What is a Traffic Engineer?
24 Sep 2020 Traffic Control
Traffic engineering is the branch of transportation and civil engineering that designs and constructs roadways, freeways, and other forms for ground transportation. Understanding what a traffic engineer is and their role in creating infrastructure will help you determine if you need to hire a traffic engineer to work on your upcoming project. At Valley Traffic Systems, they know how important it is to hire the right traffic engineer for the job. That is why they offer a range of comprehensive traffic engineering services.
What are Traffic Engineers?
A traffic engineer is trained to create and manage the designs and operations that allow for the safe, efficient, and convenient flow of traffic on roadways. Since traffic engineering is a subcategory of transportation engineering which covers vehicle, pedestrian, airplane, boat, and train travel, traffic engineers can sometimes work on larger projects that cover all modes of travel.
What does a Traffic Engineer do?
Traffic engineers can fill a variety of different positions, including working for municipal, provincial, or federal government agencies, and can work on a range of different projects that involve addressing traffic related issues. Traffic engineers can also work in both the public or private sector as a road designer, city traffic engineer, or as an engineer at a traffic management company. Some of the jobs that traffic engineers work on include:
Signs, Signals, and Roadways
By working on the design and operation of traffic signs, signals, and other elements of roadways, traffic engineers are able to ensure that the roadway design, traffic volume and usage, and the markings, signs, and signals all work in tandem to create a safe flow of traffic for everyone.
New Roadway Designs
Traffic engineers are involved in the design of new roadways, streets, and highways. By projecting traffic loads and patterns and by making sure that the road design, traffic signs, and signals match those traffic patterns, a traffic engineer can easily maximize the capabilities of a new roadway.
Addressing Traffic Issues
Traffic engineers are often tasked with addressing traffic shortcomings on existing roadways, especially when a roadway’s design no longer matches how it is being used. At this point, a traffic engineer will design and plan for alterations to the road or traffic signs and signals in order to create a better flow of traffic.
If you would like to learn more about what a traffic engineer is, or if you are interested in their traffic engineering services, please contact Valley Traffic Systems at the location nearest you or by filling out a quote form on their website.
