Top Convention Interviews of 2025
In 2025, Roads & Bridges hit the floor at some of the industry’s biggest conferences, sitting down with engineers, agency leaders and industry experts to discuss real-world transportation challenges.
From keeping aging roads and bridges in service to improving work zone safety and training the next generation of workers, these conversations offer a practical look at how the industry is responding to what lies ahead.
PWX 2025: How Cities Are Using Technology to Keep Sidewalks Safe
At PWX 2025 in Chicago, Roads & Bridges Senior Managing Editor Gavin Jenkins spoke with Hamed Majinifard of TigerEye Engineering about how cities are using technology to keep sidewalks safe and accessible.
Majinifard said sidewalk problems usually show up slowly. Shifting soil, growing tree roots and street repaving can all take a toll, and many issues aren’t noticed until they become safety or accessibility problems.
TigerEye’s software scans long stretches of sidewalks and curbs to spot uneven concrete, bad slopes and other damage, giving cities a chance to fix things early instead of waiting for bigger problems to develop.
International Bridge Conference 2025: How the Industry Is Rethinking Bridge Repair
During the 42nd annual International Bridge Conference, Jenkins interviewed conference chair Bill Detwiler, a senior bridge manager at TYLin, about the topics drawing the most attention at this year’s event.
Detwiler talked about the growing focus on keeping existing bridges in service longer and the different ways an engineer approaches that work, from rehabilitation and repair to material-specific challenges with concrete, steel and cable-stayed structures.
He explained that decisions between repairing and replacing a bridge often hinge on funding and the level of public agency involvement, with studies and phased repairs used when full replacement isn’t realistic.
Detwiler said those real-world tradeoffs are exactly why conferences like this matter for young engineers, giving them a chance to learn directly from experienced professionals.
World of Asphalt 2025: A Shift Toward Longer-Lasting Asphalt
At World of Asphalt 2025 in St. Louis, Jenkins sat down with Buzz Powell of the Asphalt Pavement Alliance (APA) to talk about changes in the asphalt industry and why 2025 stands out.
Powell, who is technical director of the APA and has written about workforce development and asphalt innovation for Roads & Bridges, said his focus isn’t on selling asphalt as a material, but on helping agencies and contractors build pavements that last. He pointed to balanced mix design as one of the most effective tools for improving performance and getting more value out of public dollars.
He also said more agencies are loosening rigid specifications and giving contractors room to innovate, with greater emphasis on long-term performance rather than lowest upfront cost. That shift, Powell said, could make 2025 an important year for the industry.
Powell, who is a legend in the asphalt industry, added that the APA plays a behind-the-scenes role by bringing industry groups together and sharing practical ways to identify problems early and extend pavement life.
ATSSA’s Convention & Traffic Expo 2025: Advocacy and Roadway Safety
During ATSSA’s Convention & Traffic Expo 2025, Jenkins spoke with Helen Torkos, president of Regent Tek Industries, about why advocacy matters in the roadway safety industry.
Torkos said it’s important to sit down face to face with lawmakers to explain real-world problems and make sure safety funding ends up where it’s needed. That hands-on advocacy connects directly to the work of Regent Tek Industries, the company she founded in 2016, and its work with state DOTs across the country.
As the only woman-owned manufacturer of roadway marking materials, she talked about how learning what each state needs shaped how her company operated. She also explained how pavement markings affect everyday safety, from showing drivers where the road begins and ends to making it easier for everyone to see and move safely.
World of Concrete 2025: How Mobile Training Is Helping Close the Skills Gap
On day two of World of Concrete 2025 in Las Vegas, Jenkins toured the Mobile Concrete Technology Center’s “Lab on Wheels” with Mike Praul, a senior concrete engineer with the Federal Highway Administration.
Each year, the trailer is set up at active state DOT projects, where contractors and agency staff take part in hands-on demonstrations and workshops. Crews can also borrow testing equipment at no cost before deciding whether to invest in it.
At the Las Vegas show, visitors saw tools that measure air content to gauge freeze-thaw durability, along with tests that show how easily salt and chemicals can penetrate concrete.