Lee Engineering

What Lee Engineering does

Lee Engineering is a privately held traffic engineering and transportation planning consulting firm founded in 1988 by Jim Lee, Ph.D., PE, PTOE in Phoenix, Arizona. The firm is purpose-built around traffic engineering rather than operating as a generalist civil or multi-disciplinary consultant, a positioning the founder established explicitly because he believed general firms lacked the specialized knowledge required for complex traffic situations. The company delivers a focused service portfolio — traffic engineering studies, traffic engineering design, transportation safety (Safe System Approach), transportation planning, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) design, Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures (ATSPM), traffic operations, bicycle and pedestrian studies, and expert witness testimony — supported by tools including Synchro, VISSIM, SimTraffic, Sidra, HCS, TransCAD, and ArcGIS for simulation, signal timing optimization, and GIS inventory work.

The firm operates from seven offices across four Southwest states (Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas), led by President Joseph Short and Vice President Dharmesh Shah following founder Jim Lee's retirement after 32 years. The team includes 16+ PTOE-certified engineers and rare credentials such as the Level 2 Road Safety Professional in both Infrastructure and Behavior (RSP2IB). Revenue mechanics are fee-for-service consulting: project-based engagements, on-call contracts, task orders, and sub-consultant roles on larger design-build procurements (e.g., Kiewit). The customer base is almost entirely public-sector — state DOTs (ADOT, NMDOT, TxDOT, ODOT), counties (Maricopa County DOT), metropolitan planning organizations (NCTCOG, MAG), transit authorities (DART, Valley Metro), and a long tail of municipalities — with private developer work representing a secondary segment. Pricing is scope-driven and not publicly disclosed.

Differentiators include quantified outcomes (31% average intersection delay reduction on the Coors Boulevard ATSPM corridor, 25%/46%/29% crash reductions from PHB research, over 100 signals under ATSPM management, 50+ miles of fiber installed), long-tenured on-call relationships (e.g., Southlake since 1996), industry recognition (AASHTO Sweet 16 High Value Research Award, ACEC Gold Medal, ITS Arizona Best ITS Implementation), and embedded sub-consultant positions with primes such as Bohannon Huston, TYLin, and WHPacific. The firm does not disclose financials; size is stated as 11–50 employees across seven offices.

Name

Lee Engineering

Legal name

Lee Engineering, LLC

Website

https://leeengineering.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lee Engineering is a Phoenix-based traffic engineering and transportation planning consulting firm serving state DOTs, municipalities, counties, MPOs, and transit authorities across Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas through seven offices and a staff of certified PTOE traffic engineers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Engineering Consulting Services: Fee-for-service consulting engagements for traffic engineering studies, designs, and planning services to government agencies and private developers. Revenue is project-based, typically obtained through on-call contracts, task orders, and standalone project engagements with municipalities and state DOTs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Lee Engineering is a specialized traffic engineering and transportation planning consulting firm that delivers professional engineering services to public agencies and private developers across the Southwestern United States. Its core offerings include traffic studies, traffic signal design, signal timing optimization, ITS design, ATSPM implementation, transportation safety and planning, and multimodal/bicycle-pedestrian planning, executed by PTOE- and RSP-certified engineers. The firm's revenue model is project-based, with engagements obtained through on-call contracts, competitive RFQs/RFPs, sub-consultant arrangements, and repeat client relationships.

Product overview

Lee Engineering is a specialized traffic and transportation engineering consulting firm that offers a comprehensive suite of services organized around their core expertise in traffic engineering. Their service offerings include Traffic Engineering Studies, Traffic Engineering Design, Transportation Safety, Transportation Planning, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures (ATSPM), Traffic Operations, Bicycle and Pedestrian Studies, and Expert Witness services. Rather than a single software product, the firm provides specialized consulting services delivered by certified traffic engineers (many holding PTOE and RSP certifications) across multiple offices in the Southwest United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Traffic Engineering Studies Provides various types of traffic studies including traffic data collection, traffic impact analysis, traffic signal and stop-control studies, and access management studies for public agencies and private developers.
• Traffic Engineering Design Prepares design plans for installations and modifications of traffic signals, modern roundabouts, signing, pavement marking, channelization, traffic control plans, and illumination for public agencies and private developers.
• Transportation Safety Implements the Safe System Approach through road safety audits, speed zone establishment, crash data analysis, intersection design improvements, pedestrian and bicycle safety planning, and traffic calming for DOTs, counties, cities, and developers.
• Transportation Planning Develops thoroughfare planning, corridor studies, parking studies, travel demand modeling, policy and procedures, and asset management using GIS/GPS mapping for public agencies and regional planning organizations.
• Intelligent Transportation Systems Integrates intelligent transportation solutions including freeway management, adaptive traffic control, fiber and wireless communications, traveler information, ATSPM, strategic plans, systems engineering, and funding applications for DOTs and municipalities.
• Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures (ATSPM) Provides comprehensive ATSPM services including installation and customization, data configuration and maintenance, rapid and responsive improvements, hands-on in-cabinet experience, and continuing client training and support for state DOTs and cities.
• Traffic Operations Provides specialized traffic operations engineering services including traffic signal timing and coordination, advanced traffic simulation (VISSIM), corridor operations analysis, traffic circulation studies, and special event planning and incident management for DOTs, cities, and private clients.
• Bicycle and Pedestrian Studies Provides multimodal planning and route studies, safety studies, Safe Routes to School (SRTS) with grant application, plan development, program management, training, and Complete Streets implementation for cities, MPOs, and transit agencies.
• Expert Witness Provides expert opinions, deposition, and trial testimony for traffic accident litigation and right-of-way condemnation cases, leveraging deep industry experience and intensive research for legal counsel and courts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 31% reduction in intersection delay on average (Coors Boulevard ATSPM study)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WHPacificcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLee Engineering served as integral member of WHPacific team for Truth or Consequences I-25 Loop Phase I-A/B Alignment Study, providing traffic operations and safety analysis. This collaboration resulted in an award-winning project featuring the first 2-lane double roundabouts in New Mexico.
• Bohannon HustoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on multiple projects including I-25 and Paseo del Norte Interchange Design-Build project with Kiewit. Lee Engineering completed interchange operations analysis, ITS infrastructure design, and signalized intersection design. Also worked with Bohannon Huston on VISSIM visualization for Rio Grande and Candelaria Roundabout.
• North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking with NCTCOG, DART, and cities of Dallas, Garland, Plano, and Richardson on DART Red and Blue Lines Last Mile Connections project, updating and analyzing GIS models for sidewalk/crosswalk networks.
• Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with MAG Transportation Safety Committee and Transportation Safety Steering Group to update the 2005 Strategic Transportation Safety Plan. MAG represents 14 individual and agency stakeholders for regional transportation safety.
• Maricopa County Department of Transportation (MCDOT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-phase system engineering and design partnership for Bell Road Adaptive Signal Control Technology deployment across 51 intersections in multiple cities, securing $2.5 million in federal CMAQ funding.
• Valley MetrominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLee Engineering acted as representative for the Valley Metro Project team for City of Phoenix intersection walk-through inspections and intersection turn-ons on the Tempe light rail traffic signal design project.
• TYLinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerServed as sub-consultant to TYLin for Osuna Road Reconstruction project preparing signing, pavement marking, traffic signal, fiber optic, and ITS plans.
• Carter-Burgess, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical partnership with Carter-Burgess during Dr. Erlund's career before joining Lee Engineering as City Traffic Engineer for Shreveport.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• TranSystems: TranSystems is a transportation-focused engineering and planning consultancy delivering traffic engineering, transportation planning, and infrastructure design to public agencies and private clients. Comparable to Lee Engineering in core traffic operations, signal timing, and corridor studies offerings, though TranSystems operates at significantly larger national scale.
• Iteris: Iteris is a specialized intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and traffic management consulting firm that delivers signal timing, performance measurement (similar to ATSPM), and smart-mobility solutions to state and local agencies. Directly comparable to Lee Engineering on the ITS/ATSPM practice area, though broader in scope including software products and data services.
• Fehr & Peers: Fehr & Peers is a specialized transportation planning and traffic engineering consultancy serving public agencies and private developers across the western US. Highly comparable to Lee Engineering in scope (traffic studies, signal timing, multimodal planning, ITS) and client base (state DOTs, cities, MPOs), with a similarly strong reputation for technical specialization rather than generalist civil work.

Broad incumbents

• Kimley-Horn: Kimley-Horn is one of the largest US engineering consultancies with a significant transportation/traffic engineering practice serving state DOTs, municipalities, and private developers nationwide. Competes with Lee Engineering on on-call contracts and project pursuits across the Southwest, but as part of a multi-discipline portfolio rather than a pure-play traffic specialist.
• HDR: HDR is a major engineering, architecture, and consulting firm with deep transportation and traffic engineering capabilities serving federal, state, and local agencies. Overlaps with Lee Engineering on signal timing, corridor studies, ITS, and multimodal planning but operates at much larger national scale with a broader infrastructure portfolio.
• WSP: WSP is a global professional services consultancy with a leading transportation and traffic engineering practice that competes for major DOT and municipal contracts across the US. Comparable to Lee Engineering on traffic operations and ITS design work but typically pursues much larger program management and design-build opportunities as a prime consultant.
• Michael Baker International: Michael Baker International is a large engineering, planning, and consulting firm with a strong transportation practice including traffic engineering, ITS, and safety services for state DOTs and municipalities. Competes with Lee Engineering on similar public-sector traffic engineering procurements, particularly in regions where both firms hold on-call contracts.
• T.Y. Lin International: T.Y. Lin International is a global infrastructure engineering firm specializing in bridges, highways, and transportation systems, including traffic engineering and ITS design. Already an established Lee Engineering partner on projects like Osuna Road, and competes on similar Southwest transportation design-build and design-bid-build pursuits.
• Stantec: Stantec is a global engineering, architecture, and environmental services firm with a sizeable transportation practice serving DOTs, municipalities, and private developers. Competes with Lee Engineering on transportation planning, traffic design, and ITS work across the Southwest, but traffic is one of many service lines in a broader multi-discipline portfolio.

Others

• Traffic Engineering Consultants / Trafficware (Cubic): Cubic Transportation Systems (parent of the former Trafficware) provides traffic signal software platforms (e.g., Synchro) that Lee Engineering uses daily. Functions as an enabling technology provider rather than a direct competitor, but represents a structural risk if software vendors expand into professional services offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lee Engineering