Between Two Shovels Ep. 01: Building Sacramento's Connector w/ Matt Lampa, Principal Civil Engineer

In the premiere episode of Between Two Shovels, Derek Minnema, Executive Director of Connector JPA, sits down with Principal Civil Engineer Matt Lampa to unpack the high-stakes challenges of modern infrastructure delivery. From securing federal funding to navigating complex environmental regulations, Derek offers unfiltered insight into why local agencies like Connector JPA are filling the vacuum left by state DOTs, and how that shift is reshaping regional development. This isn’t just a local road project. It’s a national case study in how infrastructure gets done in America now.🔹 EPISODE BREAKDOWN01:27 - Derek introduces himself and Matt Lampa from the Connector JPA04:19 - Explanation of what the Connector JPA is and how it functions06:08 - Why the Connector JPA exists instead of Caltrans handling the project09:33 - The Folsom project as their "proof of concept" for the expressway16:09 - Funding challenges and limitations18:31 - Current work on Grant Line Road and its importance23:25- The implementation phase of projects and federal funding process27:05 - Working with congressional members and political aspects33:01 - The Trade Corridor Enhancement program and truck safety35:47 - Environmental mitigation challenges and regulations43:17 - Matt and Derek share their career journeys and why they joined the Connector JPA51:57 - Closing remarks📌 Connect with Derek Minnema🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekminnema/🌐 Websites: https://www.derekminnema.com/ | https://connectorjpa.com/📱 X: @derekminnemaonx | Instagram: @derekminnema