Kelly Caponera, P.E. is a traffic engineer with extensive experience in transportation safety and planning. She has worked as a consultant and project manager with both public and private sector clients, addressing traffic-related challenges on residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial projects.
At the Maryland State Highway Administration, Kelly worked in the District 7 traffic office, covering Howard, Carroll, and Frederick counties, and in the Office of Traffic and Safety. At MD SHA she addressed safety concerns, conducted Fatal Crash Investigations, contributed to the Pedestrian Safety Action Plan for the US 1 Corridor, and evaluated school circulation plans. Kelly’s work also included reviewing Traffic Impact Studies to ensure reports accurately identified the potential effect on the surrounding roadway network, exploring innovative safety strategies, and ensuring Maryland’s traffic policies comply with federal standards
Kelly is deeply committed to improving roadway safety, a passion strengthened by personal experiences with bicycle and pedestrian fatalities. Her work is also shaped by her professional background, including experience at a regional traffic engineering firm in Pennsylvania and at a global design, engineering and management consulting company. Her experience includes work on traffic signal warrant analyses, sight distance analyses, and HCS/Synchro simulations. She is a Licensed Professional Engineer.
Q + A
- What made you interested in transportation?
- I love that I can make a positive impact in our communities by improving the safety and efficiency of our transportation systems.
- Favorite vacation spot?
- My extended family has been vacationing on a small lake in New York’s Adirondack Mountains for 75 years. I spent my summers swimming, fishing, and boating with my cousins, and now I watch my kids do the same.
- Favorite place to travel?
- Italy. I’ve had the opportunity to visit twice and would go back in a heartbeat!
- Favorite summer job?
- When I was 19, I worked as a Cutco knife salesman, generating over $25,000 in sales that summer and finishing 23rd in national sales among college students. The knives I initially bought to do my sales demonstrations are still used in my kitchen daily.
Education
- Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Buffalo, Amherst, NY
Professional Licenses
- Professional Engineer (P.E.), Maryland