Alyssa Loveday: Lighting Up Transportation

We’re an interconnected nationwide team, but we each have our own reasons for being passionate about the work we do. This month, get to know Alyssa Loveday, senior engineer in our Bend office.

What’s your background and how did you end up at Kittelson?

I graduated from Oregon State University with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. After college, I started my career at a general civil engineering firm in Portland, then transferred to their Bend office in 2016. After two years of friendship with Jacki Smith and getting to know the Kittelson team in Bend, I applied. The rest is history.

Outside of work, I’m usually chasing after my 4.5-year-old boy/girl twins. Whether we’re riding bikes, trying new sports, building Hot Wheels tracks, or creating LEGO® masterpieces, there’s always something going on. I also devote a lot of time to the basketball club Jacki and I started in 2018. We offer clinics, individual workouts, teams, and camps for boys and girls from 4th grade through high school. I’m currently coaching our 14U and 15U Elite boys’ travel teams.

What projects have you found most interesting to work on?

I’ve enjoyed working on a variety of traffic-related projects, but I find illumination and signal work especially rewarding. Working in AGi (illumination) is like playing a game of Tetris. It often involves fitting lighting needs into tight, existing spaces.

Similarly, no two signal projects are the same. While we may model a new signal after a past one, it always comes down to finding the right balance between space constraints and agency standards.

How has your athletic background shaped your career?

Growing up in sports has shaped my approach in many ways, especially in time management and teamwork. Playing basketball at the collegiate level taught me how to balance a packed schedule of practices, schoolwork, and social life. Like basketball, our work at Kittelson is deeply collaborative. We all bring different perspectives to the table, and navigating those differences with a team mindset is key.

What do you think is the most exciting development in the transportation industry right now?

I’m really excited about electrification and the evolution of electric vehicles (EVs). Living in a car-dependent area, I’ve always been interested in hybrids and EVs, but their limited range was a barrier, especially for traveling over the mountain from Central Oregon or towing our camping trailer. As the technology continues to improve and more EV and truck options become available, it has been exciting to follow. I’m hopeful that by the time we’re ready for a new vehicle, there will be plenty of great options to choose from.

What about the transportation industry inspires you?

Transportation directly impacts our daily lives and constantly evolves to meet the needs of the public. I find that really inspiring. I also love seeing the research happening across Kittelson. We’re surrounded by some truly brilliant minds.

Fast Lane Facts

If you weren’t an engineer, what would you be?

Somehow involved with college basketball (coach, director of operations, etc.)

Favorite Oregon hike?

Broken Top trail in Three Sisters Wilderness

Most productive time of day?

Morning

Guilty pleasure snack?

Skittles or gummy bears