JMTE helps Equestrian Center prepare to welcome the world
What promises to be one of the largest sporting events in North Carolina history will take place in western North Carolina in September 2018, when Polk County’s Tryon International Equestrian Center hosts the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) World Equestrian Games 2018 (FEI WEG).
In a state that already has a thriving mix of top-notch professional and college sports, it’s pretty exciting that an event as big as the World Games is taking place in our region. At JTME, though, we’re excited for another reason – We’re a part of making it happen! Members of both our engineering and planning staff are involved in providing general transportation services and we’re also serving as a liaison between the Equestrian Center (TIEC) and the N.C. Dept. of Transportation. In addition, we are providing multiple traffic impact analysis and detailed facility map designs.
More than 500,000 spectators are expected for the 14-day event, which runs Sept. 10-23, 2018. The economic impact of the Games is expected to top $400 million. Held every four years, the World Games attracts equestrian enthusiasts from over 70 countries who travel to WEG host cities to cheer on athletes from their native countries, much like the Olympic Games. The event has been held in an impressive list of major cities: Stockholm, Sweden (1990), The Hague, Netherlands (1994), Rome, Italy (1998), Jerez de la Frontera, Spain (2002), Aachen, Germany (2006), Lexington, Kentucky (2010), and Normandy, France (2014).
If you tend to focus your attention on the Carolina Panthers, the Bobcats or North Carolina’s long-standing tradition of showcasing some of the best college basketball in the nation, you may not know much about the Tryon International Equestrian Center. In 2014, Tryon Equestrian Partners (TEP) broke ground on the 1,600-acre Tryon Resort, which expands into both Mill Spring and Tryon, NC, and includes the Tryon International Equestrian Center. TIEC is gaining a reputation as one of the world’s premier equestrian venues complete with 12 riding arenas, over 1,160 permanent stalls, a variety of onsite lodging, restaurants, shops, and a year-round competition and events calendar.
TIEC has hosted several national equestrian competitions including the 2016 American Eventing Championships and the 2016 U.S. Pony Club Championships East. TEP has invested more than $125 million dollars over the last two years creating the Tryon Resort, which aspires to be the world’s premiere equestrian lifestyle destination.
This is a truly wonderful opportunity for JMTE, and we’ll look forward to keeping you posted as it unfolds. Tickets for WEG-related events went on sale last week, but the equestrian center is free and open to the public during the regular season events. For more information or to log inquiries or questions for the 2018 FEI WEG, please visit www.TryonWEG.com.
Everyone can help make school zones safe
Most every year, JMTE has the opportunity to assist schools in studying traffic flow and pedestrian safety issues, to help reduce the possibility of traffic accidents while coming to and from school.
While specific numbers are hard to find, school safety experts suggest that as many as 100 children are injured annually in traffic accidents that occur in school zones. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an average of 102 people are killed each day in traffic accidents.
JMTE has helped study, plan and implement transportation safety projects throughout North Carolina, most recently in Cherokee, and as far away as Alaska, by performing such tasks as analyzing traffic patterns near a school and recommending where to place equipment such as flashing yellow school zones. We feel fortunate to work with school systems, community leaders, and state transportation departments to make school zones as safe for students and pedestrians as possible.
However, our efforts are only part of the solution – it also requires good communication between parents and your children, as well as increased awareness among other adults who drive through school zones. With that in mind, here are some facts you should know:
- Young children are quick and often unaware of danger. Each year, many children are injured or killed when they suddenly dart into the path of a car.
- Most young children are injured near their home or on their own street.
- Most crashes involving young children occur between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
- Most crashes involving young children occur in fair and warm weather.
- Twice as many young boys are injured as young girls.
Whether you’re a motorist, parent or student, school zone safety is a team effort that involves teaching and modeling best practices. If you’re a motorist, that means being alert and ready to stop always. Watch for children walking in the street, or playing and gathering near bus stops. When driving in neighborhoods or school zones, watch for young people who may be in a hurry to get to school and may not be thinking about getting there safely.
There are plenty of resources available to help you consider school zone safety in your community. You may even want to form a committee to discuss traffic safety issues in and around your school. For help with that type of project, consider participating in the Federal Safe Routes To Schools (SRTS) program.
For more information, click on this SRTS link or call 919-962-7769. Or please contact JTME at 828-456-8383 (Waynesville, NC office) or 865-661-2810 (Knoxville, TN). We’d be proud to assist your school and community in doing everything it can to ensure that young people go to and from school safely every day.
JMTE promotes, adds staff members
J.M. Teague Engineering and Planning is pleased to announce the following promotions and new additions to our staff over the last several months:
Candace Hladick has added Planning Technician to her list of responsibilities for JMTE. A part of our team since May 2012, Candace provides a number of research, development, mapping and design services that are essential for our operation. As Planning Technician, she provides multiple support services to both the planning and engineering departments, including the collection of statistical data, the preparation of reports and geo-located drawings and maps.
Denise Teague has been named JMTE Finance Manager, after serving as Public Relations Specialist and Technical Writer since the company opened in 2010. As Finance Manager, Denise will manage staff payroll, accounts payable and receivable, company taxes and IRS-related matters, and other financial matters. She will also work closely with the company accountant and company attorney on all necessary financial and contractual matters.
Jon Sears was recently named our Human Resources Manager. Since joining JMTE as a Data Counter in October 2015, Jon’s role on our team has continued to expand. He was named Office Manager in June 2016. As Human Resources Manager, Jon’s areas of responsibility include supervising support staff; developing and managing job descriptions and employment packages; coordinating meetings, staff events and conferences; overseeing facilities maintenance; and coordinating record retention, transfer and disposal.
Planning grant deadline is Nov. 9th
The deadline to submit a proposal for the 2018 Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning Grant Initiative is 5 p.m., Friday, Nov. 9, 2017.
This annual matching grant program was created by the NCDOT Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation and the Transportation Planning Branch to encourage municipalities to develop comprehensive bicycle plans and pedestrian plans.
Initiated in January 2004, the Planning Grant Initiative has awarded 183 planning grants. To date, a total of approximately $5.0 million has been allocated to 181 municipalities and two counties through this program.
To find out more about the program, and for all the details about preparing and submitting a grant proposal, please follow this link to the NCDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning Grant Initiative website.