--- title: 5 Questions With An Expert:  John Bilyeu description: Project Manager and 25-year transportation engineering veteran John Bilyeu shares how he ensures a project’s success from big-picture planning starting at the very beginning. image: https://www.hvj.com/hubfs/John%20Bilyeu%20-%20Branded%20Background.jpg --- [![HVJ Logo](https://www.hvj.com/hs-fs/hubfs/HVJ%20logo_141x71.png?width=110&height=71&name=HVJ%20logo_141x71.png "HVJ Logo")](https://www.hvj.com/) ** [ Let's talk ](https://www.hvj.com/contact-us) ** ** Geotechnical Engineering Soil, rock, and groundwater conditions at every site are different. We assess the specific site conditions and design earth structures (slopes, channels, and dikes), foundations (retaining walls, bridges, buildings, tanks), and subsurface structures (clarifiers, lift stations, buried utilities, tunnels) to economically achieve the specific project objectives. Learn More → Construction Materials Engineering & Testing Construction material performance is key to the function and durability of any project. We engineer and test materials such as soil, concrete, and asphalt so you get what you pay for and the project performs as expected.     Learn More → Civil/Pavement Engineering A successful project starts with clear understanding of the project’s specific needs. We prepared street rehabilitation PS&E, traffic control designs, pavement designs, and asset management systems based on careful understanding of design requirements.   Learn More → Environmental Geology & Engineering Impact from hazardous waste, wetlands, faulting, and/or NEPA processes are serious concerns for project development. We identify such concerns early in project development, and provide strategies to mitigate impacts and provide the proper regulatory approval so the project can proceed on time and achieve the project goals. 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We offer a rewarding work experience, opportunities for advancement and competitive benefits. Learn More → Employee Stories Check out what our employees say and learn about the HVJ experience! Great people and even greater teams are behind every project. Learn More → Current Openings We're always looking for talented individuals who fit our culture and can bring new perspectives and experiences to our growing teams. Learn More → The Opportunity Own a successful engineering business by adding our proven systems to your engineering talent and network. Learn More → How It Works Help us branchise – you help us build a branch office and then convert it into your own franchise. Learn More → Who's A Fit? Are you energetic and confident? See if this might be an opportunity that fits you. Learn More → FAQs What do you want to know?  Find the answers to common questions. Learn More → Success Stories Hear about the outstanding results our current franchisees have produced using our proven systems. Learn More → Search **Menu** ** ** [![Let's Talk](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/5496911/6233d0db-c76c-4678-9152-08331c17b6f1.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/5496911/6233d0db-c76c-4678-9152-08331c17b6f1) ![](https://www.hvj.com/hubfs/FLIR0389_Crop.jpg) [Blog](https://www.hvj.com/blog/tag/blog) | 2 min read # 5 Questions With An Expert:  John Bilyeu Written by [HVJ Associates](https://www.hvj.com/blog/author/hvj-associates) April 12, 2023 Beyond an individual task, our team takes pride in considering the big picture to achieve the desired outcome. In our latest interview, Project Manager and 25-year transportation engineering veteran John Bilyeu shares what inspires him in his work and how he ensures a project’s success starting at the very beginning. 1.    Starting with some background about yourself, can you share how you got started in this field and what inspires you most in your work? I specialized in environmental engineering as an undergrad but started working in the transportation sector by chance when I applied for a job at TxDOT that sounded interesting. It turned out to be a stroke of luck because I ended up spending 25 years working in transportation engineering. Transportation is an ever-evolving challenge and inspiration; we bring happiness and positive influence to countless people. Almost everything we need and want depends on safe, reliable transportation.  2.    What is your role at HVJ, and what is your favorite type of project/work, and why?   I started as a Project Engineer focused on technical work, and my role has evolved to focus about half of my time on project management. My favorite part of a project (or workday, for that matter) is when all the pieces of a plan come together. Efficiently handling jobs takes the right people, tools, knowledge, and experience, and we ensure it all comes together as it should. Adding project management responsibilities to my role has been a new challenge and learning opportunity. One of my pet peeves is inefficient processes, so I’m always trying to make improvements (even tiny changes) to make things better and more efficient. However, this tendency comes with the challenge of knowing when to leave it alone and move on.  3.    What are the common types of problems that your customers are trying to solve? What do you think draws them specifically to HVJ?   The most common problem I work with is a road that must be rehabilitated (requiring various tests, sampling, etc.) or a new alignment that needs pavement design. We also get unique projects, like research/development of a flowable fill mix suitable to encase fiber optic lines, inspection, condition forecasting, and design work for our border crossing facilities. HVJ has a reputation for flexibility and reliability beyond our typical core specialties, so clients come to us for a wide variety of needs. 4.    Can you briefly describe one of your recent projects and what you found most interesting or rewarding about it? What was the most significant achievement that came out of the project?  One almost completed project I’ve found quite rewarding involves fiber optic/flowable fill. It solves a critical need in this age of telecommuting; people need and enjoy their internet connection. Akin to reliable transportation as a vital need, helping communities stay connected has become essential in their everyday lives.  5.    What would you say is most important in a successful project? What are the common risks and barriers that you need to overcome?  High pressure and unpredictability are inherent to our line of work, so we must develop precise requirements early in the project. Successful projects begin with thorough upfront planning and foresight. We must have highly detailed communication with the client and fully understand the problem at hand. A common risk we must avoid is framing a project and neglecting to anticipate a challenge or requirement. Another risk is a lack of communication among the many project stakeholders, resulting in missed things or mistakes. It’s helpful that the HVJ team collectively has decades of experience and diverse expertise to draw on; part of the culture is that we take ownership of results throughout the full scope of the project, starting at the very beginning.  ![John Bilyeu 2023](https://www.hvj.com/hs-fs/hubfs/John%20Bilyeu%202023.png?width=635&height=425&name=John%20Bilyeu%202023.png)   Previous Story [← Reliable Materials Testing for a 9,000 Square Foot Airport Cargo Facility](https://www.hvj.com/blog/cargofacilitymaterialstesting) [** ](https://www.hvj.com/blog) Next Story [Project Announcement: TxDOT IH-35 Expansion →](https://www.hvj.com/blog/project-announcement-txdot-ih-35-expansion) ## You May Also Like These Stories on Blog [![](https://www.hvj.com/hubfs/Central%20Pump%20Station%201.jpg) ](https://www.hvj.com/blog/announcement-opening-of-whcrwa-central-pump-station) [Blog](https://www.hvj.com/blog/tag/blog) ### [Announcement: Opening of WHCRWA Central Pump Station](https://www.hvj.com/blog/announcement-opening-of-whcrwa-central-pump-station) June 30, 2026 | 1 min read [![](https://www.hvj.com/hubfs/Process.jpg) ](https://www.hvj.com/blog/powerofprocess) [Blog](https://www.hvj.com/blog/tag/blog) ### [The Power of Process for Managing High-Volume Requests](https://www.hvj.com/blog/powerofprocess) June 19, 2026 | 2 min read [![](https://www.hvj.com/hubfs/ENR_TL2023LOGO_500.jpg) ](https://www.hvj.com/blog/hvj-wins-repeat-enr-top-500-design-firms-award-for-2026) [Blog](https://www.hvj.com/blog/tag/blog) ### [HVJ Wins Repeat ENR Top 500 Design Firms Award for 2026](https://www.hvj.com/blog/hvj-wins-repeat-enr-top-500-design-firms-award-for-2026) June 3, 2026 | 1 min read ## No Comments Yet Let us know what you think #### HVJ Associates, Inc. 6120 S. 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