00200307

Component

http://onlinepubs.trb.org...rbbulletin/106/106-002.pdf

INCREASING RATES OF HIGHWAY BUILDING THROUGHOUT THE NATION HAVE CREATED THE PROBLEM OF OBTAINING ENGINEERING PERSONNEL IN SUFFICIENT NUMBERS AND WITH ADEQUATE EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING. A STUDY WAS MADE OF PRACTICES IN THE USE OF PRIVATE ENGINEERING SERVICES TO ALLEVIATE THIS SITUATION. THE PRACTICES OF STATE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENTS WERE OBTAINED BY QUESTIONNAIRES RECEIVED FROM 44 STATES, BY ADDITIONAL CORRESPONDENCE AND INTERVIEWS WITH HIGHWAY OFFICIALS IN A NUMBERED OF SELECTED STATES, BY INTERVIEW WITH A NUMBER OF CONSULTING ENGINEERS AND GROUPS OF CONSULTANTS, AND BY INTERVIEWS WITH ENGINEERING ADMINISTRATORS OF THE NON- HIGHWAY AGENCIES INCLUDED IN THE STUDY. A SUMMARY OF THE TYPES OF ENGINEERING WORK PERFORMED BY CONSULTANTS FOR 35 STATE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENTS AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA IS PRESENTED IN A TABLE. ONE SURVEYED INDUSTRY MAINTAINING EXCEPTIONALLY DETAILED COST INFORMATION REPORTED THAT ENGINEERING BY CONSULTANTS IN ITS FIELD OF ACTIVITY COST CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN IT WOULD COST TO DO THE SAME ENGINEERING INTERNALLY IF STAFF WERE AVAILABLE. THE NEED IS EMPHASIZED FOR COST DATA TO MAKE MORE SPECIFIC ANALYSES POSSIBLE. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING PERSONNEL BE CONSERVED FOR PERFORMANCE OF THE PROFESSIONAL ASPECTS OF WORK AND A SUFFICIENT BODY OF TECHNICIAN-TYPE PERSONNEL BE TRAINED.

No 106, pp 25-30, 2 TAB Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

01410509

1955

Highway Research Board Bulletin

Digital/other

Contractors; Costs; Engineering personnel; Highway departments; Highway engineering; Questionnaires; Road construction; State highway departments

Administration and Management; Finance; Highways

TRIS, TRB

Jul 28 1994 12:00AM

• ENGINEERING-PERSONNEL NEEDS FOR HIGHWAY DEPARTMENTS