Best Places for Civil Engineers 2022 (2023)

By Laurie A. Shuster

Los Angeles, Denver and Houston still dominate the top 10 places where civil engineering is practiced. But two newcomers, Phoenix and Detroit, also made the list this year.

Los Angeles, Denver and Houston again topped the ASCE list of top cities for civil engineering that year. Despite swapping places in the top three over the past three years, the three very different cities remain the most attractive in terms of wages, job opportunities and cost of living.

Los Angeles was ranked number one for the first time that year. And two newcomers, Phoenix and Detroit, debuted on the top 10 list.

Each year, ASCE uses data from its proprietary salary survey as the starting point for the Best Places report. Salaries are indexed and matched with job vacancy data provided this year by Madgex Inc. from Hoboken, New Jersey. From that score, we subtract an index that reflects the cost of living in that city to arrive at an overall ranking.

In addition to these metrics, big cities have a lot to recommend, according to engineers who live and work in these cities. Each has a variety of ongoing and ongoing engineering projects in numerous subdisciplines of civil engineering, and the Infrastructure Jobs and Investments Act is likely to increase this activity. (To read "New Infrastructure Act Provides Historic Federal Resources.“)

los angeles tem ab

Matthew Melnyk, S.E., M.ASCE, director of Nous Engineering, a small civil engineering firm based in Los Angeles, is not surprised that the city tops the list this year. He says there are many large and small projects underway in and around the city that make Los Angeles a great place for civil engineers. These include the city's efforts to prepare for the 2028 Olympic Games, the $14 billion airport modernization project, a 240-acre redevelopment project on the Los Angeles River, and "a sustainable revitalization that includes residential and use developments mixed".

In fact, Los Angeles is in the midst of a flurry of work in preparation for the 2028 Olympic Games. Under the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation AuthorityMetro-Visionsplan 2028, Metro, as it is known, will spend tens of millions to ensure that all county residents have access to quality mobility options within a 10-minute walk or drive of their homes, and public transit wait times not exceeding to 15 minutes at any time of the day and, among other things, improve the average speed of the regional bus network by 30%. These are key destinations for a city known more for its congested highways than its public transport capability and ease of getting around.

"We are excited to see the momentum unfold as Los Angeles prepares to host the 2028 Olympic Games," said Melnyk. “We were lucky enough to work with Gensler Architects on the Banc of California Stadium; It will form part of the Downtown Sports Park and will host some men's and women's soccer and track and field events. We appreciate the city's old-is-new approach to renovating the existing buildings that will host various events across the city."

The city is also preparing to receive more visitors this year, as the COVID-19 pandemic should finally subside and business and leisure travel will resume. (In fact, as of press time, the ASCE plans to hold its 2022 in-person annual meeting in nearby Anaheim in October.) To get more fliers moving quickly, Los AngelesThe International Airport began construction on a 2.25-mile elevated railway in March 2019automated passenger transportwith six seasons. This project is scheduled for completion in 2023.

Engineers involved in water supply and plumbing will also find many opportunities in Los Angeles. according to thatCalifornia Infrastructure Certificate 2019, produced by ASCE Region 9, aging potable water pipes continue to be a problem for the city. For example, the report states that "approximately one-third of the city's 6,780 miles of pipelines were installed before 1938 and will reach the end of their useful lives within the next two decades." Therefore, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is prioritizing key exchanges and investing $6.3 billion in water filtration and storage systems through 2024, the report said.

LADWP is also innovative in its energy sector. YourLA100The initiative aims to help the city transition to reliable, 100% renewable electricity by 2045, or possibly even 2035. "I'm very excited to be a part of the current and future projects that form part of LA100," said Chloe Gharios. EIT A.M.ASCE, Associate Civil Engineer at LADWP, Chair of the ASCE Los Angeles Chapter Younger Members Forum and one of the 2021 ASCE New Faces of Civil Engineering Professionals. are huge, and being a part of that and working on these big, impactful projects every day is really why I wanted to be a civil engineer in the first place."

What skills does a civil engineer working in Los Angeles need the most? A willingness to be creative, says Gharios. “We innovate and develop new solutions for our renewable energy goals, so we don't always work on projects that have been done before. That means learning while we work and finding ready-made solutions to the problems we encounter.”

Melnyk agrees. "They say people go to New York to 'do things,' but they go to Los Angeles to 'do things.' That rings very true,” he says. “I think LA is a collective of people with a spirit of invention and experimentation , breaking with the status quo and thinking differently."

denver inspired

Denver has moved up from third to second this year, which is no surprise to Luis Duque, P.E., M.ASCE, a bridge engineer at Foothills Bridge Co. in Boulder and president of the ASCE Denver Younger Member Group. Branch.

"We have good weather, lots of outdoor activities and lots of big companies here that hire a lot of people," says Duque. In addition, there are many ways civil engineers can volunteer in Denver, Duque notes. “Almost every engineering organization has teams here. In addition to the ASCE, we have sections of the Society of Women Engineers, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the Colorado Association of Geotechnical Engineers, and others.”

according to that2020 Testimonial for Colorado Infrastructure, produced by the Colorado Chapter of ASCE, Denver has a variety of major civil engineering projects planned or underway, from highways and transit to water supply and delivery. For example, a major project called Central 70 is trying to eliminate congestion by rebuilding 10 miles of Interstate 70, which serves as Denver's central corridor. Depending on the projectwebsite, the plan will remove an aging overpass, lower the highway and add a 4-acre park on a portion of the lowered highway, reconnecting communities previously divided in two. Kiewit leads the $1.2 billion Design-Build-Operate-Hold-Finance project. Duque says Foothills Bridge is assisting with the project's bridge assessment.

And the center section isn't the only part of I-70 that needs improvement. The Floyd Hill project is trying to solve a bottleneck along an 8-mile section of highway west of the city by, among other things, adding a third westbound lane, building a missing road link in front, adding an auxiliary lane east and Intersections and intersections are improved. Deliverables The project will be completed via a supervisor/general contractor delivery method, with the general contractor being selected later this year. “Floyd Hill on I-70 affects everyone who drives west to use our mountains,” said Omar Venzor, P.E., M.ASCE, senior project manager, Denver office of consulting firm WSB and president of the Denver office. by ASCE. "There's a lot of traffic on the Autobahn, especially during the ski season, so any improvement is welcome."

Another project that Venzor is excited to complete is the renovation of the 16th Street Mall, a downtown mall. In March 2021, the city council approved a $149 million reconstruction of the deteriorating plaza to make room for buses in its center corridor and widen its sidewalks.

"The 16th Street Mall is one of the most visited tourist destinations," says Venzor. (To read "Denver Is Rebuilding Historic Downtown to Be Pedestrian-Friendly“ in Civil Engineering Online.)

Denver is also a hub of innovation. A recently completed art exhibition park/skate park doubles as a rainwater storage facility. (To read "Denver art installation promotes flood control effortsin CE online). And the Regional Transportation District, operator of bus, rail and light rail services in the region, was "one of the first and largest transit agencies to adopt electric vehicles in its fleet," according to the report. Card with purchase of 36 electric buses serving downtown Denver. “The introduction of more electric buses positions RTD to move closer to the government's goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions while expanding transit infrastructure,” the testimony said.

Eric Hanson, P.E., M.ASCE, founder and president of Denver-based Anchor Engineering Inc., notes that opportunities for civil engineers in Denver have only increased. "Our company has grown from about 38 to 47 employees in the last 18 months," he says. "And I know that other similar companies have had similar experiences with rising demand for services."

Houston Prospera

Houston is billing itself as the smart city of the future, and with good reason. according to the citywebsite, the metro area uses Wi-Fi in public transportation to keep commuters connected, intelligent transit systems to keep traffic moving, digital parking guidance systems to make it easier for drivers to park quickly, and dockless bikes and scooters to help people to find and use non-motorized vehicles. The city has also deployed a series of monitors to detect flooding, predict sewer overflows, measure air quality and warn of high street water levels.

"Houston is known as the Space City and is upping its game on that front," said Carol Haddock, P.E., M.ASCE, director of Houston Public Works. "Having the only urban spaceport, Houston is a place to build infrastructure that will literally help people get out of this world."

And as Civil Engineering Online Editor-in-Chief Catherine A. Cardno, Ph.D., reports in this issueTechnologyThe Houston Department of Public Works is creating a comprehensive digital twin of the city's entire water transmission and distribution system to ensure maximum efficiency.

according to thatTexas infrastructure report 2021 map, produced by the Texas Chapter of ASCE, Following Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Harris County, which includes Houston, passed a referendum on $2.5 billion in bonds to significantly improve flood defense infrastructure. And the Build Houston Forward program is a dedicated prepaid fund that invests more than $20 billion to rebuild and maintain the city's road and drainage infrastructure.

"Houston has the highest concentration of engineering jobs in Texas, from flood and drainage to transportation, land development, oil and energy, and innovation," says Haddock. "There's something for every interest."

David A. Eastwood, P.E., D.GE, CAPM, F.ASCE, president of Geotech Engineering and Testing, a citywide company with 60 employees, agrees. "Houston is a great city," he says. “It's good with low cost of living. Civil Engineers here will be exposed to a variety of projects including urbanization, public works, ports, petrochemicals and renewable energy, water, sewage and tunnels, just a wide variety.”

Yan Linwood, P.E., M.ASCE, WSP Houston Project Manager and President of the ASCE Houston Chapter Younger Members Forum, is excited about the work being done on I-610 around the city and other transportation projects. "I look forward to many discussions and progress on future projects such as the North Houston Freeway Improvement Project, the Texas High Speed ​​​​​​Rail project and the potential Houston Tunnel project, which can help tremendously with Houston's floodplains," he says..

Linwood moved to Houston eight years ago to work as an interimState highway project called DFW Connector near Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. He says he could have chosen to work in Dallas, Salt Lake City or Tampa, Florida, where he lived at the time. He chose Houston and he's happy about it. "I spent some time researching these places, and after weighing the pros and cons, Houston seemed like the perfect choice," he says. "Considering the average salary, cost of living and job availability, I'd say Houston offers the best an engineer could ask for."

the phoenix rises

Phoenix jumped from No. 12 in 2021 to No. 8 this year, breaking into the top 10 for the first time. A surprise? Not for Frederick Noelke III, P.E., S.E., M.ASCE, co-founder and partner of Bakkum Noelke Consulting Structural Engineers, a municipal company with 12 employees. "There is already a lot of money in the city and the city is being developed," says Noelke. This results in more complex and interesting constructions. "Architects have an opportunity to challenge each other and it's up to us as structural engineers to make sure that works," he says.

The city is also expanding, with new suburbs popping up on the fringes and highways expanding with them. In January, the Arizona Department of Transportation completed its Loop 101 expansion project, which added lanes and improved intersections on a 13-mile section of State Highway 101 north of the city. "Civil engineers who design bridges are very busy here right now," says Noelke.

ADOT is also looking for ways to innovate. The department recently tested the legal patch application on 36 miles of residential streets in Phoenix. (To read "Cool sidewalks help alleviate urban heat islands"em CE online.)

And Arizona's population is growing; according to thatArizona Infrastructure Bulletin 2020, published by the ASCE Arizona Chapter, Arizona's population has grown steadily by approximately 1.5% over the past five years. "While a growing population has led to greater water needs, significant investments in conservation, infrastructure and water reuse have meant that total water use has remained essentially the same over the past 50 years," the state affidavit said.

In fact, Noelke points out that, for a desert city, Phoenix handles its water problems well. "We benefit from CAP, the Central Arizona Project, which brings water from Colorado (river)," he says. "Phoenix is ​​also fortunate to be at the bottom of the Salgado River Basin, which runs through many mountains to the north and east and brings a lot of rainwater into a series of lakes and reservoirs." (Read more about design and constructionthe CAP in that numberhistory class.)

Transportation engineers are also finding opportunities in the Phoenix area. In 2015, Phoenix voters passed Proposition 104 to inject $31 billion into the city's public transportation system over 25 years, according to state testimony. Four light rail extensions and a new streetcar line are planned or under construction to create an approximately 49-mile system in the greater Phoenix area by 2030.

And Phoenix has embarked on what it calls a complete street program that aims to make select city streets more accessible and comfortable for all modes of transportation. “Through this policy, the main focus of the road project will no longer be just driving speed and efficiency, but the safety and comfort of all road users”, explains the project director.website.

Civil engineering jobs seem to be plentiful. Noelke says his company is looking for civil engineers, ranging from recent college graduates to seasoned professionals with five to 10 years of experience, but is having trouble finding candidates. “Everyone is very busy right now,” he says. “Companies have no problem retaining their employees.

“We mainly do commercial and industrial work, so we work for microchip manufacturers, for example. There are some big ones here in town: Intel and Fujifilm,” he says. “Then there are many small companies that make related products. We also build office buildings and multi-story apartment buildings. Senior facilities are big in Arizona.”

ignited detroit engines

Detroit has seen an encouraging comeback since the city filed for bankruptcy in 2013. In recent years, the Motor City has begun to break even, revitalizing its downtown and attracting new businesses, both automaker and non-auto, he said.Detroit Free Press.

One of the city's most attractive projects is the Gordie Howe International Bridge, a gigantic cable-stayed bridge under construction between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The 1.5 mile bridge will be delivered by a design and construction team from Dragados Canada, Fluor and Aecon, with architecture designed by AECOM. The $5.7 billion project, due for completion in 2024, includes a community service plan that emphasizes neighborhood participation and development projects, as well as training and learning for the local workforce, the project said.website.

Michael G. Darga, P.E., M.ASCE, partner at Giffels Webster, a 100-person firm that operates in and out of town, says the bridge project is generating a lot of work and a lot of excitement. “But what I would like to see, although it hasn't been funded yet, is the I-375 daylight project,” he says. "It's a branch of the highway that runs from I-75 to downtown Detroit, and it's underground. It passed through a historically black neighborhood, and the Michigan Department of Transportation wants to resurface it and turn it into a boulevard."

Perhaps no other project is more emblematic of the city's rebirth than the revamped Michigan Central Station, an abandoned 18-story rail complex converted into event, retail, small manufacturing and mobility testing space. (To read "The Michigan Central Station project is redefining the connection to transportation” on CE Online.) Darga's company is contributing to the project. "It's a huge project, not just in scale, but in terms of transforming Detroit," he says. “It's in the oldest part of the city, Corktown, which is hundreds of years old. Seeing this makes a big statement about where the city can go back to.

"We do a lot of work on adaptive reuse," says Darga. “We transform industrial buildings into art campuses, lively workspaces and creative spaces. We have a lot of artistic and cultural things going on in the city.”

Another symbol of the city's turnaround is the large-scale construction on the site of a former Hudson department store, which collapsed in 1998 during the chain's final years. The redevelopment will include residential units in a tower on a podium that will include commercial and retail space.

And while the city is known for its auto industry, it has made "great strides" in non-motorized transport, says Darga. “Our company made itMaster plan for local non-motorized transportcity," he says. "Since then the city has gone crazy to implement it. In 2010 there were perhaps 20 miles of non-motorized roads and now there are probably more than 300 miles. Detroit's city redevelopment has taken the lead in rehabilitating corridors. commercial areas, redesigning the highway and creating two-lane bike lanes. Help local businesses.

Darga points out that about 320-City of the Year, Detroit is always in need of civil engineering projects. "We joke that if we connect to the sewers of the 1900s, we'll be in pretty good shape," he notes. "Most of our standard urban sewage system is made of bricks."

With a slightly higher median salary in the ASCE survey and a much lower cost of living than many cities, Detroit certainly has its appeal. And business is booming. "My partners and I have made a lot of suggestions over the last few months," says Darga. "There's a lot going on."

What does it take to be a successful civil engineer in Detroit? Darga says that in addition to basic technical skills, his company values ​​good communication, a willingness to learn and a commitment to the city's future. "We're looking for someone who has a passion for technology and the city," says Darga. “You can work anywhere. So when someone works in our downtown office, we want to make sure they really want to be here and be part of the changes.

"You can make a difference for civil contractors in Detroit."

Laurie A. Shuster is editor-in-chief ofcivil Engineering

This article first appeared in the March/April 2022 issue ofcivil Engineering

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