3C47
ASSISTANT CHIEF HIGHWAY ENGINEER

This is administrative civil engineering work, directing through subordinate engineering, technical and trades supervisors, either the work of private contractors and inspectional employees in a highway construction program or city wide bridge and highway maintenance work performed by in house trades and semi skilled employees. An employee in the class prepares plans, specifications and cost estimates for bridge and street improvement or major repair projects. Maintaining an effective working relationship with engineers, administrators, contractors and other officials is a significant aspect of the work. Work is performed under the direction of the Chief Highway Engineer.

1. Only two positions can be allocated to this class.
2. The position must perform work in the Highway Division of the Streets Department.
3. The position must direct a city wide highway construction or bridge and highway maintenance program through subordinate engineering, technical and trades employees.

Studies new designs and materials for highway resurfacing; develops cost estimates and prepares or directs the preparation of specifications or plans covering all aspects of maintenance contracts; performs engineering calculations or stress and expansion of supports and building materials used in the major renovation of bridges; authorizes modifications in plans based on inspections at construction sites; studies new designs and techniques in bridge and highway maintenance; authorizes subordinates to conduct tests of bridge maintenance materials and reviews test findings.

Supervises, through six district engineers, a comprehensive program of street and highway maintenance, including the repair of pot holes and plumbers’ ditches; forwards to district engineers complaints and requests for repairs; tours districts to assure that work is carried out promptly and efficiently; determines streets in need of resurfacing; establishes priorities of work and otherwise supervises through the asphalt paving superintendent a city wide street resurfacing program by city forces including an asphalt manufacturing plant and a large staff of asphalt paving crews and heavy automotive equipment.

Supervises the city's bridge maintenance and repair program; reviews inspection reports and determines priorities, nature, and extent of repairs needed; approves payment to contractors and assures adherence to contract provisions.

Supervises, through an automotive supervisor, the maintenance of a large fleet of heavy automotive equipment used in road building, hauling of paving materials, and related work; studies new types of automotive equipment and its applicability to the city's street repair program; directs tests of new vehicles and recommends their purchase or disapproval.

Supervises a variety of city wide street alteration and repair projects by city forces such as the installation or removal of traffic islands; dispatches members of district repair crews to participate in such projects and assures that proper automotive equipment is available.

Supervises, through an administrative officer, the preparation and maintenance of the operating budget for the highway division; coordinates street repair programs, encompassing two or more highway districts; resolves problems referred by the supervisors of the various highway districts; maintains contact with union officials to resolve employee and union grievances.

Supervises all highway maintenance personnel and equipment for snow removal, ice control, and similar emergencies; mobilizes forces for salting, plowing, and related operations.

Receives requests for paving, repaving, and resurfacing of city streets; makes inspections of the areas involved to ascertain the validity of such requests and to determine the type and amount of repairs needed; drafts tentative priority schedules; confers with the chief highway engineer and other engineers and administrative officials to discuss the construction program and re evaluate assigned priorities.

Reviews list of streets to be constructed, reconstructed or totally improved; recommends street designs and surveys; reviews plans with surveyor and/or heads of the various highway districts to insure conformance with existing situations.

Prepares estimates for construction projects, reviewing such factors as the labor market, material costs, and costs of similar projects; reviews plans and specifications of projects for accuracy, completeness and adherence to sound engineering principles and city standards, and recommends revisions where indicated.

Meets with officials of public utilities and industrial groups to discuss the proposed schedule and makes adjustments where necessary to coordinate utility construction activities with the proposed schedule.

Supervises all contracted or in house paving, repaving and resurfacing projects to insure that materials and workmanship conform to plans and specifications; reviews material testing reports and takes steps to correct any infraction of contract specifications; directs the periodic tests of new road building materials at various asphalt and concrete plants, highway divisions and construction sites.

Makes field trips to inspect projects in process and to discuss with subordinate engineers, inspectors, and contractors problems encountered in the work; recommends solutions or refers matters to the chief engineer for solution; prepares change orders to cover unexpected expenses due to unforeseen construction problems.

Directs the snow removal program performed by private contractors and assists in the direction of salting operations performed by highway division crews.

Performs related work as required.

KNOWLEDGE OF:
• the principles and practices of civil engineering
• the principles and practices of civil engineering as applied to municipal bridge and highway construction and maintenance programs
• current principles and practices of building construction and maintenance trades
• the current developments, equipment, and materials used in highway design and bridge and highway construction and maintenance programs
• the principles and practices of civil engineering as applied to the inspection of construction sites
• engineering theories, principles and practices used to assure adherence to time schedules and conformity to construction maintenance standards and cost estimates
• supervisory methods and techniques
• current developments in the building construction maintenance field
• current national construction code developments
• quality assurance practices of bridge and highway construction and maintenance programs
• the principles and techniques of administrative organization.
• CPM and PERT systems of construction project planning, scheduling and monitoring
• engineering economics and the methods and problems encountered in financing and executing bridge and highway construction and maintenance programs
• engineering mathematics as applied to bridge and highway construction programs
• engineering maintenance as applied to bridge and highway construction and maintenance programs
• the principles and practices utilized by municipal code enforcement agencies to obtain code compliance
• fiscal budget, procurement, and personnel procedures and techniques
• the principles and techniques of operations analysis, work simplification, and form and records control
ABILITY TO:
• interpret bridge and highway designs and plans related to construction and maintenance projects
• plan and supervise through the supervisors of the various highway districts, the paving, repaving, and resurfacing work of contractors for adherence to contract requirements
• resolve field engineering problems as they pertain to highway construction and bridge and highway maintenance programs
• analyze data and prepare charts, reports and budgetary statements as needed.
• apply engineering mathematics to bridge and highway construction and maintenance programs
• supervise and participate in the preparation of contract plans and specifications
• establish and maintain effective working relationships with contractors, public utility officials, superiors, and subordinates.

EDUCATION

Completion of a bachelor’s degree program at an accredited college or university, with major course work in Civil Engineering.

AND
GENERAL EXPERIENCE:

Three years of civil engineering experience in a municipal bridge or highway engineering program.

AND
SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE:

Two years of civil engineering experience above the full performance level supervising through technical or trades subordinates either the inspection of public work construction projects, highway construction and maintenance programs in an assigned district; or a city wide bridge inspection, maintenance and repair program; or supervising design engineers performing design work in a highway or bridge maintenance program.

OR


Any equivalent combination of acceptable education and experience, which has included the completion of a bachelor's degree program in an acceptable area of engineering as an educational minimum.

Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in the environmental conditions required of a position in this class.

Possession of a valid proper class motor vehicle operator's license as issued by the Common¬wealth of Pennsylvania prior to appointment and during tenure of appointment as an Assistant Chief Highway Engineer.