Transportation Engineering

Transportation engineering is the use of scientific principles for the planning, design, use and management of any form of transport to ensure it is safe and comfortable. This form of engineering ensures the transport is economical and compatible when moving people or goods. The planning and design of these various modes of transport also looks at the speed, convenience and reliability. This subdivision of civil engineering can be categorised into several different areas that specialise in their own field. Highway engineering looks at the transportation requirements of the public and analysis the locations of high traffic volumes and collisions. From their findings they, if necessary, will plan design and construct highways to improve the roads in and around surrounding areas, maintaining safety levels and environmental areas. Other areas include railroad, port and harbour and airport engineering. This specialised field of engineering and engineers deal with all areas of transportation, new and current. Transportation engineering is necessary in the planning and design of any new roads being executed, or any new modes of transport as it looks at the planning and construction to ensure safety and stability in the design and construction. Transportation engineers are crucial to the safety aspects of these builds as heavy traffic on a badly constructed road or a high number of passengers on a poorly built train can have terrible consequences if they fail to do the job they are designed for.