We are pleased to announce that Dyron Capers in our Charlotte office is the latest member of our team to achieve the Professional Engineer (P.E.) certification. Congratulations, Dyron! Having another PE on our team will help us serve our clients in North Carolina and the Southeast.
What Is a P.E.? (Professional Engineer)
The first professional licensure laws for engineers were enacted in the United States over a century ago. Now, as the National Society of Professional Engineers states: “every state regulates the practice of engineering to ensure public safety by granting only Professional Engineers (PEs) the authority to sign and seal engineering plans and offer their services to the public.”
As the NPSE explains, engineers must complete several steps to use a PE seal, including:
- Earning a four-year degree in engineering from an accredited engineering program
- Passing the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam
- Completing four years of progressive engineering experience under a PE
- Passing the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam
Professional Engineer (P.E.) Traffic and Transportation Services
Practically speaking, what does a P.E. offer when it comes to traffic engineering and transportation planning projects? Here are a few examples:
- In cases where a traffic signal warrant study is a requirement for a new development or redevelopment project, a Professional Engineer is normally required to sign off on the plan. Traffic signal warrant studies can be performed for property developers, cities, towns, counties and/or communities.
- In some jurisdictions, a traffic letter is required during the scoping process for a wide variety of real estate developments. Signed and stamped by a PE, a traffic letter not only includes an analysis of current and projected traffic volumes but also recommendations on how to mitigate and improve traffic flow.
- Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) plans, sometimes called a traffic control plan (TCP) or temporary traffic control plan, is often required in order to show how vehicular and pedestrian traffic will be maintained during any project where the public right-of-way is impacted. These projects include roadway construction, bicycle, sidewalk, and/or trail projects, building construction, modifications, and/or restorations. These plans are normally required to be approved/stamped by a Professional Engineer.
As you can see, we are thrilled when one of our engineers advances from the EIT (Engineer-in-Training) certification rank to the P.E. rank. Congratulations again to Dyron!