Delaware Valley Engineers Week Council

Peter Quinn - Outstanding Service to the Community Award (2008)

Peter Quinn Peter Quinn is the founding Executive Director of the Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association, a public/private partnership addressing mobility issues in Montgomery and Chester Counties, Pennsylvania. GVFTMA, founded in 1990, was the first of nine TMAs to be formed in the state – six in the southeast and three in the west. Peter currently serves on the US 202 Executive Committee, the Regional Transportation Committee of the DVRPC, and manages the activities of four transportation coalitions encompassing thirty-nine communities in Montgomery and Chester Counties. In this capacity he works with the engineering community every day and supports the efforts of those in the engineering community, as well as being deeply involved in multiple ways in help the community at large, as well, with his time and talent. He is awarded the Outstanding Service to the Community Award for such distinction in providing the engineering community and community-at-large with exceptional service and strong leadership throughout his career.

He has a Master of Arts in Educational Psychology from Villanova University and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from St. Charles College. Prior to founding the Greater Valley Forge TMA, Peter was the Manager of Corporate Affairs and Community Programs at SmithKline Beecham.

Key Career Accomplishments:

Founder, Greater Valley Forge TMA (Transportation Management Association): Peter founded GVFTMA, GVF Transportation Management Association in 1990. This was the first TMA in the state. There are now nine TMA’s in the state of Pennsylvania. Peter was able to select a “service area” and he choose highway networks as he knew there continued success was critical to the region. He has partnered in billions of dollars of infrastructure investment in highway construction, transit construction and local municipal projects. Peter is also recognized as an expert in the field and is recognized throughout the United States for his expertise. Peter realized that in order to remain competitive and viable, moving into future Public-Private partnerships had to be created. As of December 2007, the TMA works with over 95 public/private partners . Due to his dedication he has advanced hundreds of projects that have and will continue to propel the Delaware Valley into the future.

Regional Transportation Committee, DVRPC: Peter has served on the RTC at DVRPC and represents the Transportation Management Associations in Pennsylvania. Peter has also been able to assist major construction projects through working with Montgomery and Chester Counties on the RTC. By having a voice and seat at the table where all TIP projects for the region are voted on he has been able to keep quality engineering projects moving not only for GVFTMA’s service area but throughout the Delaware Valley.

State Transportation Committee Hearings: In 2001 Peter testified on behalf of several municipalities in Montgomery and Chester counties for the continued funding of major projects such as US 202-400 and PA 309 and many smaller tip projects for municipalities. Through his leadership he gave the local engineering community a voice that was not just their own but a regional collaboration. Peter has continued to testify every two years at the STC hearings for local governments. In 2007, Peter testified on behalf of Montgomery and Chester Counties and he represented over 30 municipalities in Southeastern PA showing to the committee that through partnerships and support of the one another the local municipalities are no longer thinking of themselves i as individuals but as a region. 2001, 2003, 2005 & 2007

422 River Crossings Project: In 2005 Peter led a team of municipalities, engineers, the Valley Forge National Historic Park and private sector businesses to Washington D.C. to lobby for money for the proposed 422 River Crossings Project. This successful venture generated a $25 million earmark of funds which have been used to complete design on the project for which construction on the Betzwood Bridge is anticipated to begin in 2008.

US 202 Executive Committee: Peter has served on the US 202 executive committee since its inception. The purpose of the meeting is to give a status report on the various 202 construction projects and to keep them on track. Peter has taken his participation to the next level and has made sure that through his leadership the US 202-400 construction project was completed.

PA 309 Coalition: Through the creation of the PA 309 Coalition Peter has created what is now being used as a model for future construction projects in not only the CMP process but in designing how Incident Management is utilized during a major reconstruction project. This was also the first coalition formed by the TMA and has now spawned three others. The coalition was created in 1999

U.S. 422 Corridor Coalition: This coalition was the second formed under the leadership of Peter. The Coalition currently comprises of 22 municipalities, engineering firms, PennDOT, DVRPC, local businesses, state and federal elected officials. This group is now beginning to change the way projects will be funded moving into the future. Under Peter’s leadership the Coalition was able to secure funding to begin a study in January 2008 that will determine the feasibility of adding express toll lanes on US 422. This initiative might serve as the catalyst that starts the first highway in Pennsylvania that has free flowing lanes, but also toll lanes.

I-76/I-476 TSM Project: Peter was part of the committee the designed this project which is currently being installed along the corridor. The intent of the project was to upgrade the existing fiber along the corridor, add DMS signs, interconnect signals so that PennDOT’s TMC can control the parallel routes to during incidents on the highways. Peter was also able to make the connections with the private sector so that the information could be utilized for the general public.

Chambers of Commerce: Peter has partnered with seven chambers of commerce in the region. He has worked with the chambers to partner with engineering firms, PennDOT, SEPTA, DVRPC and others to show them why transportation projects are of major importance to their business and to support the projects so that the projects move forward and receive funding.

Other career accomplishments include:

Completed executive launch of the Institute for Cooperation in Environmental Management (ICEM) to create intersector cooperation in resolving environmental issues across six-state region.
As SmithKline's state government relations representative, was instrumental in passage of Pennsylvania anti-takeover statute, chemical registration/community right-to-know and infectious waste incineration legislation.
Developed innovative community relations/CAER programs for SK Chemical Division and SK&F Research and Development Operations.
Chaired Pennsylvania Governor's Council on Drug Abuse.
Co-sponsored and hosted with the University of Pennsylvania, the annual conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Managed the SmithKline Beecham Visiting Professor Program with the Royal Medical Society Foundation to select and sponsor renowned British physicians in the US.
Served on steering committee for National Institutes of Health Centennial. Selected PR and education agencies for National Campaigns. Approved program for Congressional involvement in year-long program.
Served on Pennsylvania Governor's Cancer Advisory Communications Committee. Selected PR agency and developed campaign for Pennsylvania Cancer Plan.
Chaired Pennsylvania Business Roundtable Government Relations committee.
Co-founded King of Prussia Chamber of Commerce.
Founded and directed nationally-recognized long-term drug/alcohol treatment centers; was selected by White House for diplomatic mission to develop similar addiction treatment center in Bangkok, Thailand. Won State Department Citation.
Instrumental in planning and organizing national, state and local conferences on science, the economy, transportation, international relations and the Port of Philadelphia.

Other Professional Affiliations tied to engineering service:

PennDOT Intermodal Task Force
I-76/I-476 Incident Management Coalition
Pennsylvania Environmental Council
DVRPC Regional Transportation Committee
DVRPC ITS Task Force
PENJERDEL
Pennsylvania Economy League
Southeastern Pennsylvania Regional Transportation Coalition
TMA Regional Council
The Southeastern Montgomery County Transportation Coalition
The Schuylkill Valley Transportation Coalition
The Schuylkill River Greenway Association
The Valley Forge Programmatic Agreement Implementation Committee
The Mid-Atlantic Chapter of ACT (President)
South Eastern PA Counter Terror Task Force
Association for Commuter Transportation – Mid-Atlantic Chapter
Montgomery County Transportation Task Force
PennDOT Intelligent Transportation Initiatives Steering Committee

Other Professional Associations:

Rotary, District 7450 Assistant Governor
Rotary Club of King of Prussia: Director and Past President