Job: GIS Research Analyst I - California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), District 9 - Bishop, CA
Bio: Mihai recently started as the Caltrans District 9 full-time specialist in GIS. Because of the geographical characteristics, as well as the size of the district (more on this below in the ‘Projects’ section), he finds himself having to constantly evolve his KSAs - Knowledge, Skills and Abilities - in order to meet the unique challenges posed by the maintenance and improvement of the state highway network in this area of California. Mihai was successful in obtaining his current position by leveraging his comprehensive knowledge of GIS within large organizations providing essential services to the public. Specifically, his expertise in ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Online (with emphasis on highly customizable applications such as WebApp Builder and Operations Dashboard), and enterprise geodatabases fit perfectly with addressing the mapping and analysis needs of the district.
Previously, Mihai spent time with Southern California Edison (SCE), where he acquired invaluable geospatial knowledge and skills by working within the environment of a complex network such as the electrical grid. Most notably, he served as lead developer of a custom ArcGIS Online web application that was used concomitantly by his team in distribution mapping quality control and a vendor team on another continent.
Mihai’s education includes a Master of Geographic Information Systems from the University of Washington - Seattle, along with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science and History (double degree) from the University of California, Berkeley.
At Caltrans, Mihai enjoys the responsibility of supporting and collaborating with personnel from a wide range of groups, from Engineering to Environmental, Survey and his own division, Planning. One constant challenge is utilizing and exchanging data in a variety of formats, which leads to the necessity of communicating in other “languages†such as Synchro (traffic simulation modeling) and Microstation or Civil 3D (CAD programs). As the tools of the trade continue to evolve, he plans to stay at the forefront of inevitable changes such as implementing more cloud-based solutions (Survey123 deployment is already under way), shifting to ArcGIS Pro on the desktop processing side, and keeping up with initiatives such as Esri’s smartDOT roadmap.
Projects: Headquartered in Bishop, Caltrans District 9 is responsible for the state highway system in Inyo, Mono and eastern Kern counties. From the highest peak in the conterminous U.S. (Mount Whitney) and the state’s biggest mountain range (the Sierra Nevada), to the lowest and hottest location in North America (Death Valley), the tremendous topographic and climatic diversity here dictates the planning, programming and implementation of transportation efforts.
On a daily basis, Mihai provides advanced cartographic products and complex geospatial analysis for an increasing slate of maintenance and improvement projects. The State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP) funds “fix-it-first†projects that deal with the rehabilitation and preservation, emergency repairs, safety enhancements, and some operational improvements on the existing system. As an example, for several initiatives seeking to widen road shoulders and add passing lanes in northern Mono County, Mihai maps proposed construction areas and calculates the size of natural resources that may be impacted by construction to ensure adherence to environmental regulations. Projects supported by State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) tend to be significantly broader in scope and size as their purpose is to provide regional highway and transit improvements. Mihai provides GIS support for environmental and right-of-way considerations of a new alignment in the Olancha/Cartago 4-Lane expansion, which is one of the final pieces in completing the US-395/SR-14 expressway corridor linking Southern California and Northern Nevada.
Mihai is also involved with the planning and implementation of the district’s Smart Mobility program, the goal of which is to increase multi-modal connectivity through ADA-compliant sidewalk extensions, pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, expansion of bike facilities, and new technology at intersections, crosswalks, etc. Since data for these either lack a geospatial component or need to be generated, GIS provides an excellent opportunity to make efforts both more effective and user friendly.
Anything about yourself? Mihai spends virtually all his free time hiking, climbing and exploring outdoors, and considers himself incredibly lucky to be living and working in Bishop, where the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains provide the perfect playground year-round. You can find and contact Mihai on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mihaig; for more on Caltrans District 9 please visit their webpage at http://www.dot.ca.gov/d9/index.html
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