Richard Savoie to Lead Gresham Smith’s Louisiana Roadway Design Services
Gresham Smith has hired Richard L. Savoie, P.E., as a senior transportation engineer in the firm’s Baton Rouge office. Savoie was previously the chief engineer for the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD)’s Engineering Division. He will help lead Gresham Smith’s roadway design services in Louisiana, foster relationships with LADOTD and other agencies, and provide staff mentorship within the firm.
“Richard was in the pinnacle engineering position at LADOTD, and we are very excited to now have him sharing his knowledge and experience as a project manager and senior engineer at Gresham Smith,” said Bert Moore, P.E., Louisiana State Transportation Leader at Gresham Smith. “His understanding of the infrastructure needs throughout the State of Louisiana will be a tremendous asset to our Transportation team and the growth of our practice in the region.”
“I’m excited about the growth potential I see for Gresham Smith in the state of Louisiana and I look forward to contributing to that growth,” said Savoie. “The depth of experience and expertise that we can offer to LADOTD and other transportation clients in a multi-discipline, cost-effective manner is unparalleled. I look forward to the opportunity to build on the relationships I formed during several successful decades at LADOTD and to help raise the bar on the level of services we’re providing.”
Savoie is a Louisiana native with 40 years of professional experience in the Louisiana transportation industry. During his 34 years as an engineering leader at LADOTD, he focused on design and plan delivery for many notable projects including the I-49 corridor in Caddo Parish, the U.S. 165 corridor north of I-10, and the John James Audubon Bridge, which crosses the Mississippi River and is the second longest cable-stayed bridge in the Western Hemisphere. Savoie also spent three years as the deputy executive director at the Louisiana Engineers and Land Surveyors Board and served on the organization’s board of directors for six years. He is active with the Louisiana Engineering Society and the Louisiana Society of Professional Surveyors. Savoie earned a Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree from McNeese State University and also attended Louisiana State University at Eunice. Outside of the office, he serves on the board of directors of two local homeowners associations.