If you've driven on an Arlington street, walked inside a brand new grocery store or flushed your toilet lately, you can bet a City of Arlington engineer helped make it happen. Engineers provide numerous services to residents, from designing safe roadways to ensuring reliable transport of water, wastewater and storm water. They also oversee building and development in Arlington to make sure city standards are met.

National Engineers Week, which is being celebrated Feb. 19-25, is a great opportunity to recognize their contributions. The national event was founded by the National Society of Professional Engineers in 1951. The purpose is to increase understanding and interest in engineering and technology as careers, with the goal of ensuring a future engineering workforce.

"I'm so proud of the talented engineers from departments across our great city who help design, build and continually improve our infrastructure. From our streets and traffic signal network and from our public buildings to our water and sanitary sewer lines, our engineers work hard to make Arlington The American Dream City for those who live here, work here or enjoy our shopping and entertainment destinations," said Mayor Jeff Williams, president of Arlington-based Graham Associates, Inc. engineering and planning firm. "In my other job, I'm an engineer and have worked on big and small projects throughout Arlington and the state for decades. I know the hard work that goes into getting the job done and our engineers are doing it every single day."

Almost 30 engineers work in the city's Water Utilities, Public Works and Transportation, and Community Development and Planning departments. Dan Hartman, Engineering Operations Manager for Community Development and Planning, enjoys his career as a civil engineer because it allows him to make a difference in his community.

"Projects that I work on are tangible such that I can show my kids and grandkids. Dams, roadways, water lines, sanitary sewer mains, storm drainage facilities, bridges, water treatment plants are all physical improvements. It is easy to see the positive contribution that those projects make to everyday life," he said.

Mohammad Bayan, a senior engineer for Arlington Water Utilities, feels similarly. He has worked for the city for four years and oversees capital improvement projects for Arlington's two water treatment plants. In addition, he is the president of the North Central Texas Chapter of the Texas American Water Works Association. Being an engineer allows him "to use my technical knowledge and expertise and apply it in a field that has a big impact on our communities and residents."

Andrea Ruales has worked for the City of Arlington for 14 years. As a civil engineer for Public Works and Transportation, she manages multiple capital improvement projects and maintains constant communication with the public, City Council and professional and technical personnel. What does she like about being an engineer? For her it's "the positive impact and improvement in quality of life that I provide the citizens and society through my profession."

Arlington is also home to engineering students from around the world and award-winning engineering faculty at the UT Arlington College of Engineering. Campus events to celebrate National Engineers Week are listed here: https://www.uta.edu/engineering/news-events/engineers-week/schedule.php.