Author Description

Transportation construction inspectors (CIs) have specific expertise in areas such as earthwork, structures, and pavement. CIs apply this expertise to ensure that construction work meets or exceeds the construction contract requirements. State departments of transportation are facing attrition in the CI workforce and losses in institutional knowledge among CIs as a result of retirements, agency downsizing, and fewer individuals pursuing construction inspection. The number of candidate CIs is projected to be inadequate to meet current and future needs. The TRB National Cooperative Highway Research Program's NCHRP Research Report 1027: Guide to Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transportation Infrastructure Construction Inspectors describes approaches that state DOTs can use to build and sustain a construction inspection workforce. Supplemental to the report are NCHRP Web-Only Document 337: Training and Certification of Construction Inspectors for Transportation Infrastructure, an Implementation Memorandum, and a Dissemination Presentation.