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Engineering & Architecture · Updated Aug 2026

Transportation Engineers

Develop plans for surface transportation projects, according to established engineering standards and state or federal construction policy. Prepare designs, specifications, or estimates for transportation facilities. Plan modifications of existing streets, highways, or freeways to improve traffic flow.

JVS 2.0.0-phase4b
AI Exposure
57/100
Moderate

How much of this occupation’s work can be materially affected by current AI systems.

Replacement Risk
51/100
Moderate

How likely exposure is to translate into reduced human demand.

Includes provisional estimates for AI adoption pressure and labour-market resilience. How this is measured

Evidence quality
Confidence83/100
Task coverage87%

Confidence reflects task coverage, mapping and capability-evidence quality, and how much of the score rests on provisional inputs.

Task-level evidence

What is driving the score?

Occupation scores are built from the task mix—not a single prediction about a job title.

JVS 2.0.0-phase4b
TaskImportanceAI impactExposure
Confer with contractors, utility companies, or government agencies to discuss plans, specifications, or work schedules.High
70
Check construction plans, design calculations, or cost estimations to ensure completeness, accuracy, or conformity to engineering standards or practices.High
71
Design or prepare plans for new transportation systems or parts of systems, such as airports, commuter trains, highways, streets, bridges, drainage structures, or roadway lighting.High
44
Prepare administrative, technical, or statistical reports on traffic-operation matters, such as accidents, safety measures, or pedestrian volume or practices.High
71
Prepare project budgets, schedules, or specifications for labor or materials.Medium
72
Prepare final project layout drawings that include details such as stress calculations.Medium
71
Investigate traffic problems and recommend methods to improve traffic flow or safety.Medium
72
Review development plans to determine potential traffic impact.Medium
71
Evaluate traffic control devices or lighting systems to determine need for modification or expansion.Medium
71
Investigate or test specific construction project materials to determine compliance to specifications or standards.Medium
73
Present data, maps, or other information at construction-related public hearings or meetings.High
73
Evaluate construction project materials for compliance with environmental standards.Medium
74
Design or engineer drainage, erosion, or sedimentation control systems for transportation projects.Medium
39
Evaluate transportation systems or traffic control devices or lighting systems to determine need for modification or expansion.Medium
47
Participate in contract bidding, negotiation, or administration.Medium
59
Model transportation scenarios to evaluate the impacts of activities such as new development or to identify possible solutions to transportation problems.Medium
41
Plan alteration or modification of existing transportation structures to improve safety or function.High
24
Supervise the maintenance or repair of transportation systems or system components.Medium
28
Analyze environmental impact statements for transportation projects.Medium
40
Inspect completed transportation projects to ensure safety or compliance with applicable standards or regulations.Medium
31
Most exposed

Where AI can do more

Routine, digitized, and highly repeatable tasks face the greatest pressure.

  1. Evaluate construction project materials for compliance with environmental standards.74
  2. Investigate or test specific construction project materials to determine compliance to specifications or standards.73
  3. Present data, maps, or other information at construction-related public hearings or meetings.73
  4. Prepare project budgets, schedules, or specifications for labor or materials.72
Hardest to automate

Where people still matter

These tasks score lowest on automation feasibility—physical presence, judgement, accountability and real-world variability all resist end-to-end automation.

  1. Plan alteration or modification of existing transportation structures to improve safety or function.01
  2. Supervise the maintenance or repair of transportation systems or system components.02
  3. Inspect completed transportation projects to ensure safety or compliance with applicable standards or regulations.03
  4. Design or engineer drainage, erosion, or sedimentation control systems for transportation projects.04
  5. Analyze environmental impact statements for transportation projects.05
Where else this work leads

Related occupations

Occupations O*NET links to this one. Relatedness reflects shared work, not a claim that these roles are safer.

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Beyond AI capability

Adoption and labour-market outlook

Structural factors are kept separate from raw capability so you can see what actually resists automation. Adoption pressure and labour-market resilience are still provisional models—25% of this occupation’s replacement-risk weight rests on them.

Human dependency81
Physical dependency39
Adoption pressure61
Labour-market resilience63
Methodology & sources

O*NET 30.3 occupational data interpreted through the JobsVsAI capability, automation and structural-constraint models.

Confidence83/100
CalculatedAug 21, 2026
Read methodology →