(Engr.) Godwin Ubanyionwu, P.E.; Ugochinyere 1 of Amesi - Articulating vision, engineering strategy, and community impact in open forums across El Paso. 

Photographs capture Ichie (Engr.) Godwin Ubanyionwu, P.E., alongside his colleagues at the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) during one of the annual Short Courses in College Station, Texas—an enduring pilgrimage of professional renewal. Each gathering brought together TxDOT engineers and engineering consultants from across the state to exchange ideas, interrogate research, and embrace avant-garde technological advances, all in the shared pursuit of safer, smarter, and more enduring roadway design.

Public involvement meeting during project development — From TxDOT archives  

Presenting TxDOT Projects – Public Involvement Meeting

Professional Projects (From TxDOT Archives) 

As I reflect on these images, I see more than just concrete, steel, and traffic. I see the story of Montana Avenue’s transformation. The gridlock spoke to me of urgency, demanding a vision bold enough to expand and modernize. The Gateway Arch rose as both a landmark of welcome and a testament to El Paso’s identity. And the bridge components, though often unseen, became symbols of the hidden strength required to turn blueprints into enduring structures. Together, they embody the leadership, resilience, and foresight that guided my journey—building highways not only to move people, but to inspire hope and possibility.

Field inspection in full PPE during construction — From TxDOT archives  

Performing field inspection and Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) during bridge deck paving operations — monitoring the rail-guided paver to verify alignment, surface smoothness, and finish consistency in compliance with design specifications. 

Map of Nigeria - Texas - El Paso 

From Amesi to Texas, and onward to El Paso — Maps that Trace the Journey of a Boy’s Dream and a Life of Purpose 

These three maps capture the geography of my story: Nigeria, where my roots and values were planted; Texas, where opportunity and responsibility reshaped my destiny; and El Paso, the borderland city where I poured my life’s work into building gateways of hope. Together, they chart not only the miles traveled, but also the enduring path of resilience, faith, and service that defines my memoir. 

US 62/180 (Montana) Avenue Expansion Project under development — From TxDOT archives 

US 62/180 (Montana) Avenue Expansion Project

The Montana Avenue Expansion is one of El Paso’s largest and most important roadway projects. With a total cost of more than $500 million, this project was designed to handle the growing traffic needs of the region while improving safety and access for drivers.

The expansion transformed Montana into a modern freeway, adding six main lanes along with frontage roads, ramps, and turnarounds to keep traffic moving smoothly. A key feature is the depressed roadway at Saul Kleinfeld, where the highway dips below ground level to follow the area’s terrain, creating both design and drainage challenges that were carefully addressed.

As the first engineer in the El Paso District of the Texas Department of Transportation to lead a Major Project—one exceeding $500 million, under federal oversight, and designated “major” by the Federal Highway Administration for its special interest, high risk, and national significance—I navigated uncharted territory. I collaborated closely with community partners, Fort Bliss, and state and federal agencies to deliver a design that harmonized cost-efficiency, safety, and the city’s long-term growth. This project was never just concrete and steel; it was the embodiment of a vision—a city poised for the future, built on careful planning, collaboration, and the courage to pioneer. 

US 62/180 (Montana) Interchange at Loop 375 (Joe Battle Boulevard) under development — From TxDOT archives 

US 62/180 (Montana) Interchange at Loop 375 (Joe Battle Boulevard) 

The Montana Interchange at Loop 375 is a key part of the Montana Expansion, designed to ease traffic flow in east El Paso. Here, the freeway transitions from a depressed roadway at Saul Kleinfeld to elevated mainlanes that cross over Tierra Este, Rich Beem, and Square Dance before tying back to Zaragoza Road.

The interchange includes frontage roads, turnarounds, and direct connectors that provide smoother connections, such as eastbound Montana to southbound Loop 375 and westbound Montana to northbound Loop 375. Built in phases, the project will eventually feature a complete system of direct connectors to further improve mobility and safety in the region.

Hike & Bike Lanes — From TxDOT archives 

Montana Interchange at Loop 375 – Hike & Bike Lanes

This project was designed not just for cars, but also for people. In addition to easing traffic with elevated turnarounds, it added safe hike and bike lanes along Montana Avenue. Working with Fort Bliss and the City of El Paso, the design included tree-lined paths at 30-foot intervals, creating shade and beauty for pedestrians, joggers, and cyclists. The facility now serves both the community and Fort Bliss personnel for daily use and training.

Fully Constructed I-10 Americas Interchange Project — From TxDOT archives 

I-10 Americas Interchange Project

The I-10 Americas Interchange in El Paso replaces outdated cloverleaf loops with modern direct connectors, allowing smooth, high-speed travel between I-10 and Loop 375 in all directions. I led construction and quality assurance, ensuring Buy America steel, deep drilled shafts, and durable CRCP pavement. Today, the interchange improves traffic flow and sets a standard for safety and longevity.

Conducting geotechnical soil investigations during my tenure with Sergeant, Hauskins & Beckwith Engineering Firm — analyzing and logging soil samples while the truck-mounted rig and driller execute borehole excavation to uncover the foundation of future infrastructure.

Ichie (Engr.) Godwin Ubanyionwu, P.E., in full encapsulating suit with supplied-air respirators, meeting OSHA standards for Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) protection — safeguarding against toxic substances and chemical splashes during my tenure with Sergeant, Hauskins & Beckwith Engineering Firm. 

Performing Quality Assurance and Quality Control on Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP) — inspecting rebars and steel beams while construction crews carry out concrete placement and precision leveling to ensure durability and excellence.

Crash Cushions and Guardrails: Protecting Lives on the Highway 

Guardrails and crash cushions are built to protect drivers and passengers. Guardrails act as barriers to keep vehicles from veering off the road or hitting dangerous obstacles. Crash cushions, also called impact attenuators, soften the force of a crash by absorbing energy and slowing vehicles safely. These simple but powerful features help save countless lives every day. 

Concrete Pavers at Work – Building a Smooth Bridge Deck 

Concrete pavers (screeds) are specialized equipment used to place, spread, and consolidate deck concrete with high precision. They ensure uniform thickness, correct crown and slope, and proper compaction, critical for structural integrity, durability, and ride quality on bridge decks. Proper operation minimizes future maintenance and extends service life.

Cap, Column, and Hanging Beam – Connecting the Bridge 

This image shows a bridge column supporting a cap, with a hanging beam ready for direct connection. These elements form the backbone of the bridge, transferring loads safely from the roadway to the ground below. Direct connectors ensure that each piece fits securely, making the bridge strong and safe for everyone who uses it.

An ode to the engineer’s art — where measured lines and silent equations give birth to the living poetry of the open road.

Beneath every stretch of pavement lies a philosophy — a symphony of purpose, precision, and foresight. This conceptual section of a low-speed facility stands as a testament to the quiet genius of roadway design — where function and form meet in graceful accord.

In the quiet logic of design lies the soul of every roadway. This conceptual section illustrates the anatomy of a low-speed facility—an embodiment of purpose and precision. Every highway, every street begins as an idea, shaped by the science of functional classification—from local roads and collectors to minor and principal arterials—each serving its own rhythm of human movement.

The design speed, carefully chosen, dictates the character of the facility. It is not a commandment of pace, but a guiding principle that gives form to safety, comfort, and function. It differs from the posted speed limit, which mirrors the behavior of the traveling public—the 85th percentile of movement, a portrait of how people actually drive when left to their instincts.

In urban confines, curbs frame the edges of order—serving frontage roads and cross streets with dignity, but avoiding intrusion into the through lanes where high-speed motion reigns. Cross slopes, gentle yet purposeful, are designed with a whisper of gradient—barely perceptible to the driver, but essential to drainage and longevity. Even the median, that quiet strip of separation, stands as a guardian of safety—keeping opposing streams of travel distinct, and thus, preserving life.

Such are the subtleties that transform bare earth into engineered art—where geometry meets grace, and where design becomes a covenant between man, machine, and motion.

Driveways are more than mere access points — they embody the subtle dialogue between public thoroughfare and private domain. Each one marks a physical and symbolic transition, where the rhythm of the open road yields to the quiet intimacy of home or enterprise. The placement and design of a driveway, therefore, must harmonize with the roadway’s geometry, the character of the adjoining property, and the expectations of those it serves.

The apron, along curb-and-gutter sections, forms this graceful threshold — rising gently from the pavement to a point typically six inches higher, or extending to the right-of-way, whichever the design demands.

Where a public sidewalk meets a curb, thoughtful accessibility takes precedence. Curb ramps and level landings are introduced to welcome every pedestrian, ensuring smooth passage and inclusion. The maximum grade of these ramps is set at 8.3%, and the cross slope limited to 2%, reflecting both precision and compassion in design — where engineering meets humanity.

Culverts play a quiet yet indispensable role in the symphony of roadway design. Beneath the pavement — unseen by most travelers — they guide the restless flow of water from one side of the highway to the other, ensuring that nature’s course continues unhindered by human construction. On rural highways across the United States, they appear with rhythmic regularity, about once every quarter mile, forming the hidden arteries that sustain the integrity of the roadway.

Typically buried beneath layers of embankment, a culvert is encased in structural strength along its full perimeter. In certain terrains, however, it rests upon spread footings, allowing the natural streambed to remain as its foundation — a thoughtful gesture toward environmental harmony.

Beyond hydraulics, culverts offer another quiet service: they provide safe passage for small animals, enabling life on both sides of the roadway to remain connected. Thus, in their silent duty, culverts embody the enduring dialogue between engineering and ecology — where design respects the wisdom of the land.

A roundabout is far more than a circular intersection; it is a choreography of motion, a quiet negotiation among travelers who must yield before they proceed. At its heart lies a central island, a calm sentinel around which traffic flows counterclockwise — an emblem of order within movement.

The true genius of the roundabout is found not in speed, but in graceful restraint. Its geometry, carefully drawn, compels vehicles to slow — to think, to yield, to coexist. In doing so, it nurtures safety and civility on the road, proving that harmony, not haste, governs the rhythm of design.

In every well-designed roundabout, I see a reflection of life itself: the wisdom of yielding before advancing, of finding balance in motion, and of knowing that the smoothest journeys are often those traveled with patience and respect.

Professional Projects (From Federal Highway Administration - San Antonio)

Key Roundabout Characteristics

In the language of design, a roundabout is more than a circular intersection — it is a living choreography of motion and restraint. Its geometry, yield-controlled entries, and calculated curvature create a rhythm of safety and efficiency, compelling drivers to slow down, observe, and proceed with mutual respect.

Every pavement marking and traffic sign has purpose — to guide, to caution, and to harmonize the flow of movement. The splitter islands, subtle yet commanding, serve as both refuge and guide: offering safety to pedestrians, separating opposing streams, moderating speed, and deterring wrong-way maneuvers.

In their quiet symmetry lies a lesson I often carried into my work — that thoughtful design can turn complexity into order, and chaos into grace.

Rain Gardens — Nature’s Quiet Partnership with Engineering

In roadway and trail design, even water deserves a thoughtful path. Along the hike and bike lanes, I often envisioned not just pavement and concrete, but living systems that breathe with the land. The rain garden—a shallow, green basin planted with trees, shrubs, and native grasses—embodies this philosophy.

These sunken gardens, part of what we now call green infrastructure, invite stormwater to pause, settle, and seep gently into the earth. In doing so, they help recharge groundwater and reduce peak flood flows, transforming runoff from a burden into a blessing. Beyond managing water quantity, rain gardens also nurture water quality: their vegetation slows the rush of stormwater, allowing sediments to settle, while roots and microorganisms quietly perform phytoremediation—the natural cleansing of pollutants.

This approach, known as Low Impact Development (LID) and encouraged by the EPA, exemplifies a new balance between nature and engineering. By widening the parkway from three to six feet, we make room not only for stormwater but for life itself—creating shaded walkways, buffered trails, and landscapes that heal as they serve.

In such designs, I found a deeper calling: to shape infrastructure that listens to the environment, that honors both science and soul.

Innovative Designs: The Double Teardrop Interchange
A hallmark of forward-thinking engineering, the double teardrop roundabout interchange exemplifies safety, efficiency, and environmental stewardship. Conceived as one of Ichie (Engr.) Godwin Ubanyionwu, P.E.’s visionary design considerations during his tenure at the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), this concept reduces conflict points to just eight—enhancing traffic flow while virtually eliminating the need for signalization.

The continuous movement of vehicles minimizes congestion and carbon emissions, offering a greener, low-maintenance solution that is both pedestrian-friendly and aesthetically elegant. More than a feat of geometry, it stands as a reflection of a guiding philosophy—engineering that serves people, safeguards the environment, and endures the test of time.

Innovative Designs: The Diverging Diamond Intersection (DDI)
Conceived as one of Ichie (Engr.) Godwin Ubanyionwu, P.E.’s visionary design considerations during his tenure at the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the Diverging Diamond Intersection represents a groundbreaking approach to modern highway interchange design.

A DDI connects a freeway with a major highway through a subtle yet powerful concept — a temporary crossover of traffic to the left side of the roadway, allowing free-flow left turns without conflicting with oncoming vehicles. This ingenious reconfiguration enhances safety by eliminating one of the most hazardous maneuvers in traffic engineering: the left turn across opposing lanes.

Implemented at Loop 375 and Spur 601, the design transforms a conventional diamond interchange into a model of efficiency and safety. With only two clearance intervals—compared to six or more in traditional designs—the DDI optimizes signal timing, reduces delays, and redistributes valuable green time for smoother flow. The result is a safer, more efficient, and environmentally responsible intersection that accommodates high-volume traffic with remarkable fluidity.

Beyond its operational benefits, the DDI reflects an enduring commitment to innovation, safety, and sustainability—hallmarks of Engr. Ubanyionwu’s engineering philosophy.

Key Advantages:

• Improves sight distance and reduces vehicle speeds
  
  

• Enhances safety by reducing conflict points
  
  

• Simplifies signal timing and intersection geometry
  
  

• Minimizes delays and improves traffic capacity
  
  

• Provides better maneuvering room for trucks
  
  

• Channelizes movements to reduce wrong-way entries

Ichie (Engr.) Godwin Ubanyionwu, P.E. (Ugochinyere 1 of Amesi) — From the Desk of Service to the Pages of Story, A Legacy Remembered and Shared 

These images reflect the arc of my professional and cultural journey: the TxDOT office space where I devoted decades to shaping highways; the retirement placard honoring my years of service and marking my transition in 2020; and the memoir banner and back-cover reflection that now carry my story into history. Together, they embody a life of engineering leadership and cultural stewardship—building bridges across continents, between heritage and progress, and ultimately from the boy who dreamed of America to the elder who now shares that dream fulfilled.