MME Civil + Structural Engineering

11/24/2025

Since 1976, the Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project has worked to protect and recover the native Coho salmon, Chinook and Steelhead trout populations of the Monterey Bay region.

The 2020 CZU Lightning Complex fire burned fish hatchery tanks and multiple homes at the hatchery and destroyed the main access bridge timber deck and foundations.

MME Civil + Structural Engineering was retained to develop structural repair designs for a 60-foot bridge, with the primary objective of restoring vehicular access and ensuring the structure could safely accommodate emergency response vehicles, including a 25-ton fire truck, in full compliance with the Santa Cruz County Fire Code.

The bridge replacement included new reinforced concrete abutments supported on drilled pier foundations, together with a complete replacement of the timber deck system. To minimize both project cost and construction duration, the existing steel railcar superstructure was evaluated, deemed suitable for continued service, and incorporated into the final design.

Following completion, the rehabilitated bridge now provides safe, dependable access for hatchery personnel and volunteers, while also accommodating regular outbound shipments of juvenile fish by specialized water truck for release into streams throughout the region, supporting broader aquatic restoration and stocking initiatives.

MME is honored to have contributed its structural engineering expertise to an organization dedicated to the conservation and responsible stewardship of this sensitive natural resource and its associated aquatic ecosystems.

11/10/2025

At MME, a lot of our staff love to ride bikes. Some even commute to work on their bike! So when Ecology Action hosts "BIKETOBER" a fun and competitive bike-centered event; we naturally join in.

During the month of October (aka BIKETOBER), we had a total of 10 cyclists, with a combined total of 1,044 miles and 123 rides, and this year we won 1st place in our workplace category!

Want to join the fun next year? Learn more about this fun-spirited event that promotes a healthy lifestyle for ourselves and for the environment at https://letsmodo.org/bike-fest/

07/02/2025

Part 2 of 2...West Cliff Drive Restoration is Complete! We provided the repair design to six different sites that were affected by the Winter Storms of 2023 and 2024. It was an honor to work with the City of Santa Cruz to repair this iconic pathway. We hope you have a chance to enjoy it this summer!

07/02/2025

Part 1 of 2...West Cliff Drive Restoration is Complete! We provided the repair design to six different sites that were affected by the Winter Storms of 2023 and 2024. It was an honor to work with the City of Santa Cruz to repair this iconic pathway. We hope you have a chance to enjoy it this summer!

West Cliff Drive has been fully restored to pre-storm conditions and is now open to two-way traffic, with paving and striping completed this week! This milestone…

06/17/2025

Our firm celebrated National Public Works week by attending the super fun annual “Corralitos BBQ” on May 21, sponsored by the Monterey Bay Chapter of American Public Works Agencies (APWA) and the City of Watsonville. APWA is an association for public works professionals to join together, learn, and celebrate the delivery of vital public works projects for our communities. Many items were donated for a raffle drawing to fund the Scholarship program. The grand prize raffle item was cruiser bike, presented by MME.

Scholarships are based on academic merit and financial need and are awarded to college students who attended high school in either San Benito County, Santa Cruz County or Monterey County who are interested in a career in public works such as engineering or construction management. At this meeting, a scholarship was awarded to Kyle Kessler, who graduated from Soquel High School. This fall, he will transfer from Cabrillo College to San Jose State University, where he will continue his studies towards a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.

06/02/2025

The Coastal Rail Trail will provide people of all ages and abilities a safe walking and biking trail backbone to access many favorite destinations. Our firm provided the structural engineering for several segments this exciting project, and we recently attended the ribbon cutting of Segment 7, Phase II. This segment of the trail provides a 2.1-mile dedicated bicycle/pedestrian connection from Natural Bridges all the way to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and will be helpful for school children, junior lifeguards, walkers, bikers, locals, and visitors.

Our team rode bikes to the ceremony, and enjoyed celebrating the completion of the construction with our colleagues from Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC), City of Santa Cruz Public Works, and RRM Design Group.

We were thrilled to see so many people from the community attend and enjoy the smooth ride along the existing rail corridor.

More info: https://www.sccrtc.org/projects/trail/monterey-bay-sanctuary-scenic-trail/

05/13/2025

Last month MME attended the Spring 2025 Networking Event hosted by the Student Chapter of American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) at San Jose State University (SJSU).

We met with some very motivated and professional Civil Engineering students who are eager to learn about local engineering firms and who are seeking internships and full-time employment. We had the opportunity to explain the types of Public Works projects our firm is currently working on, we explained what a typical day looks like for us at our office in downtown Santa Cruz, and we encouraged the students to pursue their Engineer In Training (EIT) Certification before they graduate with their Bachelor’s Degree.

It is always a pleasure to meet the next generation of Civil Engineers. We are truly impressed by the dedication and passion the SJSU Civil Engineering students have for their chosen field.

We look forward to attending more Networking opportunities with the SJSU ASCE Student Chapter. Many thanks to the Student Chapter members who made this event possible. Also, thank you for the yummy continental breakfast and the savory BBQ lunch!

03/24/2025

Last week we hosted a group of civil engineering students from Cabrillo College at our office for a group informational interview. We talked about some of our recent design work and construction management of some local projects: the Emergency Repairs to West Cliff Drive, and the retrofit the Hilltop Apartments on Western Drive. We also talked about what a typical workday might look like at our firm; how we pursue new opportunities with local public works departments, and we encouraged all the student to pursue their Engineer In Training (EIT) Certification before they graduate with their Bachelor’s Degree.

Everyone was professional and polite, and the questions they asked were very intelligent. We hope to inspire the next generation of civil engineers!

Many thanks to Jo-Ann Panzardi, PE, the Cabrillo College Engineering Department Chair; and many thanks to Kendall Sooter, Engineering Communication Faculty, for coordinating this fun networking event.

We look forward to doing this again next year!

01/15/2025

Office Space Downtown Santa Cruz 1,000 SF $1,550/mo Now Available!

We are long-term tenants looking to sublease an extra office suite. This is a street-level suite for lease in a professional office building, located on a tree-lined avenue among several picturesque, historic Victorian homes. This commercial space is zoned as "Professional / Administrative".

Lease Terms:
• $1550 / month, Minimum One Year Lease
• $3,000 Deposit

Amenities & Features include:
• 1000 SF + /- rentable space
• One dedicated parking space
• Central Heating and Cooling
• Large floor-to-ceiling windows
• Sunny Exposure
• Private Restroom
• Walking distance to downtown Santa Cruz shopping & restaurants

Subtenant Responsibilities include:
• Utilities: gas, electric, garbage, internet, phone
• Alarm system (optional)
• Commercial Liability Insurance
• Quiet Business / Professional Atmosphere

MME Civil + Structural Engineering is the prime tenant, we are subleasing Suite E.

Call Ginger at 831-426-3186 ext. 100 to schedule a viewing by appointment only.

WE CANNOT RESPOND TO TEXTS (our phone is a land line).
PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL [email protected] ONLY.

12/23/2024

West Cliff Drive Opening Soon!

Asphalt paving is complete at West Cliff Drive Bethany Culvert Storm Repairs. The City will soon be opening the iconic coastal multi-use pathway and road to pedestrians and traffic soon.

MME appreciates the leadership of the City of Santa Cruz, and the collaboration of our project team colleagues at Pacific Crest Engineering and Granite Construction.

11/20/2024

The San Lorenzo Valley Water District will soon begin replacing 12 water tanks, including many old redwood tanks that are susceptible to rot and fire damage such as occurred in the 2020 CZU Lighting Complex Fire.

MME and our team are providing plans for five new 120,000 gallon bolted steel tanks and a new pump station. The mountainous terrain will require us to design several retaining walls to provide space for the tanks and the critical water storage needed to improve fire-fighting capability in the future.

Read more about it here:

San Lorenzo Valley Water District (SLVWD) is moving forward to replace 12 water tanks to improve reliability, capacity and drought resiliency.