ALDOT Spring Design Conference 2026

Embassy Suites

Embassy Suites by Hilton Gulf Shores Beach Resort
April 28th - 30th, 2026, Gulf Shores, AL

The Alabama Department of Transportation Spring Design Conference is an assembly that gives Design Leadership around the state the opportunity to come together and share innovative strategies and best practices. The conference also serves to provide information regarding new resources and guidance available from the Design Bureau and other supporting Bureaus. This conference serves as a great vehicle for knowledge transfer and networking not only for design staff but also for vendors and consultants that provide products and services to support the design of Alabama's highway system.

Dates to Remember

2/9 Hotel Reservations Open
2/9 Conference Registration Begins
3/28 Hotel Room Discounted Conference Rate Deadline (Rooms will be available at full price after this deadline)
4/10 Sponsorship Registration Deadline
4/11 All Attendee Registration Closes

Registration

ALDOT Government Attendees

ALDOT Employee registration is now CLOSED.

Consultant/Industry Attendee and Sponsorships

Consultant/Industry registration is now CLOSED.

Sponsorship Information

Sponsorship Level	Minimum Pledge	Signage Logo	Website Logo	Slide Show Logo	Polo Shirt	Complimentary Registrations
Tier I	$5000	Yes (full sign)	Yes (top rows)	Yes (full slide)	2	2
Tier II	$2500	Yes (shared sign)	Yes	Yes (1/2 slide)	2	0
Tier III	$1000	Yes (name only)	Yes	Yes (1/4 slide)	0	0

Consultant/Industry registration is now CLOSED.

If you have sponsorship questions please contact Assistant Bureau Chief - Traffic Engineer Paul Carter (carterp@dot.state.al.us) with the ALDOT Design Bureau.

Hotel Reservations

About the Event Center

Our hotel has over 20,000 sq. ft. of flexible indoor and outdoor space. We have various room breakout options and a boardroom for smaller meetings. Enjoy A/V features, natural lighting, and on-site catering.

About the Hotel

Located just steps from Gulf Shores Beach, we offer on-site dining, a heated outdoor pool with beach views, and versatile meeting space. The Hangout, The Track Family Fun Park, and Waterville USA are just minutes away. The Wharf and Flora-Bama are within 20 minutes, and Gulf Shores International Airport and Adventure Island are within 10 minutes.

Conference Attendees

Each participant will be responsible for making their own room reservations at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Gulf Shores Beach Resort and can do so by using the Reservations link below. A limited number of rooms will be available at the conference's rate until Saturday March 28, 2026.

Government Attendees

A reduced government rate of $163.00 per night (plus fees and tax) for standard room accommodations has been secured for government attendees. Please select only the nights you will need.

(ROOM BLOCK RATE IS FULL)

Additional Room Options for Government Attendees:

Comfort Inn & Suites Gulf Shores East Beach - (251) 207-4009 - Seasonal Rate (plus tax and fees)

Best Western on the Beach - (251) 948-2711 3 Star - Seasonal Rate (plus tax and fees)

Hilton Garden Inn On the Beach – (251) 974-1600 - Seasonal Rate (plus tax and fees)

The Lodge at Gulf State Park a Hilton Hotel - (251) 540-4000 - Seasonal Rate (plus tax and fees)

Fairfield by Marriott Inn Suites Orange Beach – (251) 543-4444 - Seasonal Rate (plus tax and fees)

Best Western Premier- The Tides – (251) 981-9888 - Seasonal Rate (plus tax and fees)

Hotel Indigo Gulf Shores by IHG – (251) 981-1737 - Seasonal Rate (plus tax and fees)

Hampton Inn Gulf Shores – (251) 948-1020 - Seasonal Rate (plus tax and fees)

Hampton Inn & Suites Orange Beach/Gulf Front – (251) 923-4400 - Seasonal Rate (plus tax and fees)

Consultant/Industry Attendees

A reduced rate of $269.00 per night (plus fees and tax) for standard room accommodations has been secured for Consultant and Industry.

Consultants, Sponsors, and Vendors

Professional Development

2026 ALDOT Spring Design Professional Development Form

Speaker Bios and Presentations

2026 ALDOT Spring Design Speaker Bios and Presentations

Agenda

ALDOT Spring Design Conference 2026

April 28 — 30, 2026

Embassy Suites by Hilton Gulf Shores Beach Resort

Gulf Shores, Alabama

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

3:30pm - 7:30pm: Registration

6:00pm - 7:00pm: Icebreaker Reception

7:00pm - 9:00pm: Hors d'Oeuvres

Wednesday, April 29, 2026

7:00am - 9:00am: Breakfast

7:00am - 12:00pm: Registration

OPENING SESSION - Matt Leverette, P.E., Assistant Chief Engineer, Pre-Construction

9:00am - 9:30am: Opening Remarks

- Ed Austin, P.E., Chief Engineers
- Mark Bartlett, P.E., FHWA Division Administration
- John Cooper, Transportation Director

9:30am - 10:15am: Shifting Gears: Prioritzing Mental Health in Transportation

- Karen Philbrick, Mineta Transportation Institute

10:15am - 10:30am:

- Mini Break

SESSION II - Ramy Abdalla, P.E., Asst. Bridge Engineer, Design

10:30am - 11:00am: MUTCD 11th Edition, "What You Need to Know"

- Jason Daniels, State Traffic

11:00am - 11:30am: Navigating Railroad Public Projects: A CSXT Discussion

- James Schonk, STV, Inc.

11:30am - 12:00pm: ALDOT HSIP Program Update

- John-Michael Walker, P.E., State Traffic and Safety Operations

12:00pm - 1:15pm: Lunch

SESSION III - Sean Frank, P.E., State Utilities Engineer

1:15pm - 2:00pm: WAH Roundtable: The Influence of Progressive Design Build

- Stanley C. Biddick and Friends (Nick Walker, Adam Holder, Lindy Sorrell, Kaye Davis, Martin Clark, Adam Anderson)

2:00pm - 2:30pm: GDCP: An Evolving Process

- Kaye Davis
- Brad Williams
- Wade D. Henry
- Lance Day

2:30pm - 3:00pm: Open Roads Designer: The ALDOT Process

- Sanders Thomas, ALDOT Resident Engineer, Bentley Systems

3:00pm - 3:30pm: Break

SESSION IV - Freddy Naranjo, P.E.

3:30pm - 4:00pm: What We See in Quality Control

- Paul Beaird, Assistant Quality Engineer

4:00pm - 4:30pm: Smarter Plan Review with Bluebeam

- Latasha Merchant, ALDOT Roadway Design Engineer
- Amber Seymore, Assistant QC Engineer

4:30pm - 5:00pm: Plans Preparation Manual: Update and Improvements

- Lance Day, ALDOT Roadway Design Engineer

5:00pm - 5:45pm: Free Time

5:30pm - 9:30pm: Wednesday Night Dinner Event

6:30pm - 9:30pm: Dinner ( Low Country Boil)

Thursday, April 30, 2026

7:00am - 8:30am: Breakfast

SESSION V - Natasha Clay

8:30am - 9:00am: Out with the Old, In with the New: Introducing the USFWS Sectipon 7 NEST Agreement

- Emily Duke, Environmental Specialist, Sr.

9:00am - 9:30am: Alabama Excellence: Alabama Construction Stormwater Professional Program and Certification

- Richard Klinger, Environmental Construction Engineer

9:30am - 10:00am: Overview of USACE Permitting and Upcoming Permitting Manual

- Brian Moatts, Environmental Specialist

10:00am - 10:30am: Break

SESSION VI - Akhter Hossain, PhD, P.E.

10:30am - 11:00am: Lasers vs Lenses: Choosing the Right Tool for 3D Mapping

- Zach Grayson, Location GIS Manager

11:00am - 11:30am: The Waterways Project (SR-161) - Challenges, Lessons, and Solutions

- Vince Beebe, P.E., Regional Asst. Pre-Construction Engineer

11:30am - 12:00pm: Advancing ALDOT's TSMO Program: 10 Years of Progress - 10 Years of Opportunity

- Jermey Borden, P.E., SW Region Construction Manager

12:00pm: Conference Ends

If you have registration questions please contact continuinged@troy.edu or 334-983-0005.

If you have conference questions please contact Assistant Bureau Chief - Traffic Engineer Paul Carter (carterp@dot.state.al.us) with the ALDOT Design Bureau.