(King of Prussia, PA) Engineers Week (Feb 20-26, 2022) was created by the National Society of Professional Engineers in 1951 to increase the understanding of and interest in engineering careers, particularly from a diverse and well-educated workforce. This week, Dawood is shining a spotlight on some of our engineers to showcase the breadth of knowledge and experience among our staff. Today, we speak with Lori Ware, PE, PTOE, Manager of Traffic Services.
Hi Lori! Please tell us a little bit about how you got into the engineering field and what your current position at Dawood is like.
In high school I was trying to figure things out. I had so many interests in math and science but wasn’t sure where to take that. My grandmother was an engineer, and most of my friends were thinking of going into that field, so I did too. I started off in the general engineering field and took the time to listen to the many professional engineers that would guest lecture in my classes. I decided on civil engineering, with a focus on transportation.
I joined the Dawood team in 2010 as the very first employee of the King of Prussia office. With a PennDOT district office 10 minutes down the road, I worked closely with this client to build Dawood’s footprint in the greater Philadelphia area. Through this success, and the growth of the King of Prussia office to staff of 14, I was appointed the Manager of Traffic Services position in 2021.
Each day is different for me. I can be working on a $25,000 traffic analysis project at the start of the week, and a $25 million design project by the end of the week. And while PennDOT makes up most of the projects, I also work with the Pennsylvania Turnpike, multiple townships, and the City of Philadelphia.
What is so special about engineering and how does it motivate you?
I like the permanence of transportation projects, the visibility of them, and watching the way that traffic flows. I like how I can help to control people’s movement and keep them safe. When I’m on vacation, particularly in Europe, I like to check out how European traffic signals work and differ from what we have here.
Tell us about one of your favorite Dawood projects and what makes it stand out to you.
One project I am particularly proud of is an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ramp design and review project for the City of Philadelphia. To date, my team and I have designed 20 ramps for the City to meet today’s standards and inspected close to 5,000 ramps. The City recently increased our contract from $2 million to $4 million, so we must be doing something right.
What’s something that people might not know about you professionally?
I think most people know me for my extensive knowledge of ADA requirements. Overall, my team and I have reviewed more than 40,000 ramps for PennDOT, among other clients! What some might not know about me is that I volunteer my time to judge the Future Cities competition and help with the Mid-Atlantic Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (MASITE) conference every year. I hope to help with Math Counts competitions once they resume post-COVID.
What do you like to do when you’re not at work?
I spend most of my free time playing with my two children, which is the best! When I can, I also enjoy walking and taking photos of scenic landscapes.
For more of our Engineers Week Profiles,