Pennoni’s Employee Spotlight series gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the talented individuals who make our company thrive. Each month, we highlight a team member’s journey, passion for engineering and innovation, and unique impact at Pennoni.
This month we’re featuring Josh Mies, EIT, who is a staff engineer in the bridge group at Pennoni, working out of our Wyoming Valley, PA office. He has been with Pennoni since graduating from York College of Pennsylvania in 2021. Josh completes tasks in bridge design and analysis, is a certified bridge safety inspector and leads the office’s efforts in 3D design and modeling utilizing both OpenBridge Modeler and OpenRoads Designer. Recently Josh led the modeling and design for the PennDOT District 4-0 Bridge Authoring Pilot Project, which became the first digitally delivered bridge project in Pennsylvania. He now assists PennDOT in developing standards for digitally delivered bridge models and providing training on modeling software.
One of the projects you worked on was the SR 3006 over Gardner Creek Bridge replacement, a PennDOT Digi tal Delivery Pilot Project that used 3D models as contract documents rather than traditional plans. What was it like contributing to such an innovative project, and how do you see digital delivery shaping the future of infrastructure design?
Contributing to the SR 3006 Digital Delivery Pilot was an amazing experience for me as a young engineer. Being the first of its kind in Pennsylvania, the full standard had not been developed. This created an environment where senior engineers and I as a graduate where on the same playing field discussing ideas and methods for developing and presenting the digital deliverable. A transition to Digital Delivery would not be without its growing pains, but the end product makes sense. Design and modeling software continues to improve and provide us with more information than ever before, but it still currently gets simplified down to what we can put on a 2 dimensional drawing; digital delivery allows us to share a more detailed design that reduces RFIs, contradicting details and contractor assumptions.
In addition to bridge design work, you’ve contributed to major transportation efforts. How do projects like these improve mobility and infrastructure in Pennsylvania communities?
I had the opportunity to contribute to major transportation projects such as the ongoing I-80 and SR 33 Interchange and SR 309 and Center Valley Parkway Interchange projects. Jobs like this increase safety for thousands of drivers every, improve access and provide the infrastructure necessary for our communities to grow and thrive.
You’ve been with Pennoni for several years. Looking back, what experiences, mentorship, or opportunities at the firm have had the biggest impact on your growth as an engineer?
From the time I started with Pennoni as a Co-op, I have been provided with the support and direction necessary to learn and grow. I was only out of school a year when my contributions to the SR 3006 Digital Delivery project began, but once I once I was given the training on the software, I was also given the freedom and the trust to run with it as much as I could. As a result of the Digital Delivery project and its success, I’ve had the opportunity to present (individually and alongside PennDOT) at multiple conferences and events where I have made far more connections than I would have expected to at this point in my career.
Your work involves using advanced design tools such as OpenBridge Modeler, OpenRoads Designer, and MicroStation. How have these technologies changed the way engineers design and deliver infrastructure projects today?
The advanced modeling tools have proven to be extremely valuable for alternatives analysis and major design decisions. We can quickly create preliminary models that help with approximate layouts, quantities, clearances etc. to determine the feasibility of an option all while improving communication due to the benefits of viewing in 3D. However, many of the new modeling tools are blurring the lines between design and drafting. A model is only as good as its input, which requires in-depth knowledge of both the program and the design.
For students or early-career engineers interested in bridge and transportation engineering, what advice would you give to someone looking to enter the field and grow their career in the industry?
I would give two pieces of advice. The first is to get comfortable asking questions, so much of the knowledge in the transportation industry comes from project specific experience and understanding your client. We are lucky at Pennoni to have no shortage of experienced and knowledgeable staff to guide you on the parts you don’t learn in school (which is most of it). The second is that the technology and tools that are available to us are constantly growing and changing rapidly. By displaying the ability to learn, be flexible and adopt new methods, you can create both current and future value for yourself.