Sustaining a Safe Highway System

Ensuring safe, well-maintained roadways keeps North Dakota’s Cass County Highway Agency busy with ongoing highway design-related projects. Keith Berndt, Cass County Engineer, works with engineering firms like Houston Engineering on various bridge and road projects. “I’ve worked with Houston Engineering for about 12 years and I’ve had a consistently outstanding experience,” said Berndt

Berndt’s projects frequently involve many important stakeholders such as citizens and government organizations. “Houston staff does exceptionally well with the public input process addressing citizen concerns. Technical engineers are tactful presenters and can convey important details so that people understand and buy into the project.”

Knowledgeable people help move a project forward, but that is only part of the equation. Another key element is technology. “Houston Engineering is well versed in state-of-the-art technology,” confirmed Berndt. “For example, some years ago we had a serious springtime flood. They put their GPS survey skills to work fast so we could prepare an emergency levee within hours.”

“The Houston Engineering team has consistently delivered outstanding project design on time and within budget,” said Berndt. “I’ve always respected their integrity and ability to ‘tell it like it is.’ Their staff is professional and client-oriented. They stick to high engineering standards and a high level of ethical conduct.

- Keith Berndt, Cass County Engineer