Ite Talks Transportation

Michael Sanderson—CEO of Sanbell and 2018 ITE International President—shares how his “people first” philosophy has shaped his career and his approach to building strong teams on this episode of ITE Talks Transportation. He explains that leadership in technical fields isn’t about command-and-control, but about setting a clear vision, building culture, and trusting experts to deliver. Sanderson emphasizes that leadership is learned through practice, and encourages young professionals to say yes to opportunities, especially in organizations like ITE. He also highlights the importance of ethical decision-making, mentorship, adaptability, and the lasting impact of creating LeadershipITE to help develop the next generation of transportation leaders.

In this episode of ITE Talks Transportation, Jean-Paul Brissett, CEO of Quality Counts, discusses how data and artificial intelligence are reshaping transportation decision-making. Brissett examines how new technologies are enhancing access to and interpretation of data while raising critical questions about privacy and ethics. He also reflects on the evolving role of human judgment in an increasingly automated industry and the leadership skills needed to navigate that change. The conversation offers an insightful look at how innovation, data, and people intersect to drive the future of mobility.

In this episode of ITE Talks Transportation, host Bernie Wagenblast speaks with Lorraine Martin, President and CEO of the National Safety Council, about the need to view roadway deaths as a public health crisis. Martin outlines proven strategies and emerging technologies that are advancing progress toward the goal of zero fatalities. She discusses how cultural change, infrastructure design, and cross-sector collaboration are essential to creating safer transportation systems for all road users.

This episode of ITE Talks Transportation dives into the newly released 12th edition of the ITE Trip Generation Manual. Guests Chris Brehmer of Kittleson & Associates and Eric Tripi of GHD highlight how the Manual reflects multimodal travel patterns, with expanded data on walking, transit, and emerging land uses. They discuss new additions such as trip rates for fast-food restaurants, dog parks, and data centers, while also addressing how trends like hybrid work, e-commerce, and changing healthcare design are reshaping trip generation. They also expand on the benefits of the web app, the importance of submitting local data, and how evolving technology will shape future editions. 

On this episode of ITE Talks Transportation, Steve Latoski, Director of Public Works for Mohave County, Arizona, discusses the unique challenges and opportunities in managing rural roadways. He highlights the importance of low-cost Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), funding strategies like the Highway Safety Improvement Program, and the growing role of technologies such as AI in enhancing safety and traveler information. Latoski also emphasizes collaboration, starting small with proven solutions, and staying engaged with professional networks like ITE to help rural agencies overcome limited resources.

In this episode of ITE Talks Transportation, sustainability mobility consultant Manuel Calvo discusses how Seville rapidly transformed into a bike-friendly city by building an 80-kilometer protected bike lane network in just a few years. The initiative succeeded due to strong political will, public support, and strategic design focused on everyday users rather than just avid cyclists, and a fast, coordinated rollout. As a result, cycling became a mainstream mode of transportation in Seville, reshaping public spaces and changed how residents view urban mobility.

In this episode of ITE Talks Transportation, Joey Paskey, Director of Public Works for the City of Las Vegas, discusses the unique transportation challenges in a fast-growing city like Las Vegas, where she oversees a diverse infrastructure system that serves both residents and more than 40 million annual visitors. She emphasizes the city's proactive safety approach, including a Vision Zero action plan, and highlights the importance of clear public communication and collaboration with stakeholders. Paskey also reflects on lessons learned on the job—particularly around communication, maintenance, and budget management—that go beyond traditional engineering education.

Bill Schultheiss, P.E., Vice President and Director of Design and Engineering at Toole Design, and Katy Sawyer, P.E., Principal Engineer at Toole Design, join the ITE Talks Transportation podcast to discuss the new AASHTO Bike Guide. They highlight the importance of community engagement in planning bicycle infrastructure and share how planners can effectively navigate national, state, and local guidelines when developing bikeway plans. Schultheiss and Sawyer also offer insights on fostering collaboration between planners and engineers to support context-sensitive, multimodal transportation solutions.

Natalie Draisin, Director of the North American Office and the United Nations Representative for the FIA Foundation, joins the ITE Talks Transportation podcast to talk about the current state of road safety on the global level. She talks about how the United States compares to other parts of the world when it comes to road safety, strategies for successfully implementing the Safe System Approach, and best practices nations around the world are integrating to improve transportation safety. She also talks about incorporating a safety-first mindset across all levels of the profession and the role technology can play in improving safety.

David Kriger joins the ITE Talks Transportation podcast to discuss emerging trends in urban goods movement and how they're impacting the space. He also talks about drivers of change in urban freight related to factors beyond land development and road infrastructure, and uses case study examples to highlight what cities in the United States and Canada are doing to further efficiency and safety. 

Karen Aspelin, P.E., PTOE (F), joins the ITE Talks Transportation podcast to discuss her involvement with ITE and how it's culminated in her current position as International President. She addresses her views on leadership, what it means to be a leader, and offers her perspective on achieving a work-life balance for volunteer leaders. Karen also shares more about her own career path in engineering and how it led her to where she is today.

Dale Picha, P.E., PTOE, Director of Transportation Operations for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) San Antonio District, joins the ITE Talks Transportation podcast to talk about Crash Responder Safety Week (CRSW). Dale highlights the importance of this critical information campaign that promotes safety for first responders responding to crash sites and ITE's role in CRSW. He also discusses TxDOT's Traffic Incident Management program and how data plays a role in promoting and maintaining safety.

Aimee Flannery, Ph.D., P.E., Global Principal – Transportation Risk & Resiliency at Jacobs, joins the ITE Talks Transportation podcast to talk about making the transportation system more resilient and steps the industry can take to set standardized methods to measure resilience. She discusses several strategies to improve transportation resilience, including hardening assets, nature-based solutions, and improving system redundancy. She also addresses educational and training needs around resilience and how to better support practitioners in their professional development on the topic.

Brian Cronin, Director of the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Joint Program Office of the U.S. Department of Transportation, joins the ITE Talks Transportation podcast to discuss the recently released National V2X Deployment Plan. The plan, drafted and advanced with collaboration across public and private partnerships, provides stakeholders with vital information to enable a safe, efficient, and sustainable transportation system through the national, widespread deployment of interoperable V2X technologies. Brian talks about what agencies need to do to implement the plan, the short- and long-term goals of the plan, and available resources for implementation. He also touches on the Accelerator Grants and pilot projects that have resulted in real deployments of V2X at-scale, and talks about what the future may look like with full deployment of V2X.  

Cipriana Patterson, P.E., PTOE, Director of Operations, Mid-Atlantic Region for Toole Design, joins the ITE Talks Transportation podcast to delve into issues of equity, representation, and collaboration. She shares both her background and her experience as a Black woman in transportation, and discusses what more can be done to make both the profession and the built environment a better experience for all users. She also talks about HBCUs and their role in the development of Black transportation engineers and planners, and the importance of representation in the industry. 

ITE's 2024 Young Member of the Year Sam Harris, P.E., joins the ITE Talks Transportation podcast to share his journey from beginning at ITE through a Student Chapter to his current leadership roles on the Safety Council and the ITE Georgia Section. He also shares his passion for safety and how he has progressed in his career, as well as what he looks forward to accomplishing in the future.

​Venkat Nallamothu, P.E., Director, Transportation Operations and Safety at toXcel, joins the ITE Talks Transportation Podcast to talk about the influence technological innovations are having on the transportation industry, specifically artificial intelligence (AI). He discusses the potential implications of AI on transportation infrastructure such as connected and automated vehicles, how AI has evolved in transportation to where we are now, and the role ITE can play in the use and application of AI. 

Kathy Falk, Vice President with Kimley-Horn, joins the ITE Talks Transportation Podcast to discuss the newly released edition of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). She discusses the significant changes within the 11th edition, and highlights how the manual addresses safety concerns surrounding pedestrians and bicyclists, including bicycle lanes. She covers other new parts of the MUTCD, including provisions for setting non-statutory speed limits, and shares more about ITE's delegation to the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and what this body does. 

Rachel Carpenter, Chief Safety Officer at the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), joins the ITE Talks Transportation Podcast to discuss why the department adopted the Safe System Approach in an effort to reverse traffic fatality rates and address speed, among other safety improvements. She also explains their work with the Safe Systems Pyramid which takes a public health approach to safety, and elaborates on some of the specific strategies Caltrans implemented to win the National Roadway Safety Award. Rachel was a keynote speaker at the ITE Virtual Spring Conference in March. 

Odessa L. Phillip, P.E., President and CEO of Assedo Consulting, LLC, joins the ITE Talks Transportation Podcast to discuss community engagement as part of the decision-making process for transportation planning and project design, addressing the challenges of this process as well as the most effective strategies she's found. She also speaks to the importance of equity considerations when having these critical conversations, as well as what she sees as some of the emerging trends in community involvement.