Grant P. Johnson, TE
Principal
     Grant is a Civil Engineer with California registration in Traffic.  He has been a leader in transportation engineering in California for over 38 years, with the last 28 years as owner of PRISM Engineering.  He also spent 2.5 years in Mainland China (2013-2015) doing leadership-level engineering in transportation in the heart of mainland China at Chongqing, and also worked as Chief Site Engineer in Charge on a 70 km section of the China High Speed Rail (HSR) project from Beijing to Shenyang*.  He now focuses on building PRISM Engineering in California.

     He has a very broad view of multimodal transportation based on this experience there, daily utilizing China’s public transit including HSR, buses, monorail, taxis, bikes, electric scooters, and walking, and never once drove a car. Grant has extensive Supervisory and Management experience in HSR engineering and construction. As Chief Site Engineer over 70 km of China's bullet train construction near Beijing, he oversaw and  supervised the work of hundreds of engineers and construction workers.  He has an international experience in traffic engineering. More recently Grant has been involved in numerous expert witness cases for accidents involving Traffic Engineering expertise.  His perspective of traffic safety comes from practical hands-on experience in the field, as well as a thorough understanding of design and safety principles contained in the MUTCD, AASHTO Green Book, and State Highway Design Manuals.
  *(see CHINA tab for more info on his China Traffic Engineering experience)
WHY PRISM ENGINEERING ?
A more well-rounded experience in Transportation.
1980-1984--College Engineering Degree (BS in Civil)
1984-1994--Rose through ranks in major Traffic Engineering and Planning company to Regional Manager, #1 in sales in 1993-94.
1994 Started own engineering company, profitable in just over 1 year. Continues to present day as PRISM Engineering.
2013-2015--Spent nearly 3 years in China on very high profile contracts including Chief Engineer over High Speed Rail construction / inspection. Also worked on major Traffic Engineering and Transportation Planning projects in China (City of Chongqing, 35 million people, 4th largest city there)
Has learned from both country's transportation systems the best of both worlds. Cars are great. Trains are great. Subways and Buses are great. All in their own proper place and implementation.  
Has a more complete understanding of transportation systems, their relative strengths and weaknesses, having lived in both worlds and used both systems extensively and for years at a time, and having experienced the differing cultures and why transportation choices in some cultures work and will NOT work in other cultures.  It depends so much on human behavior and choices. Too often engineers and planners in the US are trying to implement transportation systems in the US that are not a good match, even though they work elsewhere. The reason some systems work has to do with auto ownership, local economy, government control (or not), and density of where people live. When that is ignored, like it was in California when they tried to build a high speed rail train, it completely failed and now is a boondoggle of government wasteful spending while trying to do things that don't fit the local culture of transportation OR housing.
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Experience
37 Years
 
Professional Registration
Licensed Traffic Engineer
State of California (TR#1453)
 
​Education             
California State University, Sacramento
BS Civil Engineering
1984
 
Professional Affiliations
American Public Works Association (APWA)
Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
TRAFFIC ENGINEERING Experience, includes EXPERT WITNESS Research and Testimony
  • ​​Radar Speed Surveys in City of Angels Camp, CA.  Traffic Engineer  (2022/2023)
  • UNITED STATES, DOJ (Department of Justice) contract for EXPERT WITNESS services as Traffic Engineer, Accident Review, Analysis, Deposition, Court Testimony (2018)  
  • PRISM Engineering ON-CALL Traffic Engineering Services contract with Marin County Public Works: 1) Panoramic Highway intersection design study and report, 2) sight distance analyses and report, level of service analysis. (2017 - 2019)
  • EXPERT WITNESS as Traffic Engineer, Numerous Cities and Counties throughout northern and southern California, and Utah. Reviews, Analysis, Declarations for MSJ, Depositions, Testimony.  Accidents, Sight Distance, Construction Traffic Control, Railroad Crossings, Signing / Striping, Roadway Design, Pedestrians and Bikes
  • Traffic Operations Missouri Flat Corridor Analysis in El Dorado County, CA,  comprehensive traffic systems studies completed for several development projects.  Highly detailed SimTraffic models, calibrated with real world traffic data.
  • US 101/SR 131 Interchange in Marin County.  Traffic Operations Study and Microsimulation, working with Bob Goralka of Marin County DPW.  Project Engineer/Manager (2016)
  • Charter School Traffic Impact Study, City of Vallejo, Project Engineer/Manager.  Developed custom trip generation, custom GIS trip distribution, innovative mitigations and Transportation Demand Management (TDM)  (2016)
  • ​​Radar Speed Surveys in City of Shasta Lake, 52 locations.  Traffic Engineer  (2016)
  • Chico SR 99/Eaton Rd Interchange Traffic Operations Study with NW Specific Plan Analysis (2015/16). Signal Installations, timing study. Realignment of Frontage Road. MicroSimulation
  • Video Origin/Destination Study, RenHe/JinKai Intchg. Chongqing, CN (2014)
  • Trip Generation Survey (1900 DU) LongHuXiYuan, Chongqing, CN (2014)
  • YueLai  Conference Center Parking Study, Chongqing, CN (2014)
  • Five (5) intersections Signal Design, Chongqing, CN (2013)
  • ON-CALL Traffic Engineering, NCTC Nevada County (2001-2012)
  • ON-CALL Traffic Engineering,  City of Los Banos, CA (2007-09)
  • Signal Design: Alamo Drive 7 intersections, Vacaville, CA (2007)
  • Signal Design: Green Valley Road Interconnect, El Dorado Co. (2006)
  • ON-CALL Traffic Engineering and Peer Review, El Dorado County

TRANSPORTATION PLANNING Experience
  • PRISM Engineering On-Call Traffic Engineering Services Contract with City of Vacaville Public Works (2017-2018): “The Farm at Alamo Creek” Residential Annexation (780 DU), Project Engineer.  Used Cube traffic model to develop future traffic, traffic impact study, freeway and intersection analyses using Synchro 9 HCM 2010.  Traffic report.
  • Comprehensive Traffic Study: Residential Subdivision (361 units), Diamond Springs in El Dorado County.  Traffic Operations Analysis, Microsimulation and analysis of traffic impacts along high demand corridor.  New Roadways and Regional Bypass. Freeway Interchange operations analysis and data collection, measure Saturation Flow Rates, etc.  Mitigations.  Various Reports. (2017/18)
  • Commercial Development. Interchange modifications in El Dorado County (signals, widen ramps, coordinated intersection analysis, microsimulation analysis results).  Create innovative and cost-saving roadway designs that work!  Custom engineering.
  • Charter School (1400 stu) Traffic Impact Study, City of Vallejo, Project Engineer/Manager.  Developed custom trip generation, custom GIS trip distribution, innovative intersection  and street calming mitigations and Transportation Demand Management (TDM)  (2015/16). Research and documentation in Reports.
  • YueLai Newtown VISSUM Traffic Model Development, ChongQing, CN (2013-14)
  • Quinn Crossing Apartments TIS, Vacaville, CA (2012)
  • 4200 DU and School Annexation, Leisure Town East, Vacaville, CA (2011)
  • Leisure Bypass, Traffic Model Alternatives, Vacaville, CA (2010)
  • TRANSCAD Model, 600 zones, City of Los Banos, CA (2007)
  • Transportation Master Plan, City of Los Banos, CA (2007-08)
  • On-Call Transportation Planning, Numerous planning studies, RTP assistance, NCTC in Nevada County (2001-2012 continuously)
  • TRANSCAD Model Services, NCTC in Nevada County (2001-2012 cont.)
HIGH SPEED RAIL, HSR, Experience.  Engineering Design and Construction Management, China (380 km/hr=240 mph)
  • Chief Site Engineer (CSE), management over Engineering Design and Construction Inspection, incl. “Stop Order” authority for 70 km of China's Beijing to Shenyang HSR train construction of tunnels, bridges, viaduct, foundations, piers, towers, and stations centered around Fuxin Station.  Oversaw QC of concrete batch plants, rebar fitting, etc.  Held regular meetings with Chinese government officials pertaining to HSR construction and methods.  Worked with Chinese engineers in an all-Mandarin environment.
  • (see HSR tab for more info on his China Traffic Engineering experience)
  • Duties Included: 
    • Manage and work alongside all HSR engineers, oversee work,
    • Lead meetings at multiple levels with local staff, Chinese partner firm staff, Construction company leadership and staff, and also with Chinese government officials overseeing train construction.  
    • Keep daily detailed journal, and Excel database w/ photos and video log of each relevant inspection.
    • Inspected tunnels, bridges, track, foundations, and train stations. 
    • Prepared weekly inspection summary reports to the Chinese Government authorities over high speed rail (HSR) construction.  His reports were detailed with graphics and Chinese Mandarin text as well as English text, and contained recommendations to the government on where improvements were necessary.  These also documented training sessions, and other meetings.
    • Filed CSE NOTICE and STOP ORDER reports as needed to ensure construction company compliance to government quality and safety and management regulations on the site whether it be in the tunnels, at the batching plant, the girder and viaduct yard, foundation construction, or pier assembly, etc.

Corridor Studies/Multi-modal Improvements
  • YueLai  Ave. Corridor Operations Study, Synchro / SimTraffic Intersection Design and Signal Design (China and USA Standard Plans in custom Hybrid), China (2014)
  • El Dorado Hills Corridor and US 50 Interchange Operations Study & Design, El Dorado Co.  On-Call Services (2008)
  • Collector Distributor and Roundabout SR 20/49 Fwy, Grass Valley (2006)

Public Transit Systems Planning in China, Major Projects
  • Grant Johnson designed in AutoCAD layers: 1) Bus Transit Routes & Stations Plan,  2) Bike Trails and Striping Plan, 3) Complete Streets and Traffic Calming Striping and Pavement Markings, 4) Crosswalk and all Onstreet Parking and Traffic Control,  YueLai Newtown, Chongqing, CN (2013-14)
  • Transit Hub with Subway Monorail Access by escalator, Taxi Lanes, Bus Stop Lanes, Ped Bridges, Bike Lanes and Roundabout Circling Transit Hub, YueLai Newtown, Chongqing, CN (2013-14)

Roundabouts
  • SR 49 / Pleasant Valley Rd Roundabout Design, El Dorado County, CA (2022)
  • I-80 Lewis Rd/Weber Rd Roundabout Study, Solano County, CA (2012)
  • SR 49 Fwy Ramps/Main Street Roundabout Design, Grass Valley, CA (2002)
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