by Abigail Ramirez
Daily Lobo
Some engineering students will get their first field experience on 16,000 miles of New Mexico pavement this summer.
The 2006 UNM Pavement Evaluation gave 12 students an opportunity to participate in a 14-week project.
Student Tom Hackett said it will help his career.
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"I thought it would be a good idea to help further my education," he said. "It would be a great rÇsumÇ-building opportunity, and also to get experience in the field."
Benjamin Bridges, another student in the program, said he signed up for similar reasons.
"I decided to get involved because I thought it would help me take a step forward and help me further my career," he said.
UNM partnered with the New Mexico Department of Transportation to do the pavement evaluation, said Raymond Waggerman, UNM's survey crew coordinator. UNM is contracted to cover everything north of Interstate 40, and the transportation department will evaluate the southern portion of the state. New Mexico State University is also participating in the program.
"The state of New Mexico was looking for an opportunity to partner up with the universities," Waggerman said. "They wanted to strike up interest with students to get new civil engineering students working for them, and to become familiar with the state. Hopefully at the end, this might have encouraged students to work for the state, once graduated."
The program is also good experience for aspiring engineers, he said.
"They are getting an opportunity to see what infrastructure actually is and how intricate highway structure is in New Mexico," he said. "It's an eye-opener for them to realize that there are these kinds of jobs that they can have."
Before surveying the roads, each student is trained on proper techniques by the transportation department. Each crew of two students evaluates a series of state, U.S. and Interstate highways and certain routes within cities. They work 10 hours a day, four days a week.
"In the morning, we try to get out as early as we can before the heat comes," Bridges said. "All of the scenery we get to see is pretty, and there are lots of wildlife and crazy drivers, too."
With flashing lights on top of a vehicle and survey crew signs on the back, the crews evaluate each assigned mile marker. In fluorescent green vests and baseball caps, they walk up the highway 530 feet to do the visual examination.
The crews look for areas where the road is run-down and has potholes, cracks and areas that need repair. The crews also take note of areas with repairs or patches.
Along their way back to the car, they measure the depth of run-down areas.
"It's kind of gratifying when you're done with the day, because you had a goal and met it," Bridges said.
The students are required to cover a minimum of 33 miles per day, totaling about 130 miles a week, Waggerman said. About 2,000 miles have been surveyed so far, he said.
"I think we are giving them the opportunity to see the state, learn more about New Mexico and what is available for them," Waggerman said. "They are also going to see how to maintain a car and expense account and learn how to manage time wisely. How to accomplish the pavement evaluation is up to them."
Participants find both advantages and disadvantages in the project.
Teamwork, building leadership qualities and being able to see northern New Mexico are some of the advantages, Hackett said.
Being away from home for four days and dealing with a partner if there is a disagreement are some of the disadvantages, Bridges said.
The project aims to provide future opportunities.
"Our goal is to do an adequate job and be able to renew our contract each year with the NMDOT," Waggerman said.
Bridges and Hackett don't plan on participating in the project next summer if it returns.
"I want to give other students a chance to do this sort of thing," Hackett said. "Next year, I would have a year forward in my education and would probably be looking for something more, but this is a good opportunity for beginning students."
Bridges said he would also like to do something different next year.
"I would like to pursue something out of the Sandia or the Los Alamos labs to try a variety of things," Bridges said.
