Engineering Inc. - Spring 2020 - 47

"There are a lot of infrastructure needs and firms expanding
into the North Carolina market, which is increasing competition,
but there are plenty of opportunities out there."
GARY HARTONG
NATIONAL DIRECTOR
ACEC/NC
PRESIDENT
THE WOOTEN CO.

But the state also shares the national challenges of funding
"Our firms scrambled to ramp up and deliver the program,"
and talent resource shortages.
Smith says. However, after a series of substantially damaging
"Like most every other marketplace, our Member Firms are
hurricanes, NCDOT went from spending about $60 million
having a hard time finding good qualified people," says Smith,
for storm recovery to well over $200 million. Along with
who also sees a growing movement toward moving project
lawsuit settlements as a result of a bill called the Map Act,
management responsibilities away from traditional engineers to
which allowed NCDOT to reserve land for future projects,
free them up for more technical tasks.
that was ruled unconstitutional, the state quickly reached its
"Those tasks could be done by non-engineers who have the
mandated cash balance floor, which led to more than 900
training. And if you bring in people
accelerated transportation projects
to do that work from other indusbeing suspended indefinitely.
The Linn Cove Viaduct, a
tries, whether it is pharmaceutical
"That was a huge blow to the
1,243-foot concrete segmental
or manufacturing, you end up
industry," Smith says. "Many
bridge, is considered one
of North Carolina's most
bringing in a more diverse workfirms held on to what they still
challenging bridge constructions
force, as well," he says.
had going, but by the time we got
in terms of complexity and
environmental concerns.
Macro-environmental condito October, we had a lot of firms
tions, such as recent hurricanes,
facing major layoffs come the
climate change, and the need for
holiday season."
clean energy, also present industry
In response, the state
challenges, according to Clyburn.
organization led a coalition
In fact, environmental issues
effort that successfully urged
have become so prevalent that in
the legislature to infuse over
October 2018, North Carolina
$200 million into the NCDOT
Gov. Roy Cooper signed an execubudget, which helped get many
tive order that not only supports
projects restarted. It was also able
the 2015 Paris Agreement on
to push restart dates up by two
climate goals, but pledges that by
months, so most of the layoffs did
2025, North Carolina will reduce
not occur, according to Smith.
statewide greenhouse gas emisIt has been the relationships
sions to 40 percent below 2005
built over the last 50 years, with
levels, increase the number of
the state's General Assembly and
registered, zero-emission vehicles to
with state agency leaders, that
at least 80,000, and reduce energy
provided the foundation for the
consumption per square foot in
state's engineering industry to
state-owned buildings by at least 40 percent from 2002-2003
receive legislative help through this "NCDOT Cash Balance," a
levels.
crisis which affected both large and small Member Firms.
Major hurricanes in 2016 and 2018 caused significant busi"Our sole mission is to promote the business interests
ness disruptions, slowed projects, and halted funding for many
of engineering firms in North Carolina through legislative
infrastructure projects. Those hurricanes played a major role in
advocacy and business services," Clyburn says. "We are the
the North Carolina Department of Transportation's (NCDOT)
watchdogs for legislation that can affect the business of
cash crunch in 2018, which impacted many ACEC/NC
engineering in North Carolina, and we have the strategic
Member Firms.
relationships and regular contact with leaders to make sure we
In 2016, NCDOT pledged to ramp up transportation
are articulating the concerns of the industry and meeting their
project delivery. The budget for engineering and planning
best interests." ■
nearly doubled in size from about $250 million per year to over
Stacy Collett is a business and technology writer based in Chicago.
$500 million.

By 2025, North Carolina
will reduce statewide
greenhouse gas emissions
to 40 percent
below 2005 levels

SPRING 2020

ENGINEERING INC.

Engineering Inc. - Spring 2020

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