AASHTO Subcommittee on Bridges and Structures Meeting

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July 8-12, 2012

Hyatt Regency Austin
208 Barton Springs Road
Austin, Texas, 78704

The annual AASHTO Subcommittee on Bridges and Structures (SCOBS) working meeting is a 4 day event comprised of two days of technical committee meetings and two days of general session. During the first two days of the meeting, the twenty technical committees come together to discuss the latest industry issues and to finalize any changes needed to the AASHTO Bridges and Structures publications. These meetings are open to state and federal engineers, academicians, consultants, contractors and industry representatives, and present a good opportunity to share ideas and have your voice heard. The second two days of the meeting include a featured Chairman's Lecture and a General Session. During the General Session, all changes to the AASHTO Bridges and Structures publications are presented, discussed by the full subcommittee and balloted. This meeting is also open to the industry and is a good place to learn of upcoming changes to specifications. The SCOBS meeting also offers an icebreaker and a banquet where you can network and share experiences.

The dress code for all meetings and events is business casual. The dress code for all spouse/guest activities is casual.

All sponsors will receive logo recognition on the meeting website, in the printed program, on-site at the meeting, and during the General Session.

Thank you to our current sponsors!

Organization Sponsorship Level
HNTB Premier
AECOM Premier
Bentley Systems, Inc. Premier
CH2M HILL Premier
Parsons Brinckerhoff Premier
FIGG Platinum
HDR Engineering, Inc. Platinum
Modjeski and Masters, Inc. Platinum
URS Corporation Platinum
Acrow Corporation of America Gold
AGC of Texas Gold
CDM Smith Gold
Hirschfeld Industries Bridge Gold
Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. Gold
Michael Baker Jr., Inc. Gold
Arora and Associates, P.C. Silver
Huitt-Zollars, Inc. Silver
Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. Bronze
CP&Y Bronze
Precast Concrete Manufacturers' Association of Texas Bronze
Ralls Newman, LLC Bronze
Structural Engineering Associates, Inc. Bronze
Texas Concrete Pipe Association Bronze
Transpo Industries, Inc. Bronze
T.Y. Lin International Sunday Evening Ice Breaker
American Concrete Pipe Association Monday Breakfast
American Segmental Bridge Institute Monday Reception
Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute Tuesday Breakfast
American Institute of Steel Construction
National Steel Bridge Alliance		 Tuesday Morning Break
Eriksson Technologies, Inc. Hotel Key Cards

Sponsorship Levels

  • Platinum Level - $7,500 each (includes 3 complimentary registrations)
  • Gold Level - $5,000 each (includes 2 complimentary registrations)
  • Silver Level - $2,500 each (includes 1 complimentary registration)
  • Bronze Level - $1,000 each

To sponsor specific events such as the Icebreaker Reception (Sunday evening), the Social Hour and Banquet (Wednesday evening), or meeting meals/breaks; or for more information regarding available sponsorships, please contact Mary Lou Ralls, P.E. at ralls-newman@sbcglobal.net.

Registration Fees & Payment Information

Pre-registration is recommended and will help us in planning and preparing a better meeting. If you pre-register, your name tag and program will be ready when you arrive at the hotel.

  • Early Bird (until 5:00 p.m., June 4, 2012) – $550*
  • Late (until 5:00 p.m., June 25, 2012) – $575*
  • On-Site – $625*
  • Guest (meal costs) – $250*

*Registration fees include the following meals:

  • Icebreaker Sunday evening at the Bob Bullock Museum
  • Breakfast on Monday and Tuesday
  • Morning Coffee Bar on Wednesday and Thursday
  • Lunch on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
  • Dinner Banquet on Wednesday evening
  • Mid-morning Coffee Break Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
  • Mid-afternoon Snack Break on Monday, Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday

NOTE: Online registration will be available until 5:00 p.m. CST, June 25, 2012. After this date, please plan to register on-site at the Hyatt Regency Austin.

You are encouraged to register online. Please make check or money orders (U.S. currency drawn on a U.S. bank) payable to TTI-SCOBS2012. Event Management & Planning (EM&P) also accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express credit cards. If paying by check or money order, you may register online and then mail your payment to EM&P. EM&P cannot invoice; therefore, payment of the conference registration fee must be received prior to admission to the conference. NO PURCHASE ORDERS ACCEPTED.

For payment processing purposes, the vendor identification number for TTI-EM&P is 37277277275000. The federal identification number is 74-2270624.

Cancellation

Only cancellations received in writing by EM&P by 5:00 p.m. CST on May 31, 2012 will be refunded, less $50 handling fee. No refunds will be issued after this date.

Special Activities

Golf at the Avery Ranch Golf Club

Avery Ranch is Texas Hill Country Golf at its finest! Conveniently located in northwest Austin and in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, former Jack Nicklaus designer, Andy Raugust, blended a spectacular up-scale golf course with natural limestone caverns, knobby live-oak trees, rolling hills, and meandering streams and lakes to create an Austin golf experience that is unparalleled in the area. The course features a beautiful, but challenging front 9 followed by a fantastic risk/reward back 9 with 3 par 3's, 3 par 4's and 3 par 5's. Running along Lake Avery, the 18th is Austin's best finishing hole and provides a unique view of the Texas Hill Country.

Avery Ranch Golf Club is an award-winning Austin golf course, having been voted "Best Overall Golf Course" by Avid Golfer Magazine, as well as rated with 4 1/2 Stars and "Best Places to Play" by Golf Digest.

Sunday, July 8, 2012
8:30 a.m. - Modified Shotgun Start

Format will be 4-person scramble. The $80 fee includes:

  • round-trip transportation
  • green fees
  • cart
  • range
  • breakfast tacos
  • lunch after the round
  • prizes and gifts

Corporate sponsorships are available:

  • Professional – $500 includes a poster and sign with company logo displayed at the course
  • Championship – $1,000 includes a poster displayed at the course and the conference

Thank you to our current sponsors!

Organization Sponsorship Level
Acrow Corporation of America Championship
Hirschfeld Industries Championship
Plastics Pipe Institute Championship
HDR Professional
T.Y. Lin International Professional

Any questions about the golf outing can be directed to David Hohmann at (512) 912-5164 or e-mail at: david.hohmann@hdrinc.com.

For more information see the flyer.

Icebreaker Event at the Bob Bullock Museum

An Icebreaker Event will be held at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum on Sunday, July 8, 2012, 6:30 - 10:30 p.m. with entertainment provided by the Marshall Ford Swing Band. Dinner will be a South of the Border Buffet including margarita stations. Everyone who is registered will receive 2 drink tickets in their registration packet.

Spouse Tours

Monday, July 9, 2012:
Tour of the LBJ Ranch and Shopping Visit to Fredericksburg

(8:15 a.m. - 5:15 p.m.)

President Johnson had a deep attachment for place and heritage. The LBJ Ranch was where he was born, lived, died, and was buried. After the President's death in 1973, Mrs. Johnson continued to live at the Ranch part time until her death in 2007. Tour includes the President's birthplace, Johnson family cemetery, and the Johnson's ranch house known as the Texas White House. Did you know that LBJ flew home to his Texas ranch 74 times during his 5 years in office, living and working for 490 days—or about one-fourth of his presidency—at the Texas White House?

After leaving the LBJ Ranch, the tour will proceed to Fredericksburg, Texas. Rich with the culture of German pioneers who settle here over 160 years ago. Warm up your Kreditkarte because tucked away in over 150 shops, you will find artists' works in metal, glass, oil, and watercolor. Artisan jewelry. Women's fashion. Home décor and antiques…plus much, much more. And yes, even Lederhosen. Willkommen y’all!

Group will have lunch on their own in Fredericksburg. There are numerous restaurants from which to choose. To get a jump start on planning your lunch go to: http://www.visitfredericksburgtx.com/food-wine-categories/restaurants/.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012:
Tour of the Texas Capitol and the Blanton Museum of Art with Lunch at the Old Pecan Street Café

(9:30 a.m. - 2:45 p.m.)

The Texas Capitol is an extraordinary edifice by any measure. The 1888 Texas Capitol is the largest in gross square footage of all state capitols and is second in total size only to the National Capitol in Washington, D.C. Like several other state capitols, the 1888 Texas Capitol surpasses the National Capitol in height, rising almost 15 feet above its Washington counterpart. (We do like things bigger and better in Texas!)

The Blanton Museum of Art at The University of Texas at Austin is one of the foremost university art museums in the country, and has the largest and most comprehensive collection of art in Central Texas. The Blanton's permanent collection of more than 17,000 works is recognized for its European paintings, an encyclopedic collection of prints and drawings, and modern and contemporary American and Latin American art. To preview their collections and see the current exhibitions visit: http://blantonmuseum.org/.

Group will have lunch at the Old Pecan Street Café (price included in tour fee). In the old days, Pecan Street was second only to Congress Avenue in cultural and economic importance. It was the center for cigar manufacturers, entertainment, establishments, civic halls, fine hotels, and restaurants. The tenets have varied greatly over the years, yet along with the charming architecture of a bygone era, the spirit, quality and color of this unique part of Austin remain intact.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012:
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

(8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.)

Decades ago, Lady Bird Johnson recognized that our country was losing its natural landscapes and its natural beauty. As much as 30 percent of the world's native flora is at risk of extinction. The Wildflower Center was intended to help preserve and restore that beauty and the biological richness of North America. Since then, the Center has become one of the country's most credible research institutions and effective advocates for native plants. The Center's gardens display the native plants of the Central Texas Hill Country, South and West Texas, while the Plant Conservation Program protects the ecological heritage of Texas by conserving its rare and endangered flora. The Native Plant Information Network is a database of more than 7,200 native species available online. The Land Restoration Program applies knowledge of ecological processes to restoring damaged landscapes. The Center’s education programs for children and adults teach people about their natural surroundings and how to grow native plants in their own backyards.

Group will be free to have lunch on their own upon return to the hotel. There are numerous restaurants from which to choose. To get a jump start on planning your lunch go to: http://www.austintexas.org/timeline/?currentActivity=2.

Wednesday Cocktail Hour/Banquet

Plan to join us on Wednesday evening for the Cocktail Hour/Banquet. Registration is required. Cocktail service begins at 6:30 p.m. Dinner and entertainment provided by Kelly Willis will begin at 7:30 p.m. Everyone who is registered will receive 2 drink tickets in their registration packet.

Hotel Reservations

Hyatt Regency Austin

The Hyatt Regency Austin is holding a block of rooms for our use at federal per diem rate. (Subject to change with federal guidelines.) We encourage everyone who needs a sleeping room to make a reservation immediately. We anticipate the rooms will be booked quickly.

  • Single $108
  • Double $140
  • Triple $165
  • Quadruple $190
  • River View Upgrade +$30
  • Business Plan Upgrade +$25

Reservations should be made by June 7, 2012 by 5:00 p.m. to receive the discounted rates. After this date, rooms may be available at a higher rate. To receive this meeting rate, please call the Hyatt Regency Austin at (512) 477-1234 or (800) 233-1234. Remember to ask for reservations for the "AASHTO SCOBS 2012" to receive the special discounted rates on sleeping rooms. You may also reserve your room online.

For more information about the hotel, go to the Hyatt Regency Austin website.

Embassy Suites Austin

Overflow sleeping rooms have been provided at the Embassy Suites Austin (across the street from the conference hotel).

You may reserve your room online.

  • Group Name: AASHTO Conference
  • Group Code: AAS
  • Check-in: July 7, 2012
  • Check-out: July 13, 2012
  • Hotel Name: Embassy Suites Austin - Downtown/Town Lake
  • Hotel Address: 300 South Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78704
  • Phone Number: 512-469-9000

For more information about the hotel, go to the Embassy Suites Austin website.

Parking

The Hyatt Regency Austin offers self-parking for $14/day and valet parking for $21/day (rates subject to change). Please visit their website for additional information.

For More Information

Program Information

Steve Smith
TxDOT
ph. (512) 416-2115
steven.smith@txdot.gov

Sponsor Information

Mary Lou Ralls, P.E.
ralls-newman@sbcglobal.net

Registration Information

Event Management & Planning
Texas Transportation Institute
Texas A&M University System
3135 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-3135
ph. (979) 862-1219 · toll-free (888) 550-5577
events@tamu.edu