Robert G. Solarz, P.E.

President

P: 215.345.4330 ext. 307
E: rsolarz@gilmore-assoc.com

Registrations:

  • Registered Professional Engineer – Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland

Publications:

  • Jehanian, K.M., Solarz, R.G., Davis, J.H., “Balancing Mobility Needs and Community Issues Using Traffic Calming Techniques,” presented at the ITE 70th Annual Meeting, August 6-9, 2000, Nashville, Tenn., and published in the proceedings.

Professional Memberships:

  • American Society of Civil Engineers Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)

Education/Honors:

 

  • Temple University, Master of Business Administration, 1989
  • Drexel University, BS of Civil Engineering, 1982
  • Pennsylvania State University, Associates of Engineering and Surveying, 1977
  • Pennsylvania State University, Stormwater Management Short Course
  • The Dale Carnegie Course
  • OSHA 1910.120 Confined Space – Entry Training

Experience Overview

As President, Mr. Solarz oversees and manages the daily operations and client relations of the firm. Mr. Solarz has more than 30 years of diverse experience in engineering, constructing and managing a variety of civil engineering projects for both public and private clients. He represents local governmental clients and assists them with grant funding, infrastructure projects, storm water management, traffic management, planning, zoning and land development reviews, expert testimony and community relations. In addition to public infrastructure projects, Mr. Solarz has extensive experience in building

design, construction and maintenance. He also managed the regional engineering, permitting and regulatory affairs as well as capital and development projects for an international environmental services firm. Contract management responsibilities included projects up to $55 million in construction and over $1 million in technical consulting and permitting. Mr. Solarz’ project awards include an American Concrete Institute Award of Merit for construction of an architectural concrete parking structure and a Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence for an alternate fuel (methane) power production facility.

Project Detail

Municipal Projects conducted under Mr. Solarz’s direction include grant funding for infrastructure development, road reconstruction, storm water management improvements, floodplain studies, traffic management plans, traffic impact studies, traffic calming improvements, park design and construction, utility inspection and maintenance programs, land development reviews and escrow administration in accordance with the MPC, ordinance preparation and revision, expert testimony, municipal representation and consultation.

  • Doylestown Borough (Doylestown Borough, Bucks County, Pennsylvania)

Road Restoration Projects

Budgeting, design, plans and specifications, bids and contract administration for municipal roadway reconstruction projects including storm sewers, storm sewer inlets, curbs, sidewalks and pavement reconstruction. Unique aspects of these projects include special curb and sidewalk construction to accommodate existing large shade trees in older neighborhoods, correction of chronic drainage problems and evaluation of municipal roadway networks for prioritized annual maintenance.

  • Wood Street Park Project (Doylestown Borough, Bucks County, Pennsylvania)

Pocket Park

This “pocket” park was built from Gilmore & Associates, Inc.’s conceptual design sketch by the Borough’s Public Works Department with close consultation with Gilmore & Associates, Inc. thus enabling the project to be fast-tracked. The project is a successful recreational asset to an area of the Borough that previously had no recreation opportunities for small children or teens.

  • Doylestown Borough (Doylestown Borough, Bucks County, Pennsylvania)

Ordinance Preparation/Revisions

Prepared the Borough’s first traffic impact ordinance. Prepared reviews and redrafts of the Borough’s Traditional Neighborhood Design (TND) Zoning Ordinance.

  • Chestnut Street Park (Chalfont Borough, Bucks County, Pennsylvania)

Keystone Grant

Gilmore & Associates, Inc. has helped the Borough secure a Keystone Grant for the design and development of Chestnut Street Park. With walking trails and much needed parking areas, Chestnut Street Park provides both passive and active recreation opportunities for Borough residents.

  • Traffic Calming & Traffic Signal Projects (Doylestown Borough, Bucks County, Pennsylvania)

Design/Construction

Research, design and construction of traffic calming improvements, including speed humps, signage and road treatments. Design, Penn DOT permitting and construction administration of a large-scale traffic calming project consisting of landscaped roadway medians to improve aesthetics and calm traffic entering the Borough’s southern gateway. Completion of a Borough-wide traffic management plan that developed strategies to minimize unintentional through-traffic and provided an objective process to implement traffic calming in local neighborhoods. Retiming of the Borough’s Main Street corridor traffic signals resulting in smoother traffic progression and improved level of service. Traffic signal upgrades to provide for emergency preemption and accessible pedestrian crossing capabilities.

  • Traffic Signal Projects (Hatboro Borough, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania)

Design/Permitting/Construction Bid Administration

Traffic signal design, permitting and construction bid administration. Successful County grant application that provides for 75% of construction costs for the upgrade of five (5) traffic signals along the Borough’s main street corridor (Old York Road).

  • Expert Witness Testimony (Hatboro Borough, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania)

Eminent Domain/Floodplain Issues

Provide testimony and support to the Borough Solicitor regarding eminent domain and floodplain issues.

Private Sector Project Detail

Private sector projects completed by Mr. Solarz or under his supervision include commercial and institutional building projects with contract values up to $100,000,000 as well as smaller design-build building projects. Environmental projects including waste water treatment facilities, solid waste disposal facilities, methane gas-fueled electrical power production facility and related support infrastructure including roads, buildings, storage tanks, utilities etc. Mr. Solarz managed project development and construction as well as project permitting and regulatory affairs.

Waste Management, Inc.  —

  • Permitting for air quality, water quality and solid waste permits for the construction of a 33 Megawatt methane gas-fueled electrical power production facility. Facility was located in a severe non-attainment zone for air quality.
  • Design upgrades for a 1.44 mgd industrial wastewater treatment plant to separate RCRA hazardous waste streams and non-RCRA waste streams to minimize hazardous waste generation, cost, environmental compliance errors and worker safety exposure. This process involved pilot testing of reverse osmosis technology and evaluation of sludge/grit management options.
  • Double-wall industrial wastewater pipeline relocation project that required deep excavations into granular soils to a 290 foot high RCRA subtitle D and Subtitle C hazardous waste landfill. Slurry wall techniques were used to provide trench stability. Installation of an adjacent pumping station required freeze-wall technology to stabilize a deep excavation. This project provided cost-effective inherent environmental protection redundancies while enabling continued facility operations.
  • Permitting of various water and wastewater sludges for use as alternate landfill cover materials to provide waste minimization and operating cost savings opportunities for municipal authorities.
  • Industrial wastewater force main extending over three (3) miles in length.
  • Expert Testimony for civil and administrative court proceedings.

Construction Project Detail

Davcon, Inc. (Cherry Hill, New Jersey)

Design

Mr. Solarz was a partner in a successful design-build construction business with full profit and loss responsibility. Developed marketing and business plans. Managed all operations and financial aspects of the company.

The George Hyman Construction Company (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

Renovation  —

Mr. Solarz served as a Contract Administrator for the 30th Street Station historic building renovation. Contract value of $ 55,000,000.

Mr. Solarz was a Construction Field Supervisor for the construction of Two Logan Square, a thirty four-story office building and the Veterans Administration Medical Center multiple building project, both located in Philadelphia. Contract values were approximately $100,000,000 each.