Intro
I’m Mojtaba Ale, hence the alestead, a traffic engineer with over a decade of experience focus on operations, safety, and data-driven decision-making. My work centers on helping agencies and communities make sound transportation decisions grounded in standards and practical judgment.
Professional Background
I am currently a City Traffic Engineer in Roswell, Georgia, where I conduct traffic engineering studies and operational analyses, investigate safety concerns, and review development impacts. I hold a PhD in transportation engineering, a PE license, and active RSP1 credential in traffic safety, which shape how I approach technical work.
Before this, I worked in consulting and state-level safety programs. At AECOM, I conducted traffic engineering studies and safety evaluations for state departments of transportation, including network screening and crash analysis using HSM methodologies. At the Arkansas Department of Transportation, I supervised the Traffic Safety Engineering Unit and managed statewide safety programs, developing both systemic and low-cost safety improvements for highways across multiple functional classifications.
My work emphasizes clarity, defensibility, and alignment with established guidance such as MUTCD, AASHTO, HSM, and HCM. I prioritize quantitative analysis and engineering judgment grounded in data, not assumptions. In my current role, I support municipal decision-making by evaluating roadway operations, responding to safety and community concerns, and preparing defensible recommendations for management and elected officials.
Beyond municipal work, I remain active in transportation research and professional service. I contribute to the Transportation Research Board through participation in research panels focused on crash prediction modeling and multi-modal safety approaches. I’m involved with the Institute of Transportation Engineers, serving on committees in traffic safety, roundabout and alternative intersections, STEM, and emerging technologies. I’ve published work on crash frequency modeling and the safety effects of strategic highway safety programs, among other subjects. Here is a link to my google scholar webpage, which includes my past research work. My current role is primarily practice-oriented, though I continue to have a strong interest in research.
Personal / Perspective
Outside of engineering, many know me as Caspian. I am interested in understanding how things work across different domains, from technical systems to everyday decisions and habits. I tend to approach problems analytically, sometimes even a bit too much, but I also value reflection, curiosity, and stepping outside of technical thinking. My interests generally center around personal growth, systems thinking, and technology.
I write regularly, though not always publicly. For years, I’ve kept a personal log where I explored a wide range of topics, including professional ideas, personal reflections, and broader questions about life, learning, and decisions. I also read or listen to audio books and podcasts regularly and review books on Goodreads, just as a way to wrap up my thoughts about it and to maintain a record of what I’ve learned. This site is an extension of that process, where I will attempt to refine my thoughts and share online. In some sense, the site is an evolving creature, anyway.
I also have a strong interest in creative expression through photography. I have not focused on a single theme, but rather on capturing unique moments across different settings, including travel, landscapes, people, structures, macro subjects, and low-light environments. To me, it is less about a defined style and more about observation, timing, and perspective. Other areas of interest include personal finance and investing, as well as experimenting with tools and technologies that support better thinking and decision-making. I tend to have an ongoing, exploratory set of interests rather than a fixed or specialized focus. At times, I’ve been deeply interested in topics like Greek mythology and the origins of gods, then shifted to cooking, later baking, and at other points to space and astronomy, among others.
This site brings these elements together. The Professional section focuses on engineering topics (mainly transportation), while the Personal and Reflections sections are used to explore ideas, document learning, and think more broadly about systems, experiences, and perspectives.
