It’s been about 10 months since Jason Watson joined FOCUS, adding Transportation Engineering to our services. Jason has more than 19 years of experience designing and managing transportation projects – both large and small – throughout the western United States. We thought it would be fun to catch up with Jason and see how things have progressed with this new service and department.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jason spent his time meeting with clients like the Utah Department of Transportation, municipal leaders, and private developers to share our firm’s new roadway and traffic design capabilities. These face-to-face interactions have aided FOCUS in understanding and responding to tomorrow’s transportation challenges. They also continue to reinforce our understanding of regulations and processes.

In addition to those meetings, Jason began working side by side with FOCUS team members to brainstorm services and solutions for single- and multi-family development projects. For any projects that include roadway design, traffic signals, impact studies, or intersection design, we let the client know of our new design capabilities and discuss the services that could be included. “By performing a traffic impact study or designing the roads that connect to UDOT-owned roads, we are reducing the typical level of coordination for permitting,” Jason describes. “This internal collaboration translates into savings of time and money for our clients.”

A high level of responsiveness and communication are hallmarks of Jason’s leadership. “Communication, both with clients and internally, is critical to keeping projects moving,” explains Jason. “Being responsive and keeping the client up to date on the status of a project and the submittals – those are the skills that make a difference in not only the project’s success, but make our clients successful.”

Tapping the knowledge and expertise of Jason and his team has proven especially helpful on the Anderson Farms planned development. The subdivision features 483 new residences in Lindon, Utah. After reviewing drawings, it was apparent to Jason that additional right of way (ROW) would be needed for a right turn lane along UDOT’s road. Navigating the UDOT ROW process can take months, but by identifying the need early in design and communicating frequently with UDOT staff and local agency personnel, FOCUS secured approvals in a much quicker timeframe. The UDOT ROW Engineer even mentioned that this was the fastest approval he has worked on.

“It was incredibly rewarding to hear feedback from UDOT on the quality of our documents,” notes Jason. It was a reminder to the entire FOCUS team of the importance of embracing any opportunity to meet and exceed client expectations. We’ve learned that when we optimize our services, we can maximize outcomes.