“I love freeways, but I’m like anyone else — I hate traffic,” said the 33-year-old Director of Engineering/Project Manager at DeWalt Corporation.

That’s why Lopez continually reviews highways and bi-ways — even when just out on a Sunday drive — always mindful of how they can be made better.

A fascination with transportation in just about any form came early on for Lopez, Director of Engineering/Project Manager at DeWalt Coproration.

As a boy, his love of all-things-that-go came in a much smaller, carefree form: Hot Wheels and model train sets.

Soon, Lopez’s interest progressed to a captivated curiosity about Kern County’s famous Tehachapi Loop and how its creation allowed the real railroads make their way through mountainous terrain.

When he traveled with his family over the Grapevine, rather than play a good, old-fashioned game of “slug bug,” Lopez would stare at the various road curves, merge lanes and multi-level freeway interchanges once hitting the LA area.

He was hooked.

“I’ve just always had a passion for transportation and how to control traffic,” Lopez said.

But it wasn’t until Lopez was a student at Stockdale High School that he knew civil engineering was the profession for him.

At 16, Lopez attended a summer engineering program at Fresno State University sponsored by the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) — an opportunity that shaped his college aspirations. (Today, Lopez is himself a member of the SHPE.)

He would go on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering at California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo.

In addition to traffic control, Lopez also works in a wide variety of other capacities for DeWalt Corporation, including hydrology, sewer and storm drains, flood analysis and sustainable living projects.

And all the while, thoroughly enjoying his employment at DeWalt, where Lopez has worked for eight years.

“I love the opportunity for professional growth at DeWalt,” he said. “It’s always great to try new things, and we do that here.”