Jeremy Perlinski, PE Returns to RPA

RPA is happy to announce the return of Jeremy Perlinski, PE, to our Helena office as a Project Manager in the Water and Wastewater Group. Jeremy is a graduate of Montana State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering and has 22 years of experience in civil engineering with a primary focus on municipal water and wastewater system design. As a project manager at RPA, Jeremy will apply his extensive knowledge and experience to provide high-quality, innovative engineering design solutions for current and future clients. Jeremy has managed a diverse range of water and wastewater projects throughout Montana and is currently working on water system upgrades for the Town of Chester, water supply improvements for the City of East Helena, and wastewater treatment plant upgrades for the City of Lewistown and East Helena.

Welcome to RPA, Trevor Larson

RPA would like to introduce Trevor Larson, EI, as an Engineering Designer/Construction Technician in our Water and Wastewater Group. Trevor holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Montana State University. Through a summer internship, he gained hands-on engineering experience performing hydraulic structures surveying, using Civil 3D to draft those structures for reference by hydraulic modelers, and surveying with Leica GS18 T and Leica one-man total station. Trevor is responsible for various reports, data collection and analysis such as sludge sampling and flow measurements, construction observation, and project administration. Trevor is currently assisting with the Hingham Wastewater PER, Lewistown Water System Improvements, and East Helena Water Improvements.
 

Welcome, Tony Woods to RPA!

Tony Woods

RPA wants to extend a warm welcome to Tony Woods, EI who has joined the Kalispell Office. Tony is primarily focused on engineering design, specifications, and cost estimates for National Parks Service (NPS) Projects. Currently, Tony is working on two (2) projects for the NPS within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. He is designing two (2) boat launch ramp extensions, one at Echo Bay and one at Hemenway Harbor, for Lake Mead. Additionally, he is working on the schematic design of an access road, parking lots, and launch ramp at Callville Bay within Lake Mead. With these projects, Tony is assisting the NPS at Lake Mead to maintain public access to the lake during these difficult low water times.

Robert Peccia & Associates (RPA) has been recognized as a Top-Performing Engineering Firm for 2021!

Robert Peccia & Associates (RPA) has been recognized as a Top-Performing Engineering Firm for 2021 by PSMJ Resources, Inc.! This marks the 7th time RPA has been included on the Circle of Excellence list.
 
Only 66 exceptional architecture and engineering firms across the United States made it on the exclusive 2021 Circle of Excellence list. PSMJ’s exclusive Circle of Excellence highlights firms that demonstrate outstanding business achievement in the architecture and engineering industry.
 
“Each year, the Circle of Excellence firms come from all corners of the A/E space. This diversity demonstrates that success isn’t defined by a specific firm size, location, or market niche,” says Frank A. Stasiowski, FAIA, Founder and CEO of PSMJ Resources. “The top-performing firms just think and act differently from the rest of the pack to achieve extraordinary business performance.”

Block 106, Lot A

Project Description

Block 106, Lot A is a 3-story mixed use Type V building located in the Mill District, and is
currently under construction. The building is 17,600 SF with 4,000 SF of at grade parking beneath the building. The ground floor is intended for retail and office space with levels 2 and 3 serving as multi-family residential units. The structure is a combination of steel and wood framing. Wood shear walls serve as the lateral force resisting system for the building. The building is configured with a 2,000 SF courtyard at the 2nd level. The courtyard was designed for a 605 SF landscaped roof garden and snow storage.

RPA served as the Civil and Structural Engineer of Record for this project. Additionally, RPA’s
structural group provided special inspection services during construction

    Project Details

    Location

    Bozeman, Montana

    Architect

    Minarik Architecture

    Big Horn Valley Clinic

    Project Description

    RPA partnered with High Plains Architects to design a new 8,640 SF, single-story medical office building. The superstructure system consisted of exposed open web, parallel chord hybrid roof truss, comprised of wood and metal, supported on steel and wood framing. Rammed aggregate pier foundations were employed beneath the building to mitigate highly compressible subgrade soils. A network of cast-in-place concrete grade beams were utilized to transfer superstructure loads to the pier foundation. Careful planning and collaboration with the architect was undertaken to ensure interior demising walls, which were framed to the underside of roof sheathing, were detailed to allow deflection of the roof trusses and maintain rigorous sound isolation between exam rooms and offices.

    Project Details​

    Client

    Big Horn Valley Clinic

    Location

    Hardin, Montana

    Virginia City LiDAR

    Project Description

    RPA partnered with Aero-Graphics to complete a LiDAR project to provide mapping and aerial photography for a 32-mile square area in and around Virginia City, Montana. Aero-Graphics
    requested RPA to set 10+ targets, including 2 porous targets for their work. RPA was able to set and control the project in time for a late notice fight operation (weather delays) and was able to provide continuous GPS ground control for flight operations.

    Project Details​

    Client

    Aero-Graphics, Inc.

    Location

    Virginia City, Montana

    Montana Eye Care

    Project Description

    Working with Mosaic Architecture, the project included design and construction of a new 12,000 square foot clinic building. The new facility, located at the intersection of Montana Avenue and 11th Avenue in Helena, houses both an optometry clinic and retail showroom.
    Site design included challenges associated with keeping the existing clinic building in service, while the new facility was being constructed. In addition to a fully accessible site design, the new facility includes 10,000 gallons of underground stormwater detention/retention, located directly underneath the new 38-stall paved parking lot. The underground facility is constructed of aluminized corrugated steel piping, with perforations to allow stormwater runoff to infiltrate on-site.

    KEY PROJECT ELEMENTS

    • New 38-Stall Paved Parking Lot
    • Underground Stormwater Detention/Retention System
    • ADA Accessible Site Design
    • Site Landscaping and Privacy Fencing

    Project Details​

    Client

    Montana Eye Care

    Location

    Helena, Montana

    Architect

    Mosaic Architecture

    Volunteer Park

    Project Description

    This project consisted of developing a new public park in Lakeside, Montana. The existing project site contained a hotel, small business office, parking areas and a residence. The project consisted of demolishing the existing improvements and developing the site into a new community park, aptly called Volunteer Park.

    RPA provided civil engineering services to design improvements to Adams Street, a 37-stall
    asphalt parking lot, storm drainage, water and sewer improvements and ADA compliant
    bicycle/pedestrian paths through the park. RPA prepared civil technical specifications and
    construction drawings. During construction, RPA provided construction administration and
    observation for the project.

    Robert Peccia & Associates (RPA) also provided civil engineering for the expansion of Volunteer Park in Lakeside, Montana. RPA provided civil engineering for new sidewalk, curb and gutter, drainage and grading. RPA worked with the Montana Department of Transportation to work within their Right-of-Way. The project expanded the Volunteer Park and provided additional green space and pedestrian walkways throughout the park.

    KEY PROJECT ELEMENTS:

    • Community Park on Flathead Lake
    • Boat Docks
    • Swimming Area
    • Lakeshore Improvements
    • Asphalt Parking Lot
    • Storm Drainage Improvements
    • MDT Encroachment Permits
    • Construction Administration & Observation

    Project Details​

    Client

    Bruce Boody Landscape Architects

    Location

    Lakeside, Montana

    Ennis Big Sky Airport

    Project Description

    Ennis Big Sky Airport is open and fully operational following completion of their $15.3M major airport improvement project(s) to expand their runway to meet FAA required safety upgrades for their substantial use aircraft grouping.  Improvements included land acquisition, full reconstruction of their existing runway, widening the runway to 100’ width, lengthening their runway to 7,600’ total length, constructing a 50’ wide full length parallel taxiway (shifted away from the runway), reconstruction of their south apron, construction of hangar access taxilanes, major electrical and navigational aid improvements, major drainage improvements, and wildlife fencing.  

    Robert Peccia and Associates was the engineer for all improvements, and SK Construction was the prime contractor for the construction project. 

    Key Information:

    • Land acquisition – 11 different parcels were acquired from 11 different landowners.  In addition 4 construction easements / permits were attained
    • Earthwork – Nearly 1.2M cubic yards – enough to bury a football field 675’ deep
    • Drainage / Culverts – over one mile of storm drainage culverts (5,528’) – largest culvert was 60” diameter so you could walk through it hunched over
    • Gravel – Nearly 60,000 CY of subbase and base course gravels
    • Asphalt – Over 38,000 tons of asphalt (1,300 truckloads)
    • Paint – over 43,600 square feet of paint
    • Lights – 284 runway and taxiway lights and an additional 22 lighted guidance signs
    • Cable – over 61,000’ of electrical cable (11.6 miles)
    • Fence – over 26,400’ of fencing (5 miles) and 29 gates

    Project Details​

    Client

    Ennis Big Sky Airport

    Location

    Ennis, Montana