Traffic Technician

From New York to San Francisco, traffic flows through intersections, along construction and school zones, over mountains, across rivers, and on the interstate. Considering the sheer number of cars on the road, it’s amazing anyone reaches their destination. But they do—thanks to Traffic Engineers.

It’s the job of Traffic Engineers to make sure traffic does keep moving—in effective and efficient ways. And it’s the job of Traffic Technicians to help Traffic Engineers get it right.

As a Traffic Technician, you’re learning the ropes. Being the right, and sometimes the left, hand to Traffic Engineers and Civil Engineers puts you front and center in the entire process, from the planning to the opening ceremonies.

Much of your job as a Traffic Technician involves doing the legwork for the project. You go on site, witness the current use, take note of problem areas, and listen to the complaints of residents. Is the speed on the road too high? Does a curve in the road create a blind driveway? Would a median help with the flow of traffic?

To help you gather pertinent information, you set up equipment that takes readings and gathers data. For example, you might use a radar gun to calculate the average speeds of drivers in the area. You might also rely on cameras or traffic counters. With the information and your ideas in hand, you create reports so that Engineers can solve problems or design a system that makes the roads safer.