Garver was awarded ACEC OKLAHOMA's 2009 Engineering Excellence "Grand Conceptor" Award during ceremonies Thursday, January 21st in Oklahoma City. Garver received the award for the "Parallel Taxiway Realignment" project at the Ada Municipal Airport. The City of Ada had identified this project as a priority for the city to prepare their municipal facility for future growth, larger aircraft, and additional clients. Garver was selected to provide planning, design and construction administration to straighten a parallel taxiway and rehabilitate deteriorating pavement due to subgrade failure and increased traffic loads.

Early in the project, a conflict with the existing taxiway’s layout was discovered. The taxiway was constructed on radial geometry, a non-standard configuration, and rather than running parallel to the runway it moved diagonally away from the runway and gradually rose some 30 inches above the runway. This created several oblique intersections and safety areas concerns, including in certain areas where pilots taxiing in high-wing aircraft could not see approaching aircraft. This discovery required lowering the taxiway nearly 3 feet and further required the entire terminal apron to be reworked; adjustments being made to the electrical system; and, reconstruction of the fuel farm. Also, the taxiway and pavements were completely removed, and utilities, electrical systems and drainage relocated to lower elevations.

Also, while the project was being bid, the firm’s electrical engineer received information that a new technology was available….LED guidance signs. After a cost-benefit analysis, approval was received to modify the plans to install these new, innovative LED Signs. While the signs were more expensive, the cost was offset by the lower power equipment required. In addition to reducing energy usage by 50% and providing 50,000 hours of lamp live, the LED signs save maintenance costs and time. The Ada Municipal Airport was the first in the state to utilize this new technology.

All of these were very important to the client as the city desired to seek FAA approval for additional precision approaches to attract larger aircraft. Had these conflicts not been discovered, the airport may not have realized the problems existed until FAA approval was pursued. Overall, this project provided the airport with a stable and serviceable taxiway system; reduced confusion at the airport by providing standard taxiway alignments; improved the ground safety system; and, allows for the accommodation of larger aircraft, all of which prepared the airport for future growth and additional clients.

As part of Oklahoma City’s Streetscape Masterplan, Tetra Tech was selected to provide roadway improvements and streetscaping for the newly dedicated Asian District, an area of the city which has long been home to Asian business, local artisans and offers a unique cultural flavor.

In addition to roadway improvements, replacing curb and gutters, traffic signage and striping, and lighting, landscaping, and ADA requirements, Tetra Tech, Oklahoma City, and the Asian District business owners worked to create an identifiable image for the Asian District.

Tetra Tech worked closely with shareholders and members of the Asian District Board to design a corridor to not simply suit their needs, but rather to energize their living, breathing community, and to set the stage for new business opportunities and new jobs, and to provide a sense of community and commonality between the District, City and Visitors.

The TCC Center for Creativity is a building that showcases technology. It is filled with cutting edge educational technology and TCC believed it imperative that the building display architectural and engineering technology as well.

Wallace Engineering collaborated with TCC’s Architect to identify and solve problems together, and arrive at solutions with imagination and engineering skills.

The Center was designed as a series of masses that are separated to create circulation and gathering spaces, and that have a high degree of transparency allowing natural daylight into the building.

The Center was designed to fit into the urban fabric of downtown Tulsa. Boston Avenue on the building’s east side is the only downtown street which has maintained an "urban canyon" where tall buildings on each side of the road create a canyon-like view. A balcony and cantilevered viewing platform, extending over the right-of-way for Boston Avenue, were positioned along the north side of the Center to provide dramatic views of the Tulsa skyline.