Public Shift: Architecture and Engineering Firms Expect Business To Stay Good – But Maybe Not In Traditional Fashion

August 2, 2022

Business has been good for New Jersey’s architecture and engineering firms and even with the recession looming, engineers expect business to remain good. Last year’s $1.2 trillion federal infrastructure bill is guiding north of $12 billion into New Jersey coffers for public infrastructure projects. That’s funding roads, bridges and the rest — but also cleanups of emerging contaminants such as groundwater- and soil-invasive consumer goods component PFOS chemicals.

In ROI-NJ’s article, “Public Shift: Architecture and Engineering Firms Expect Business to Stay Good – But Maybe Not In Traditional Fashion,” T&M Vice President and PM/CM Practice Leader, Mike Regan, said there are projects likely going to the bid stage by the end of the year, with the infrastructure dollars at the forefront of planning.

“There are certainly already some projects working their way through the system that are design-ready, if not actually shovel-ready,” he said. “Mostly, those projects are those that are on the local level, (where) county governments have looked for worthwhile projects that line up with the intent of the bill.”

And the guiding philosophy of projects that the infrastructure dollars will go to is also more apparent, he added. There’s less of an interest in repairing infrastructure that’s in disrepair only enough to get it into serviceable condition

“In the past, it was sort of a wash-rinse-repeat type of approach,” he said. “The goal as I understand it — in talking with some of the agency leaders involved — is to make sure this investment goes to projects that rethink infrastructure and design projects.”