Welcoming Dennis Quinit, PE as Manager of Bridge Engineering and Construction
August 31st, 2018
Freeman Companies’ new Manager of Bridge Engineering and Construction Support Services found himself in Connecticut by sheer chance. “I never thought I would end up here,” he said, “it was purely by random circumstance. But I am glad it happened.”
A native of the Philippines, Dennis, his wife, and two sons (who are now both in college) have called Cheshire, Connecticut home for the last 24 years.
Dennis’s first taste of the United States was when he joined his wife--then girlfriend--at San Jose State University where he got his Masters in Civil Engineering with a focus on Structural Engineering. From there, job opportunities brought him to the east coast, leading to a well-respected career in bridge design. Through the years, Dennis has gained extensive experience in project management and structural engineering on a variety of projects, including single to multi-span concrete and steel roadway bridges, retaining walls, prestressed and post-tensioned concrete structures, as well as utility and pedestrian bridges. He has also provided existing condition assessments and structural evaluations for public and commercial infrastructures as well as residential buildings.
Other design elements related to bridge construction include designing temporary earth retaining systems and excavation support for shoring systems, temporary cofferdams, dewatering systems, construction trellis, and foundations of roadway and traffic facilities such as traffic span poles and roadway signs.
“There are so many smaller bridges in more rural municipalities in Connecticut,” says Dennis, “and while they might all look the same, many factors go in to what type of bridge we will use for replacements, such as the age of the existing bridge, the height of the water that runs underneath, and so on. Because of this, I always work with our traffic engineers, hydraulic and hydrologic specialists, and other engineers here at Freeman Companies to do things such as scour analysis and other evaluations to help us determine what is best for each project. It helps to have many diverse disciplines in-house so we can help a client with anything they might need.”
Dennis also holds Construction Engineering and Inspection services in his repertoire. He has analyzed and prepared bridge demolition plans and bridge superstructure erection plans for many projects and has also provided technical oversight and inspection for bridge replacements, including oversight of replacing existing superstructures, widening/modification of existing reinforced concrete abutments, overseeing milling and paving, excavation, drainage installation, pipe installation, box culvert installation, and sub-base installation.
Extending to Construction Support services, Dennis has also provided structural stability analysis in conjunction with proposed staged construction and demolition. He has assisted contractors in addressing and resolving construction issues, provided design services during construction for proposed changes to contract plans, and has developed many proposals for alternative structures according to contractors’ guidelines.
“One of the most significant skills I have learned throughout my career is the ability to assist in a bridge project from start to finish,” says Dennis, “Being able to lead a project from design to construction is important to me--I always want to be able to see a project from every perspective and be able to adapt to whatever unique challenge a project might have.”
It is true that the ability to adapt is in Dennis’s nature. While reflecting on his early years in the United States, Dennis says, “the west coast and east coast are very, very different, but I got used to the snow quickly. Connecticut is a unique state in that there aren’t any huge metropolitan areas like in California—but that also presents a unique opportunity for bridge engineers like myself. In California, everything is new and huge. Connecticut is such an old state, so many of the bridge projects involve replacements and rehabilitations. A lot of infrastructure has historical significance as well so we must respect its integrity during the design process. Preservation is vital. It’s been a fun adventure over the years doing designs, detailing, assessment and inspection work, figuring out how to complete these kinds of projects most effectively.”
Despite his time on the east coast, Dennis has been lucky to visit the Philippines and California (particularly Disneyland) many times over the years. He and his family also went to the Bahamas during this summer.
But with all the traveling, the Quinit family will always call Connecticut home. “Something I’ve grown to love about our state is its balance of urban and rural life. Cheshire is quiet and has been a wonderful place to raise a family. And close by there are still plenty of cities like Hartford and New Haven with so much to do. We have it all!”
Welcome, Dennis, to your NEW home at Freeman Companies!
