Institute for Transportation

Webinar Access

This webinar series was held between April 15 and April 25, 2024. Those who missed the series—co-sponsored by the Iowa Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP), the Iowa Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA), and the Iowa County Engineers Association—can still click on the registration button to submit payment to get access to all six sessions described below.

Series Description

The webinar series covers roadway related construction inspection and consists of six one-hour online sessions. During each session, there was also time for questions from the attendees that are included in the webinar.

Construction Inspection Overview: This webinar provides an overview of the necessary information needed to perform duties as the project inspector/observer. It includes terminology, roles and responsibilities, required qualifications, and resources.

Introduction to Specifications: The webinar provides an introduction to construction specifications, their purpose, and how they are structured. The relationship between the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) specifications, Iowa Statewide Urban Design and Specifications (SUDAS) specifications, and local requirements are explained.

Plan Reading & Documentation: This webinar provides an overview of reading and understanding basic plan drawings and documentation needed for inspection duties on the jobsite. The information includes Iowa DOT and SUDAS standard details, material certifications, inspection documentation, measuring of pay quantities, and project closeout.

Communication and Roles & Responsibilities on the Construction Site: This webinar builds upon the Construction Inspection Overview session and includes approaches to effective communication, roles and responsibilities of field personnel, as well as example scenarios on the jobsite.

Safety on the Construction Site: This webinar includes an overview of basic safety on the jobsite, including safety equipment, common risk factors, and ways to improve safety.

Basics of Construction Survey: This webinar includes an overview of the unique tasks of construction survey and how they are essential for a new construction project to take shape. The information provided includes the basics of construction layout, as well as new technology, ongoing training, and continuous research to ensure the delivery of precise and detailed information.

Who Should Watch the Series

This webinar series consists of six sessions that focus on an overview of various subjects. It is focused for construction field personnel with little or no experience in roadway-related construction inspection. Entry-level field personnel, technicians, and professionals who are interested in gaining construction inspection knowledge or those looking to refresh their knowledge are encouraged to register.

Instructor Bios

Jerod Gross is a graduate of Iowa State University and is a senior project manager for Snyder & Associates, Inc. In his 20-year career with the firm, he has experience with road design, site development, as well as pavement research and technical training. Jerod has experience presenting construction inspector’s workshops for the concrete pavement industry. He believes communication is a vital aspect toward the success of each construction project.

Steve Klocke has a degree in Civil Engineering from Iowa State University. He has been with Snyder & Associates for nearly 25 years and is Snyder’s stormwater group leader. Steve has worked with private developers, cities, counties, and the Iowa DOT on projects including streets, sewers, culverts, water mains, recreation trails, dams, ponds, stream stabilization, and more. Steve has an interest in construction specifications and has served as the primary consultant to the SUDAS organization since its inception in 2004.

Ted Jansen has a Management degree from Simpson College and has been with Snyder & Associates for over 20 years. Ted began his survey experience in the survey workgroup with interests for the outdoors and the ability to work on multiple projects daily. Ted is currently a project manager in the survey workgroup with an emphasis on new construction survey and involved with the company’s integration of unmanned aerial survey services. Successful survey projects have set Ted’s mindset with the importance for solid communication, high accuracy, and thorough documentation.