Entranco
Specialty: Environmental sciences, transportation engineering, construction management, water resources
Management: CEO/President Dennis J. Cearns; vice presidents Dale E. Anderson, Jay Van Echo, August Hardt, Gil Walker
Founded: 1961
Headquarters: Bellevue
2004 revenues: $23 million
Projected 2005 revenues: $23 million
Current projects: I-405 Renton environmental assessment for state DOT; I-405 water resources lead; Bear Creek rehabilitation, city of Redmond; I-5 hydraulic engineering
Photo courtesy of Entranco Entranco planned, designed, permitted and handled construction services for Bear Creek enhancement, a $3 million pre-mitigation project for a future highway expansion. |
Entranco is a multi-disciplinary engineering and consulting company. Dale E. Anderson, vice president Environmental/ Water Resources, spoke to the DJC about his divisions’ work.
Q: What are you most proud of that your company has done in the past year?
A: Working on the Interstate 405 upgrades. The company has had a key role in doing the environmental assessment for the Renton/Tukwila section. Entranco also has been hired to work with other companies on the drainage for the entire 405 project. Entranco has proposed cleaning the drainage before it goes to wetlands. A more conventional approach would be to build large detention ponds or vaults, which is expensive.
Q: What are you worried about?
A: Probably right now it’s funding. A citizens’ initiative to rescind the Legislature-approved gas tax increase will be on the ballot this fall. Money’s just hard to come by.
Q: What markets are emerging that look interesting?
A: Innovative ways to manage the drainage. It’s not new, but it’s an emerging area. People realize that conventional ways of doing drainage aren’t always the best way.
Q: Are there some skills that are in short supply in your market?
A: It’s often tough to find good project managers. I’ve also seen with all the emphasis on protecting salmon habitat it’s difficult finding experienced biologists. Another challenge in the West is a lack of cultural resources experts. It’s absolutely necessary to have their input to get clearance for roadway work.
Q: Are there market solutions to environmental problems you think we should be pursuing?
A: We are going to really have to emphasize working in multi-disciplinary teams. If you can do that, you can avoid a lot of the challenges on the permitting side.