Seth Turnbull - Wells + Associates

Seth Turnbull

Seth Turnbull is a member of our traffic design team and has experience working on mixed use, residential, commercial, retail, urban, and suburban projects in the metropolitan Washington, DC region, including Loudoun County, Fairfax County, the District of Columbia, and Montgomery County. Some of these projects include developments related to Silver District West, Loudoun County Parkway improvements, and Brambleton.

Seth primarily handles design and drafting work for traffic signal design and modification plans for both new and existing signal installations. He also works on traffic control plans (TCP), maintenance of traffic (MOT) plans, and signing and pavement marking plans as well as developing graphics for traffic studies.

His support of the design team includes creating and developing tools and resources in AutoCAD and assembling base maps using GIS data for common jurisdictions in which our team develops TCP/MOT plans.

Q + A

Who are your role models?
Someone I’ve always held very high admiration for is Nikola Tesla. His story of innovation inspired me and my interests in the world of electrical engineering and the sciences. Constraints presented to him in his life, those demeaning or stealing his work, and the controversies drummed up against him never stopped him from his pursuit of invention.
How did you get interested in transportation?
Transportation had never really been an interest to me at first - it was something I took for granted. My passion for electrical work and my experience as an Electrician taught me the gratification of seeing something you helped build come to life. Back then, it was watching Riverside High School light up after spending almost two years there helping complete it from the ground up - seeing the hallways light up for the first time and seeing the stadium lights I helped erect burst with life. I started off treating design here as a tangent of electrical design, but found that same satisfaction again. Working on things so essential to everyone, that become an afterthought and made me appreciate the small things in life, such as: Knowing that behind the flick of a light switch was a host of people that made such a simple thing possible. And knowing the effort put in to efficiency and safety when I’m stopped at a traffic light. These things really ignited my passion for being a part of helping sculpt the world around me through engineering.
What do you like best about working at W+A?
I enjoy working at Wells because it feels like an outlet for the things I’ve always wanted to do. To make things. I have also come to appreciate the people around me, and how much they all make me feel like part of a really great team.
Favorite vacation spot?
I love traveling to Florida, specifically the Crescent beach neat St. Augustine. The town is beautiful, and the history is rich. The Matanzas River is filled with such rich life from manatees to dolphins. Nothing beats heading off the coast to fish for shark and other large game fish.
Favorite fast food chain?
I eat Chipotle close to a concerning number of times a week … but it’s just so good!

Contact Info

Office: (703) 676-3617