January 15, 1999

To Whom It May concern:

The Harrison County Transportation Executive Steering Committee, made up of the Harrison County Board of supervisors, the mayors of the five cities in the county, and a representative of each city council, selected Knesal Engineering Services, Inc. as one of three firms to provide planning, preliminary designs, and cost estimated for the 26mile EastWest Roadway Corridor Project. The Gulf Regional Planning Commission (GRPC) is the contracting agency for this project.

Knesal's portion of the project includes approximately the western half of the corridor, as well as route selection for a northsouth roadway connector from 110 to Highway 90 in the western portion of the county. Each firm on the team is also assigned to assist with the overall planning presentations, and communication with local officials and the Mississippi Department of Transportation.

Though Knesal Engineering is by far the smallest firm on the team, it appears that they have "set the pace" on the establishment of design criteria, preliminary designs, and cost estimates. They have fully staffed the project with an experienced Project Manager, Mr. Donald Welch, and CADD staff which appear to have ready solutions to the mapping challenges encountered.

Early in the project, we understand that they developed some programming techniques which automated the conversion of the county's planimetric maps into the base maps for this project, The challenge was to produce maps which would provide continuous, 26mile stationing, which can be transferred electronically in sections to the engineering firms which will be selected to assist with the final designs.

Because of the advancedlevel CADD techniques Knesal explained that they had developed in their other projects, their CADD staff was able to take the lead in assuring that the County's CADD investment in this phase will provide maximum value for the later phases, especially where the CADD files from several engineering firms may have to be intermeshed in the final products.

We appreciate the value in Knesal Engineering's involvement in this phase because of their experience on the project's first phase, their ability to perceive and react to the community's needs, and their community involvement which provides them with the ability to communicate in behalf of the GRPC and the Steering Committee through all levels of government and community leadership.

This phase of the project is expected to be completed in time for financing decisions to be made in the fall of 1999.

If we may provide further information, please feel free to call.

Sincerely,
GULF REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION

Ned J. Boudraux
Executive Director