Traffic Engineers

Employment for civil engineers (including those who specialize in traffic engineering) will increase by 2 percent, slower than the average for all occupations, through 2029, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The coronavirus pandemic has given traffic engineers opportunities to study road and highway performance due to lockdowns causing reduced traffic. Engineers will be needed to improve highway design and traffic engineering, paying particular attention to repurposing streets for public right of way. In the coming years, more engineers will be needed to work with ITS (Intelligent Transportation System) technology such as electronic toll collection, cameras for traffic incidents/detection, and fiber optics for use in variable message signs. As the population increases and continues to move to suburban areas, qualified traffic engineers will be needed to analyze, assess, and implement traffic plans and designs to ensure safety and the steady, continuous flow of traffic. In cities, traffic engineers will continue to be needed to staff advanced transportation management centers that oversee vast stretches of road using computers, sensors, cameras, and other electrical devices.