Los Alamos County Public Works Engineering Project Manager Justin Gibson in his office Tuesday at the Municipal Building. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
It may not be immediately apparent, but the group of construction workers wearing neon-colored vests and hard hats applying a fresh coat of black asphalt on a road or pouring cement for new curbs and gutters are not the only players responsible for these projects. There are, in fact, many people involved who bring these capital projects into fruition.
Los Alamos County Public Works Engineering Project Manager Justin Gibson is one of those individuals.
Gibson came on board the Public Works team in December. Previously, he worked 16-and-a-half years in the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT). Gibson said he started as an engineer intern and finished his career with NMDOT as its District 3 Engineer, which serves the Albuquerque area.
He said he decided to move from the state level to the county because “I saw an opportunity within the Public Works engineering staff.”
Gibson added that he felt like it would be a good fit for him.
Plus, his background with NMDOT “gave me a good foundation … (and showed me) how my experience can be applied now and in the future for Los Alamos,” he said.
As the Engineering Project Manager, he works with County Engineer Elic Ulibarri on designing projects for Public Works as well as managing construction projects for the department.
A few of his current projects include the safety improvements on the section of Trinity Drive that runs from Oppenheimer Drive to 15th Street, phase II of the construction project on DP Road, updating the pedestrian master plan and design of the reconstruction project in the Denver Steels neighborhood slated for construction in two phases over the next two years.
It is a lengthy to-do list, but Gibson said the job comes with highlights.
For instance, he said, “(There’s) a high level of professionalism. I have really enjoyed that and it seems everybody is motivated for projects in the County and in the community as well.”
Another highlight, Gibson said, is seeing a project evolve from a concept to an actual, tangible thing.
Take the project on Trinity Drive, for example.
“One of the most exciting things … is to see what direction and what shape that project take in the future,” Gibson said.
The work comes with challenges, too, Gibson said addressing the older utilities throughout the County, but especially on DP Road, is one hurdle.
Gibson is a New Mexican native – he grew up in the state, went to college in New Mexico and lives in Edgewood, which is near Albuquerque.
When not in the office, Gibson said he is an outdoor enthusiast and enjoys camping, fishing with his family. He added he is a coach for youth shooting sports and his children participate in these activities such as 4-H archery, New Mexico youth hunting education challenge and New Mexico high school clay target association.