As a project leader, plans and conducts advanced transportation studies or investigations which require direction of project teams charged with analyses and recommendations for one or more problem areas, involving one or more transportation modes, and usually involving more than one discipline; or performs critical program evaluations; or supervises transportation planning data collection, analysis and summarization operations.

OR

As a registered professional landscape architect, performs professional landscape architectural work that constitutes the practice of landscape architecture as defined by RCW 18.96 for the development, implementation or management of the roadside program.

This level develops and evaluates plans, study methodology and criteria for a variety of assigned problems and projects;

Problems, modes and disciplines are enumerated in the Transportation Planning Specialist 3 specification;

Supervises an organizational segment responsible for transportation field data collection and summarization and reduction in the office, for example, road data, traffic survey.

Critical program evaluation is defined as a highly specialized evaluation of a program – multi-modal, total system impact. The evaluation requires the use of sophisticated application techniques with system-wide analysis.

As a registered landscape architect, assignments entail responsibility for function of significant scope and complexity. Incumbents apply specialized training, broad experience and professional judgment in analysis and decision making to resolve complex problems. Incumbents usually have supervisory responsibility over a unit or serve as consultants for an area regarding roadside development, implementation and/or management. Incumbents may be called upon regularly to act on behalf of their supervisor who is a registered landscape architect. This level may have landscape architectural stamping authority for contract documents.

Meets with public and private agencies to explain difficult transportation problems and provides recommendations for actions;

Develops new methodologies and techniques for transportation planning;

Serves as specialist on interdisciplinary teams formed to solve complex transportation problems;

Plans and supervises studies or serves as leadworker for broad individual studies and planning efforts;

Serves as departmental representative with other federal, state and local agencies in determining analytical models, methods or procedures to be utilized in conducting evaluative studies;

Determines impact of various legislative proposals upon financial structure and availability of funds for various state and local transportation systems;

Develops evaluative techniques for specific studies or evaluative systems for continuing application;

Conducts cost benefit studies and economic impact analyses for proposed major transportation facilities and services;

Undertakes difficult land use, dislocation and relocation and urban design research studies;

Performs or supervises evaluation of applications for various transportation planning grants and programs for local jurisdictions;

Provides technical assistance and evaluates programs of transit, air and rail service providers;

Conducts and reviews complex studies and provides recommendation for inclusion in environmental impact statements;

Supervises and develops plans and staffing for collection of field data and office summarization and reduction of such data for retention in computer systems for reference and analysis by planning specialist, engineers, etc.;

Participates as interdisciplinary team member to provide expertise in specialized field;

Supervises the development and preparation of roadside, site, and mitigation projects including studies, reports, contract plans, specifications and estimates, environmental documents, and roadside management plans;

Manages program including determining and initiating projects, determining long term staffing needs, oversee fiscal controls for projects;

Participates in selection, training, and evaluation of subordinate staff;

Performs other work as required.

There may be instances where individual positions must have additional licenses or certification. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate licenses/certifications are obtained for each position.

Persons legally authorized to work in the U.S. under federal law, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, are eligible for employment unless prohibited by other state or federal law.

A Bachelor's degree involving major study in transportation, landscape architecture, environmental or urban, regional or land use planning, engineering, public or business administration, economics or natural or physical sciences and four years' professional transportation experience involving analysis and evaluation of transportation issues and problems. Analysis of environmental issues and problems that involve transportation issues will also be considered qualifying experience.  A Master's degree in one of the above fields will substitute for one year of the required experience.

OR

Two years as a Transportation Planning Specialist 3, Transportation Engineer 3, Landscape Designer 3, or equivalent classification in city or county agencies.

Registration as a Landscape Architect in Washington State may be required for some positions.

New class: Adopted 11-8-79 (effective 1-1-80)
Revised minimum qualifications: 11-13-00
Revised definition, distinguishing characteristics, minimum qualifications, and general revision: 9-19-03
Revised new class code: (formerly 67860) effective July 1, 2007

Revised Legal Requirements; effective June 6, 2024, due to adopted legislative action.