In a letter to Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, NSPE emphasized the essential role of professional engineers in the nation’s transportation infrastructure. NSPE President Kodi Verhalen, P.E., Esq., F.NSPE, stated, “professional engineer’s education, experience, and professional obligations to protect the public health, safety, and welfare place the professional engineer in a key leadership role in ensuring infrastructure innovation, rebuilding, and growth. Specifically, professional engineering activities associated with infrastructure, such as development studies, design, implementation plans, construction quality assurance, operations, and maintenance, fulfill DOT’s mission, as well as enrich and enhance our global economy.”
Professional engineers can provide DOT with critical expertise and serve a unique role in infrastructure development as the individuals in the decision chain who have a duty to put public safety first. Professional engineers also play a key role in innovative design, ensuring cost savings, and construction quality that will better position us to compete with our international counterparts.