National Engineers Week: Meeting an engineer with the I-10 Bridges over the Gila River Project

Where we are going, we need safe roads.

Here at ADOT, we love to celebrate National Engineers Week. It serves as a gentle reminder to highlight and recognize the importance that engineers play in building Arizona's roads and keeping everyone safe. 

It is in that spirit that we highlight one of our very own talented civil engineers, Robby Richards III.

Richards, who has been with ADOT for a decade, began his career as transportation intern in 2013. Now, he is the Resident Engineer for ADOT’s Santan Field office. He oversees a number of projects, including the I-10 Bridges over the Gila River Project, which is expected to kick off this spring. 

Reflecting on his career as an engineer, Richards noted that success is defined simply by effort.

“You get out what you put into this,” he says, sitting in his office in Chandler. “The great thing about this job and working at ADOT is that we get to problem solve and work together as a team. The things we do impact the transportation facilities that people use every day, such as bridges, roads and highways.”

Richards says he fell in love with construction at a young age. He attended Arizona State University for Construction Engineering. While enrolled at ASU, he earned a bachelor's and a master's degree and was part of ADOT’s Engineers in Training program from 2017-2019.

"Robby has come up through the ADOT system. That continuity has given him great professional insight to all the ins-and-outs of this industry,” said Dan Richmond, an ADOT Materials Coordinator.

“He is also a pragmatic leader who leads with empathy, curiosity and compassion,” Richmond added.

As he reflected on Engineer’s Week, Richards emphasized that aspiring engineers should find an exciting place to work that offers growth opportunities and access to mentorship.

“Engineering is a tight-knit community. You find people who are passionate about doing good work,” Richards said. “For those who want to be engineers, find people who want to teach you and mentor you. Now, I get a chance to help those who are coming up behind me. I make it my goal to make ADOT a place where young minds get excited about coming to work everyday.”