Transportation Planner-Engineer I-Iii (Limited Term)

JOB DESCRIPTION

The City of San Luis Obispo has an opening for a Transportation Planner Engineer I, II, or III (Limited Term) in the Public Works Department.

This position is anticipated to be a one-year contract position. This posting will remain open until filled.

Please note: The City of San Luis Obispo is currently offering a lump-sum hiring incentive for most positions which may be valued up to $5,000. In addition, the City is also honoring service credit towards vacation accrual for completed public sector years of service.

Transportation Planner-Engineer I:

Salary range: $2,940 - $3,609 - bi-weekly;

$76,440 - $93,834 - annual

Transportation Planner-Engineer II:

Salary range: $3,262 - $4,005 bi-weekly;

$84,812 - $104,130 annual

Transportation Planner-Engineer III:

Salary range: $3,525 - $4,328 bi-weekly;

$91,650 - $112,528 annual

JOB SUMMARY:

Performs professional and technical multimodal transportation services assigned to the Transportation Division. Employees in this job class provide dual-role planning and engineering services specializing in multimodal transportation programs and projects. Projects worked on may include those relating to transportation safety, operations, planning, and design. As employees show an increase in knowledge, skills, abilities, and initiative, employees are eligible for promotion within the series.

CLASS CHARACTERISTICS:

This classification is part of the Transportation Planner-Engineer career series. Employees in this classification may also work under the Capital Design and Development Review work groups as needed.

SUPERVISION

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED:

Employees in this classification work under general supervision of the Deputy Director or Transportation Manager within a broad framework of policies and procedures.

Employees in the this classification are not directly responsible for the supervision and evaluation of other City staff; however they may provide supervision of work product assigned to less senior or intern staff. Employees in this classification will be expected to provide supervision of consultant services for various transportation projects and studies.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

(Any one position may not include all of the duties listed nor do the listed examples include all tasks that may be found in positions of this class.)

• Performs various multimodal transportation studies and surveys including transporting and deploying monitoring devices. Maintains the City's various multimodal transportation databases such as collisions, volumes, speeds, modal splits, and other such records.

• Implements the City's Neighborhood Traffic Management and Safe Routes to Schools programs; facilitating public meetings and workshops, conducting studies, developing solutions, implementation, and monitoring.

• Represents the Public Works Department in receiving and responding to citizen service requests regarding multimodal transportation issues.

• Reviews encroachment and other transportation related permits, such as temporary traffic control plans, for public and private construction in addition to special events.

• Designs, engineers, and prepares construction drawings for minor capital projects such as roadway signing, striping, and traffic signal modification.

• Prepares requests for quotes, manages, and inspects minor contract construction projects.

• Reviews development applications for compliance with State, Federal, and Local policy and code as well as best practices in multimodal transportation design and operation.

• Manages consultant service contracts for a variety of transportation planning and engineering projects.

• Prepares applications for transportation grant funding, manages and implements grant requirements and submittals.

• Prepares staff reports to the City Council, City Manager, and advisory bodies. Attends public meetings and assists in the preparation and delivery of public presentations.

• Assists with active transportation education and advocacy functions.

• Performs related duties similar to the above in scope and function as required.

In additional to the above, the Transportation Planner-Engineer II may include theduties listed below:

• Conducts and reviews multimodal transportation impact studies, initial studies, and environmental impact reports.

• Manages transportation capital projects including project development, public outreach and agency coordination, environmental review, permitting, preparation of plans & specifications, bidding, and construction support.

• Provides professional and technical transportation engineering support to the Capital Project Design and Development Review work groups as necessary

• Conducts traffic safety and operations investigations, identifies contributing factors, develops and implements improvement measures.

• Conducts capacity analysis, multimodal level of service calculations, Vehicle Miles Travel calculations, and microsimulation.

• Reviews annexations, re-zonings, general plan amendments, subdivisions, and use permits for consistency with Federal, State, and Local policy and code.

• Provides technical design and planning assistance to Transit and Parking services.

• Designs, engineers, and prepares construction documents for moderately complex capital projects such as typical traffic signals, standard roadway & trail improvements, and other common multimodal facilities.

In additional to the above, the Transportation Planner-Engineer III may include theduties listed below:

• Performs multimodal travel demand forecasts utilizing the City's travel demand model.

• Prepares traffic simulation models for traffic operations assessments; develops and implements traffic signal configuration and timing plans.

• Monitors changes in laws, regulations, best practices and technology that may affect departmental operations; implements policy and procedural changes after approval.

• Examines Capital and private development plans, calculations and specifications for complex construction, alteration, and repair projects for compliance with applicable transportation policy and code.

• Coordinates work activities with other divisions, departments, jurisdictions and private entities. Prepares reports and presentations for public and private bodies.

• Designs, engineers, and prepares construction documents for major complex capital projects such as specialty/custom roadway improvements and unique multimodal facilities. This includes design of elements such as geometrics, cross sections, drainage, and pavement structural sections.

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of multimodal transportation planning and engineering.

• State and Federal laws, codes, regulations, standards, and guidelines pertaining to the planning, design, construction, and operation of transportation facilities.

• Principles and practices of transportation studies and surveys such as Spot Speed, Traffic Volume, Sight Distance, Travel Time, Intersection Delay, Crash Analysis, etc.

• Computer systems and applicable software programs including AutoCAD and ArcGIS.

• Application of Federal and State regulations and guidelines such as Highway Capacity Manual Methodologies, Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Device Standards and Guidelines, California Highway Design Manual Standards and Guidelines, and AASHTO.

• Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, and California Vehicle Code.

• Principles and practices of Neighborhood Traffic Management, Pedestrian, and Bicycle planning, study, design, implementation, construction and management.

• City policies and procedures relating to project development, review, approval, and purchasing policies.

In additional to the above, the Transportation Planner-Engineer IIwill be required to have knowledge of:

• Planning, design, engineering and study methods relating to transportation planning and engineering projects.

• Federal and State laws pertaining to planning and project development such as the National Environmental Policy Act, California Environmental Quality Act, and Subdivision Map Act.

• Capacity and Multimodal Level of Service analysis.

• Principles and practices of project management, evaluation, organization, coordination, and direction.

• Cost estimating, bidding and public contract code, contract management.

In additional to the above, the Transportation Planner-Engineer IIIwill be required to have knowledge of:

• Principles, practices, and legal guidelines of traffic signal timing and programing. Traffic signal controller hardware and operating systems.

• Centralized signal management systems. Traffic operations Micro-simulation software such as Synchro and Vissim.

• Principles and practices of advanced traffic safety and operations including assessment studies, traffic devices, elements of transportation facility design, incident management, and general transportation facility construction and management.

• Four-step travel demand modeling process and travel demand modeling software such TransCAD.

Ability to:

• Deal tactfully and courteously in written and oral form with the public, contractors, and representatives of other agencies in providing professional transportation engineering and planning services to the public.

• Establish and maintain effective work relationships with those contacted in the performance of required duties.

• Apply knowledge gained from education, training and experience in the performance of professional level duties. Retain and apply experience gained in the furtherance of performance and progress within the planner-engineer series.

• Meet the physical requirements necessary to safely and effectively perform duties in both a standard office and in a field environment including construction zones. Carry office materials and/or field equipment weighing up to fifty pounds, operate a full size pickup or van towing a standard ball and hitch style trailered equipment, and to install monitoring devices in the roadway.

• Periodically work off-hours and weekends to conduct period specific traffic studies and attend various types of public meetings.

• Analyze transportation data, formulate findings and recommendations, and write technical reports summarizing.

• Organize and direct contract consultants and intern / tech staff on a project by project basis.

In additional to the above, the Transportation Planner-Engineer II will be required to have the ability to:

• Interpret, apply and explain complex laws, codes, regulations and ordinances.

• Organize and facilitate community meetings and public workshops, effectively speak in an open public format, and conduct self with compassion and professionalism in a verbally hostile environment.

• Solve complex multimodal transportation problems utilizing a variety of planning and engineering techniques.

• Conduct capacity analysis and multimodal level of service calculations using the Highway Capacity Manual and associated software applications.

• Prepare construction and bidding documents for transportation capital improvement projects.

• Review private and public construction plans for compliance with applicable policy and code and apply best practices in multimodal transportation design and operations.

• Conduct various types of parking and transit analysis and provide technical assistance.

• Prepare bid ready construction plans for various multimodal transportation projects.

• Prepare and oversee project budgets and grant funding documentation.

In additional to the above, the Transportation Planner-Engineer III will be required to have the ability to:

• Operate the City's travel demand and microsimulation models.

• Prepare and program signal timing and operations plans.

• Perform advanced analysis, evaluation, and design for complex traffic safety and operational projects.

• Interpret, apply and explain complex laws, codes, regulations and ordinances.

• Independently examine plans, calculations and specifications for roads, traffic signals, traffic control devices, traffic calming devices and related construction, alteration and repair projects to ensure compliance with engineering standards and specifications.

• Independently review private development submittals and public works projects for compliance with state and local regulations and specifications.

• Represent the City and the Department in various public meetings related to multimodal transportation infrastructure issues.

TYPICAL QUALIFICATIONS

Transportation Planner-Engineer I

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Bachelor's degree in engineering with specialization in transportation or Bachelor's degree in planning with specialization in transportation, or a related field.

or

An equivalent combination of education and experience.

POSSESSION AND MAINTENANCE OF:

• A valid California Class C driver's license and a satisfactory driving record.

Transportation Planner-Engineer II

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Bachelor's degree in engineering with specialization in transportation or Bachelor's degree in planning with specialization in transportation, or a related field.

and

Two years of professional experience in the field of transportation planning and engineering.

or

An equivalent combination of education and experience.

POSSESSION AND MAINTENANCE OF:

• A valid California Class C driver's license and a satisfactory driving record.
• A valid certificate of registration as an Engineer in Training (EIT) is highly desirable.

Transportation Planner-Engineer III

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Bachelor's degree in engineering with specialization in transportation or Bachelor's degree in planning with specialization in transportation, or a related field.

and

Five years of professional work experience in the field of transportation planning and engineering.

or

An equivalent combination of education and experience.

POSSESSION AND MAINTENANCE OF:

• A valid California Class C driver's license and a satisfactory driving record.
• A valid certificate of registration as an Engineer in Training (EIT) is highly desirable.
• A valid certificate of registration as a Professional Traffic Engineer (TE) or Professional Transportation Planner (PTP) or Professional Traffic Operations Engineer (PTOE) or Professional Civil Engineer (CE) is highly desirable.
• A valid certificate as a Traffic Signal Operations Specialist (TSOS) and/or Traffic Operations Practitioner (TOPS) is desirable.