Mike Sakata, President & CEO of Maryland Transportation Builders & Materials Association (MTBMA), wears many hats within the industry. Thanks to his roles and diverse background, he has become laser focused on promoting a safe transportation system that will progress our communities forward. Sarah and Eric have dedicated their careers towards this …

Safety is a multi-discipline endeavor. Jessica Cicchino, Senior VP of Research from the IIHS-HLDI, was our guide through the many ways that her organization brings together professionals from a variety of specialties and backgrounds to perform valuable research on the motor vehicles that traverse our roadways and the human behaviors that influence …

Mobile ID, Customer Connect System, CAV testing, and a pilot testing out Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) technology are just some ways Chrissy Nizer and her team are modernizing the Maryland DOT Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA). But these systems don’t run on their own, customer service is at the core of everything the MVA does…

After a long day of work, nothing sounds better than going to school. Wait, huh? At least that’s what seemed to be Norie Calvert’s perspective throughout her career as she hustled to achieve her accomplishments. She did so by working hard to move up the career ladder, continuously striving for more knowledge and new opportunities. Norie, WMATA’s Di…

What do DC; Corvallis, OR; and Tehran, Iran all have in common? Our latest guest, Sahar Nabaee, has walked and rode through their streets looking for ways to improve safety and quality of life! It’s more than just a catchphrase, Sahar dives into the specifics of Vision Zero with Sarah and Eric. We discuss how her work at DDOT is overcoming common c…

There’s no better place to talk about MTA’s Red Line, Resilience 2050, the state of good repair, and urban planning than right here in the heart of Downtown Baltimore. Sponsors, members, and friends of WDCSITE joined us at the Hotel Revival for a rooftop live session of The Sectional. Brian O’Malley, President and CEO of the Central Maryland Transp…

Although the phrase was coined following her transition from a private to public employer, we feel like we’ve experienced our own Carole Effect after chatting with Carole Delion about Connected and Automated Vehicles! We learned and were inspired by her insight as Deputy Director of MDOT SHA’s Office of Transportation Mobility & Operations. Carole’…

Operations, Planning, Engineering – all vital yet typical transportation professional disciplines. But what about Reporting? Jordan Pascale, reporter for WAMU Radio, provides us a perspective we often don’t hear in a professional setting. Jordan chats with Sarah and Eric about the myriad of topics he covers on a day-to-day basis. Jordan’s passion f…

Technology is vital to many transportation projects these days. Hence, co-hosts Sarah and Eric are interested in learning about how this technology reaches our projects. We’ve brought in Randy Dominick, president of Traffic Systems & Technology (TS&T), to describe his perspective on new technology, supply chain, workforce, and procurement issues. H…

Co-hosts Sarah and Eric are still “shaking in their boots” after all the Bay Bridge deflection talk with our most recent guests, Heather Lowe and Melissa Williams. The Chesapeake Bay Crossing Study Project Manager and MDTA’s Director of Division of Project Planning and Program Development, respectively, chat with us about this study and much more. …

Co-hosts Sarah and Eric are back and they’ve brought a guest! The Sectional is proud to welcome Susan Shaw, the “$5 Billion Dollar Woman”, as our very first guest. Susan, VDOT Megaprojects Director, is a remarkable individual with an eye for problem solving. She’s not afraid to get out of her comfort zone, whether that be through cultural immersion…

Co-hosts Sarah and Eric welcome you to the launch of The Sectional! We kick off talking about the importance of safety, the urgency to reduce crash severity, the different ways our communities work towards a safe transportation system, and the funding we’ll need to accomplish our ambitious yet critical goals. Date of Recording: January 20, 2022…