 As the Director of Highways in Washington state (1949-1963) he oversaw the design and completion of some of the state's most ambitious transportation projects including the Astoria–Megler Bridge a span that crosses the Columbia River near its mouth at the Pacific Ocean.In 1953 he was recruited to fill the same position in the state of California, but declined, stating his wish to complete projects in Washington.In 1963, however, he resigned his Washington position to become the Project Director in charge of design and construction of the Bay Area Rapid Transit project in San Francisco, California.