The 2024 Senior Capstone course in civil and environmental engineering was taught by Sherif Elfass and Gokhan Pekcan. To learn more about the civil and environmental engineering projects, please email Sherif Elfass or Gokhan Pekcan.
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Explore student projects in civil engineering.
Pictured from left to right: Alexis Pedraza, Leoney Spence, Stella Abejar, Adan Albarran Ayala
Students: Leoney Spence, Alexis Pedraza, Stella Abejar, Adan Albarran Ayala
Advisors: Chad Knight (Carollo), Daniel Nitzan (Carollo), Andy Cho (Jensen Infrastructure)
SalTerra is developing a desalination facility to help address Los Angeles' growing water crisis by converting seawater into a reliable source of potable water. The treatment plant will be located in Griffith Park, chosen for its available land and proximity to the coast, while the intake structure and pump house will be positioned in Will Rodgers Beach. The treatment process begins by pumping saline water into a transmission main from an underground slant-well intake system. This water undergoes pretreatment-including coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, and filtration-to protect the downstream reverse osmosis (RO) membranes from fouling. After pretreatment, the RO system removes dissolved ions, followed by remineralization to restore beneficial minerals and final disinfection before distribution to the potable water system. SalTerra is also designing an innovative brine treatment system to minimize environmental impacts. In addition to process design, the structural facilities housing the RO system, brine treatment, disinfection units, and office space are being designed inhouse using reinforced concrete, with a public amenity planned above the structures. This will ensure Los Angeles has a dependable, climate resilient source of water, while the public amenity will serve to inform the public of the innovative processes occurring beneath their feet.
Students: Jackson Aulner, George Bachvarov, Nevaeh Brady, Haley Roofener
Advisors: Christian Heinbaugh, Rebecca Vinter
The U.S. 50 Dayton to Stagecoach Redevelopment Initiative seeks to improve user safety and improve stormwater management along a 2-mile-strech of Highway 50 between Dayton and Stagecoach, NV. A lack of safe crossings and stormwater infrastructure has left the roadway ill-equipped for vehicular, pedestrian, and wildlife users. The Chicken Consulting Co. seeks to alleviate the issues plaguing this corridor. The roadway portion of this project focuses on the conversion of both project intersections into Restricted Crossing U-Turn intersections. These innovative intersections will reduce accident risk and promote efficient travel. The roadway segments within the project area will be resurfaced to improve safety conditions. The water resources portion of this project will concern the effective conveyance of stormwater. This will be accomplished using roadside ditches/open channels, which will direct water to existing stormwater infrastructure in Dayton, NV. The structural engineering portion of this project concerns the creation of the Community Overpass for Optimizing Passage. This bridge will feature separated wildlife and pedestrian crossings, promoting safety and efficacy for all users. The Chicken Consulting Co. Will provide an innovative approach to rural corridor redevelopment through this burgeoning initiative.
Students: James Baird, Matt Bigham, Louie Quiroz, Rafael Sutter
The Pyramid Way Transit Center is designed to address increasing traffic congestion and safety concerns in Spanish Springs. As the community continues to grow, Pyramid Way has experienced heavier traffic volumes, longer commute times, and increased risks for both drivers and pedestrians. Our project introduces a strategically located bus station that promotes public transportation use and reduces the number of individual vehicles traveling along this major corridor. The proposed transit center focuses on efficiency, accessibility, and long-term sustainability. Key design features include reinforced concrete structural systems, mat foundation support slabs, engineered storm water runoff channels, integrated drainage retention basins, and improved site grading patterns that minimize surface water accumulation. The station's placement is intended to optimize entry and exit points, preventing backups while maintaining steady vehicle movement. By centralizing transit services, the project encourages residents to consider reliable alternatives to driving, which can reduce congestion and lower emissions. Overall, this solution supports future community growth, improves mobility, enhances roadway safety, and creates a more organized transportation system for Spanish Springs.
Students: Gael Lopez Madera, Joshua Chavis, Wendy Fang, Maheono Guilloux-Chevalier
Advisors: Ivan Trebotich (NDOT), Bryan Snider (NDOT), Curtis Hartzell (NDOT)
This proposed project will alleviate traffic congestion in the North Valleys Region just north of Reno, Nevada. In recent years, there has been increased commercial and residential development in the area. Improvements to Golden Valley Road and West 7th Avenue have suitable performance across traffic operations, safety, accessibility, and constructability. The proposed work includes refinement of roadway geometry, pavement design, and geotechnical design. The rehabilitation of Golden Valley Road and West 7th Avenue includes expanding a two-way road (one lane in each direction) into a four-way road (two lanes in each direction). This will take into account the geometric design of the roadway, which evaluates the alignment, lane widths, shoulder width, design speed, and stopping sight distance. The pavement selection is determined by an expected estimate of large trucks, regular traffic, and weather conditions to enhance the lifespan of the road. Pavement design will involve types of pavement, height, depth, mix design, and maintenance. In addition, a retaining wall will be added on the northern side of West 7th Avenue near Jim Denning Way to prevent landslides onto the road and to provide access for lane expansion due to the topography of the surrounding area.
Students: Andrew Hjermstad, Sanjay Mathew, Andrew Hardwick, Gage Colagiovanni
Advisors: Jim Pringle, Austin Martin
The main design component of the Truckee River Park Project will be the site layout. Approximately half of the site will be a dedicated green space. This space will include irriga5on features, a broad array of naturally occurring foliage, reten5on pond and a community garden. The other half of the site will include tennis, pickleball and basketball courts, the basketball courts are intended to be placed under a shaded structure. The area will also include a fully powered bathroom, and a parking layout that is able to sustain the volume of people an5cipated to u5lize the park and its ameni5es. The parking lot will include shaded structures that are incorporated with a solar panel array which will help power the park. The green space as well as the solar panels are intended to combat the urban heat island effect. The rest of the features are included to increase the available ameni5es to the people of the City of Reno.
Students: Mia Eriksen, Bryanna Dohm, Tyler Bickell, Genevieve Miller, Grace Hager
Advisors: Keith Karpstein - DOWL, Sophia Waite - Lumos
Talus Valley is a new residential development located on both the west and east sides of Veterans Parkway in South Reno. As the community continues to expand, traffic volumes accessing Veterans Parkway are projected to increase significantly. Currently, access is limited to side streets connecting to South Meadows Parkway, which is expected to result in congestion at that intersection as development progresses. To alleviate future traffic demands and improve circulation, new northbound and southbound on- and off-ramps are proposed at Alexander Lake Road. The northbound off-ramp will connect to a right-turn-only stop-controlled intersection, while the northbound on-ramp will tie into a roundabout near Desert Way to improve neighborhood access and operational efficiency. Our design includes a flexible pavement design for the northbound off-ramp, a rigid pavement design for the roundabout, a box culvert design, and a complete geometric design of the northbound off-ramp.
Students: Ben Maxinoski, Talon Cox, Veeral Patel, Jorge Flores Gonzalez
Advisors: Nick Anderson (CME), Owen Wurgler (Shaw Engineering)
Verdi Pines Campground is a proposed outdoor recreation facility located in Verdi, Nevada, designed to provide affordable, accessible, and environmentally responsible camping near the Reno-Tahoe region. The site includes A-frame cabins, RV hookups, tent camping areas, restroom and shower facilities, internal access roads, and an on-site potable water system. The project prioritizes sustainable site design by minimizing soil disturbance, managing stormwater runoff, and protecting the nearby Truckee River corridor. Engineering efforts integrate structural, geotechnical, and water resources design to ensure long-term durability, safety, and regulatory compliance. The campground is designed to support year-round use, promote community engagement with the outdoors, and balance recreational development with environmental stewardship. This project demonstrates how thoughtful civil engineering design can enhance public spaces while protecting sensitive ecosystems.
Students: Connor Galvan, Brett McVeigh, Mason Daforno, Brody Plimpton
Advisors: Janelle Thomas (Washoe County Senior Engineer), Tony Gugliuzza (CFBR Structural Group )
Nevada Civil Solutions, a student team composed of Connor Galvan, Brody Plimpton, Brett McVeigh, and Mason DaForno, developed the design of a one-story grocery store and pedestrian bridge that creates a direct connection to campus, improving walkability and giving students and faculty an easier way to reach everyday necessities. The project combines several areas of civil engineering. Structural engineering shapes the layout and systems for both the building and the bridge. Geotechnical engineering guides the foundation design based on site soil conditions to ensure stability and long-term performance. Water resources engineering develops the utility connections and pipe networks for water and sewer service and includes on-site detention to manage stormwater runoff. Together, these elements create a practical, coordinated design that shows how civil engineering can provide reliable infrastructure that fits the needs of the campus and the surrounding community.
Students: Dominik Brozowski, Samuel Gonzales, Bryce Belli, Jonathan Sanchez
Advisors: Nelson Pearson - Sierra Engineering, Mark Doehring - Newfields Engineering
With the increase in population of Reno, Nevada, the need for a larger transportation network to accommodate northeastern communities such as Sun Valley, Spanish Springs, and Sparks becomes more important than ever. The Northeast Reno Connection Project aims to enhance the quality of life for northeast residents by improving the accessibility to the major arterial Pyramid Highway while adding alternative travel routes. These improvements will be implemented in the undeveloped land west of Pyramid Highway. Currently, the Nevada Department of Transportation is planning improvements in their Pyramid Highway project. This project includes six phases of construction to improve traffic conditions through road expansions and new exits. Phase 3 of this project will connect Pyramid Highway to Dandini Blvd. However, the project does not include any improvements for east-west travel. To improve the conditions on Pyramid and Highland Ranch Pkwy a roadway will tie-in to East Fourth Avenue in Sun Valley and connect to the roadway planned in Phase 3 of NDOT's project. Sound walls are present to reduce the noise pollution from the new road. This design will improve the connectivity of the area while reducing the traffic volume on Pyramid Highway by adding an alternative route.
Students: Brandon Kase, Jack Cherry, Jason Barshtak, Riley Doyle
This project focuses on the preliminary design of a proposed grocery store development on an 11.32-acre commercial parcel in southwest Fernley. The city has experienced steady population growth in recent years, while most major grocery and retail services are still concentrated in the northern part of the community. As residential development continues expanding southward, residents must travel longer distances to access food and daily necessities. Access to food is both a civil engineering and community planning challenge. Infrastructure must be designed not only to accommodate growth, but also to ensure essential services are distributed in a convenient, safe, and sustainable manner. This project builds upon a previously completed feasibility study that evaluated multiple development alternatives and found a grocery store as the preferred solution. The design includes site layout planning, parking configuration , roadway access, grading and drainage design, and utility coordination. The project aims to improve food accessibility, reduce travel demand, and support long-term development in southwest Fernley.
Students: Grant Peterson, Dominic Layco, Sulman Sajid, Vinh Nguyen
Our proposed Elevated Rail Transit (ERT) Station is an innovative and transformative alternative mobility solution aimed at alleviating the persistent traffic congestion along I-80 between Reno/Sparks and USA Parkway. This project would be particularly significant since the corridor between Sparks and USA Parkway is considered one of the most heavily congested commuter routes in the region. The proposed Elevated Rail Transit Station will be strategically located near the I-80/Greg Street interchange and will act as a high-capacity transit station connecting residential areas to large-scale industrial and commercial employment centers. This station addresses passenger comfort and safety needs through climate-resilient sheltering, real-time digital scheduling, accessible elevators and stairways, clean restroom facilities, filtered drinking water stations, and well-lit monitored transit platforms. The Transit Station is also designed for universal accessibility and desert-smart solutions. This will provide a safe, efficient, and comfortable travel experience for commuters to reach their destinations without the need to travel in automobiles. The proposed Elevated Rail Transit (ERT) Station is not only aimed at relieving traffic congestion in the region but also ensures the long-term economic vitality of the region through alternative regional connectivity solutions.
Students: Dean Credico, Aadyn Ray, Ben Miller, Shayne Smith
Advisors: Edward Thomas, and Joshua LeGrande
The Steamboat Creek Flood mitigation project will consist of re-routing the north end of Steamboat Creek as well as the design of a two-phase stormwater detention basin. The detention basin will be able to store a large amount of water and will reduce flooding in upstream and adjacent communities such as the UNR farm and Hidden Valley. Nebraska sedge, southern cattails, and additional vegetation will be planted in and around the creek to reduce mercury transportation through the creek into the Truckee River. Flood walls will be added on the east side of the phase I detention basin to prevent flooding of the Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility during storm events. The excavated soil will be used to fill in the old Steamboat Creek along with raising the elevation of the land to the east of the detention basin. This will allow for future expansions of the Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility while raising the headworks to minimize pumping requirements.
Students: Alexis Corona, Zachary Dube, Georgia Petroff, Charlotte Skorlich
Advisors: Eric Rademacher (Linchpin Structural Engineering) and Megan Berry (Wood Rodgers, Inc.)
Nova Engineering presents the design for the Las Vegas Station, as part of the Brightline West high-speed rail project connecting Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. The project will detail a railway station and accompanying mixed-use facility, encompassing 166,000 square feet of the 120-acre property located south of the iconic Las Vegas Strip. The station will feature space for two train bays, ticketing areas, and passenger waiting areas. The two-story mixed-use building will include commercial amenities and entertainment on the first floor and suite-style hotel rooms on the second floor. Collectively, these two structures serve to support transit, multimodality, and economic growth in Las Vegas. Nova Engineering selected four CEE subdisciplines to provide a thorough design deliverables package for the project. The team will perform geotechnical calculations for foundations, structural calculations for the buildings' framing, transportation calculations for the entrance intersection, and water resources calculations for the site's drainage.
Students: Sara Pettay, Anisa Ali, Lili Pakko, David Wagner
Advisors: Chuck Reno (DOWL) and Joesph Toth (Ausenco)
The Spanish Springs Recreational Center Project addresses the shortage of recreational and social facilities in the Spanish Springs area by proposing a two-story, 120,000 square-foot complex on a 15-acre site designed to promote health, learning, and community connection. The facility will include indoor sports courts, fitness areas, multipurpose classrooms, and outdoor recreational spaces, creating an inclusive environment for residents of all ages. Environmentally conscious features such as photovoltaic panels, water-saving fixtures, greywater reuse, and optimized irrigation systems further reduce environmental impact. The design also considers local climate conditions, sustainability objectives, and community input. The SLAD Designs team is responsible for structural, environmental, and geotechnical design. This includes the steel framing system, detailing, specifications, and structural analysis. Additionally, the environmental scope includes designing the grey water piping, irrigation, and greywater reuse system. While the geotechnical design includes soil property characterization, foundation design, and seismic site classification. Overall, the proposed project delivers a sustainable community-focused recreational facility that integrates structural, environmental, and geotechnical design elements.
Students: Garrett Plank, Sam McCoy, Katherine Martin, Erick Medina
Advisors: Eric Giles and Rich Pettinari of GCW Inc.
The Bain Spring Trail Project aims to improve traffic conditions on Geiger Grade Road by providing a separate multi-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists following the existing Bain Spring Road. This will also improve safety conditions for these users. The pathway design considers the roadway geometry and its connection to Geiger Grade Road, the pavement design, hydrologic analysis, and drainage design. This project also consists of a trailhead facility with a parking lot in South Reno at the start of the path. Structural components will be designed for the proposed trailhead facility, and pavement design will be considered for the attached parking lot.
Students: Tyler Moore, Martin Rose, Parker Ronsheimer, Caden Riley, Keith Dennett
Advisors: Amaya Shafer - Nelson Wilcox Structural Engineers
A proposed student-focused housing development called Mountain View Flats is situated close to the University of Nevada, Reno. The proposal uses an integrated mixed-use design to solve growing housing costs, transportation issues, and sustainability requirements. Residential apartments, an integrated parking garage, a grocery shop on-site, and water reuse techniques in line with LEED Platinum goals are all features of the complex. Water resources, geotechnical, and structural engineering evaluations were carried out. Well-drained alluvial soils with controllable constructability considerations were found during site assessments. Gravity and lateral load needs were determined via structural design, which led to the sizing of reinforced concrete columns and the use of a 30-inch mat base to improve seismic performance and load distribution. Planning for water resources included fire flow compliance, xeriscaping to reduce irrigation, and estimating residential demand. The project places a strong emphasis on practical constructability, affordability, and sustainability. Mountain View Flats offers a practical way to save student living expenses while fostering long-term environmental performance by incorporating necessary amenities and resource-efficient technology.
Students: Peter Ghelfi, Jackson Schlink, Diego Hernandez de la Luz, Mark Moyle II
The proposed project involves an improvement of pedestrian safety and traffic flow on the south end of the University of Nevada, Reno's campus with a comprehensive redesign at the corner of E Ninth St. and Evans Ave. Rapid increase of student population and outdated infrastructure have resulted in the intersection seeing significant pedestrian and vehicle conflicts, jeopardizing safety of the entire campus community. To address the demand in traffic, the project incorporates various main improvements including a roundabout, replacing the existing unsignalized intersection and eliminating traffic standstills completely. The removal of the current crosswalks will be replaced with two pedestrian bridges, rerouting foot traffic above the roads and complementing the rerouting of traffic circulation, mitigating pedestrian and vehicle interaction. Railings will be installed along the edge of sidewalks, bordering the intersection, to prevent pedestrians from crossing the street and encouraging the use of the pedestrian bridge. Three ramps will be installed at the ends of the bridges providing access to each side of the streets. One ramp will end in front of the HERE Reno apartment building, another in Evans Park, and the third ending at the parking lot between Fleischmann Agriculture and Sarah H. Fleischmann Building.
Students: Khushi Sharma, Ashley Gilliam, Breanna LaGere, Noelle Ebiya
In order to address the growing homeless population and food insecurity issues in Reno, Nevada, the Sustainable Shelter project includes the construction of a new shelter building, site preparation and foundation-laying, and an onsite greenhouse foodshed irrigated by a grey- and rainwater reuse system. Located on North Wells Avenue and Winston Drive, the project is in an optimal location to offer useful resources for the target community, such as the Salvation Army Thrift Store and Community Center, and the Reno-Sparks Gospel Mission on Timber Way. The shelter has the capacity to house 150 residents in need within dormitory-style housing units and will include communal spaces such as the reception, first aid station, kitchen, and dining area. The total area for construction of the site will be about 9,000 ft2. Collected grey- and rainwater will be used for irrigating edible crops, treated to Class A water quality using a bio-retention cell to act as preliminary treatment before going through the on-site water treatment system.
Students: Madisyn Kopecki, Luke Stopka, Dominic Pucci, Matthew Henry
Advisors: Megan Sulezich, Wood Rodgers. Kelsey Wittels, Wittels Engineering.
The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) has experienced consistent enrollment growth in recent years, which has increased the demand for on-campus student housing. Adequate housing is an essential component of the student's experience, as it promotes academic success, fosters a sense of community, and ensures safe and accessible living arrangements. However, the university currently faces challenges in both the capacity and condition of its residence halls. Many of the existing facilities are aging and no longer meet modern standards for comfort, sustainability, or energy efficiency. At the same time, limited housing capacity has forced a growing number of students to seek accommodation off campus, often at higher cost and reduced convenience. These issues present significant barriers to student success and limit the university's ability to accommodate future growth. This project aims to address these concerns by offering a new student housing dormitory that will both expand the quantity of available housing and improve the quality of existing facilities. By investing in modern, sustainable, and accessible housing, the university can better support its mission to provide a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment for its students.
Students: McKenna Johnson, Casey Valdez Walker, Tito Guerra Carrera, Alexis Rincon
Advisors: Hilton Atherton, PE: Monte Vista Consulting ; Russ Wallace, PE: RW Engineering
TMAC proposes a multi-span concrete bridge designed to reduce congestion at the heavily traveled intersection of Pyramid Way, Highland Ranch Parkway, and Sparks Boulevard in Sparks, Nevada. This corridor currently experiences high daily traffic volumes, long queue lengths, and increased crash risk during peak hours. To provide a long-term solution, our team is implementing Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) techniques to minimize construction time and reduce disruption to the surrounding community. ABC methods allow major bridge components to be prefabricated off-site and installed efficiently, significantly limiting traffic delays during construction. An innovative aspect of our design is the use of CSA (Calcium Sulfoaluminate) concrete, a material not currently utilized in Nevada but successfully implemented in other states. CSA concrete gains strength more rapidly than traditional Portland cement concrete, allowing for faster construction timelines while maintaining durability and long-term performance. By combining innovative materials with efficient construction practices, our project delivers a safe, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure solution that will accommodate future traffic growth while improving mobility and safety for the Spanish Springs and North Sparks communities.
Students: John Wylie, Matthew Ladowski, Benjamin Hungerford, Jaime Garcia Alejandre
The Rock Boulevard Rehabilitation Project addresses recurring flooding, safety concerns, and operational deficiencies along a key transportation corridor serving industrial, commercial, and residential areas. Frequent storm events overwhelm existing drainage infrastructure near the Union Pacific Railroad underpass, creating roadway closures and hazardous driving conditions. Limited conveyance capacity combined with a low roadway elevation results in stormwater accumulation that disrupts traffic flow and emergency access. This project develops a preliminary engineering solution focused on improving drainage performance, roadway geometry, and long-term infrastructure resilience. Proposed improvements include upgraded stormwater conveyance systems, vertical retaining structures, and geometric enhancements near the Interstate 80 interchange to improve safety and mobility. Designed to support the needs of the City of Sparks, the rehabilitation prioritizes constructability, cost-effectiveness, and future hydraulic capacity associated with regional growth and increased impervious surfaces. By reducing flood risk and improving reliability, the project enhances commuter access, freight mobility, and long-term transportation performance for the surrounding community.
