ranked number 65 in the Midwest and number 21 in the State...

This spring, we have all witnessed the unprecedented upending of many seasonal events. At Civiltech, one of the events that we missed the most was Take Your Child to Work Day (TYCWD). This annual event, held the fourth Thursday in April, is a national program intended...

This year marked the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Considered the planet's largest civic event, activities across the globe were largely virtual due to COVID-19 impacts. Civiltech staff celebrated and recognized the day by sharing photos and descriptions of their...

As we continue to monitor developments regarding COVID-19, Civiltech's top priority is the health and safety of our staff, our families, our clients, and the communities in which we work. We are also focused on the continuity of serving our clients and providing...

A Look at C*NECT’s Mentor-Protégé Program Civiltech celebrates the partnerships created within mentor-protégé programs. We have participated in many mentor-protégé contractual relationships on CDOT and IDOT projects, and on Illinois Tollway’s Partnering for Growth...

As part of the Chicago Neighborhood Engineering and Construction Team (C*NECT), Civiltech staff have the privilege of partnering with Embarc, a Chicago non-profit organization that provides community-driven, experience-based learning opportunities to low income high...

At Civiltech, we understand that our ultimate clients are the communities affected by our projects. We strive to ensure that our work has a positive impact. We work to build client trust, and we look for opportunities to volunteer and give back. We encourage and...

This fall has brought many exciting changes to Civiltech. We are happy to celebrate three staff members and their accomplishments! Mike Folkening, P.E., PTOE has been named Director of Urban Design & Traffic, a new service department at Civiltech. Mike has been...

On September 19, Civiltech staff celebrated the retirement of Bob Andres, P.E., PTOE (pictured center), one of Civiltech’s founders! Current and former staff joined clients and members of Bob’s family to share stories, honor his contributions to the firm, and provide...

As part of Civiltech’s in-house learning program, drone pilots Ernest Williams and Adam Wuellner gave a presentation on Drones for Data Collection. Their presentation covered the use of photogrammetry software, with which they are capable of producing 3D renderings,...

Civiltech’s Planning and Traffic Studies teams joined the Morton Arboretum staff for a collaborative and hands-on Design Charette for the Arboretum Access Study project. The Civiltech team presented “think big” concepts allowing a deep dive discussion with the staff....

Like many engineering firms, Civiltech is structured in departments that align with the various engineering services and disciplines we provide. However, at Civiltech the work within those departments does not function in silos. Civiltech offers a dynamic...

Civiltech is thrilled to be designated as a Best Firm to Work For – 2019 by Zweig Group! Thanks to the entire staff who contributes to the Civiltech culture and makes it a wonderful place to come to work each day.