Side Trip

Encouraging the Next Generation of Low-Volume Road Engineers

This article is from "Issue 355
(Fall 2025)"

An electronic road sign on a highway reads Career Day Ahead, with traffic barrels and barricades placed nearby. — A dynamic messaging sign welcomes local students to the Oregon Department of Transportation’s maintenance yard in rural Baker City for hands-on lessons in spreading gravel, using survey gear, and executing other aspects of road construction and upkeep. Such outreach—plus opportunities to integrate outdoor activities with work—could help attract the next generation of low-volume roads engineers to this often-overlooked field.

The Road Engineering Association of Asia and Australasia (REAAA) hosts an annual Young Presenter Competition, providing early career professionals (i.e., under 35 years old) in the road industry the opportunity to present research and projects on topics related to low-volume roads, often with a focus on practical implementation. These presentations are featured at various conferences and workshops across the region, with select submissions receiving awards. In New Zealand, where the REAAA hosts a biennial low-volume roads workshop and conference, the prize has included attendance at the TRB International Conference on Low Volume Roads in the United States. Past winners also have presented their work during the opening session of the past two REAAA General Meetings.

Ann-Elise Reynolds, transportation manager for the Whakatāne District Council in Whakatāne, New Zealand, delivers her winning Young Presenter lecture at the REAAA—New Zealand Chapter’s 2024 Low-Volume Roads Workshop in Christchurch. (Courtesy of REAAA, New Zealand Chapter)
At the same event, roads consultant Kushla Tapper discussed takeaways from the TRB Low-Volume Roads Conference in Iowa that she attended as the 2022 prize winner. (Courtesy of REAAA, New Zealand Chapter)

Despite the critical role that low-volume roads play in rural connectivity and economic development, careers in this field are often overlooked by newly graduated engineers. However, those who have pursued this path enjoy many benefits, including a less stressful rural lifestyle, opportunities to integrate outdoor activities and hobbies (e.g., hiking, biking, and drone flying) into their jobs, and the chance to develop and implement innovative, cost-effective engineering solutions for roads, bridges, and slope stability (i.e., hill, mountain, or road cutting). Supporting rural communities through infrastructure development is another rewarding aspect of this profession.

By continuing to promote low-volume road management as a viable and fulfilling career, road agencies and industry associations can attract the next generation of engineers to the field and help ensure a sustainable workforce.

Civil Engineering Student Presents LVR Research in the University of Minnesota Graduate School’s Annual 3-Minute Thesis Competition