James R. Capaldi has joined The Berger Group as manager of transportation services. He will manage Berger’s transportation projects in the Northeast, providing planning, detailed designs and construction supervision.
Capaldi has more than 35 years’ experience in transportation, most recently as director of the R.I. Department of Transportation, where over the years he had also served as chief design engineer, chief of construction operations and chief engineer.
He has a B.S. in civil engineering from the University of Rhode Island, which inducted him into its College of Engineering Hall of Fame in 2004.
PBN: What appeals to you about transportation engineering?
CAPALDI: It’s been a lifetime desire for me, and I’ve been pursuing it since college. I enjoy solving problems and interacting with the public.
PBN: What has it been like to go from the public to the private sector?
CAPALDI: The biggest difference is the opportunity to focus on particular tasks. In the public, your work is constant. It never stops; it’s the definition of multitasking. With Berger, I have very little press interaction. I don’t have senators and representatives calling me. The interaction is between the client and me. It’s more of a supportive role without the extraneous things.
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PBN: What kinds of projects will you be managing?
CAPALDI: Berger has some on-call contracts with certain cities, and I’ll be handling the transportation elements and management of these projects as they come up. I’m Berger’s Northeast transportation manager, and I’m also responsible for business development. Berger is growing, and most projects are out of our Needham, Mass., office. I’ll be splitting my time between Massachusetts and Rhode Island for now.
PBN: Will you be managing any projects involving the R.I. DOT?
CAPALDI: No. According to [R.I. Ethics Commission] rules, I can’t lobby for the DOT for myself, my client or my employer for a full year. Berger’s offer was nice, because they recognize ethics and appreciate the restrictions I have to work within.
