Melisa Finley, PE

TTI Senior Research Engineer
Program Manager

Education

• M.S., Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University, 1999
• B.S., Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University, 1997

Short Biography

Melisa Finley is Research Engineer in the Traffic Operations and Roadway Safety Division of the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI). In her 20 year career at TTI, she has been a principal investigator or key researcher on over 40 studies relating to work zone safety and operations, wrong-way driving, traffic control measures and devices, and educational outreach. These research activities were conducted for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), California DOT, Florida DOT, Ohio DOT, the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA), and various University Transportation Centers (UTCs).  In addition, she has conducted several research projects for several private entities including the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA), Avery Dennison, and Mobile Barriers, LLC.  Ms. Finley has published findings in Transportation Research Board (TRB) journals and other publications such as Roads and Bridges magazine. She has made numerous presentations on her research findings at TRB meetings, Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) meetings, American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) meetings, and other venues.  Her ambition and commitment to excellence have not gone unnoticed.  In 2013, Ms. Finley received the TTI/Trinity Researcher Award.  In 2004 she received the Texas Institute of Transportation Engineers (TexITE) Younger Member of the Year Award, and in 2001 she received the TTI/Trinity New Researcher Award.

Ms. Finley is actively involved in TRB, ITE, and ATSSA. Within TRB, she is a member of the Committee on Traffic Control Devices (AHB50), a member of the Committee on Work Zone Traffic Control (AHB55), the chair of the Joint Subcommittee on Vehicle Intrusion Mitigation in Work Zones. In 2017, 2013, 2011, and 2006, the TRB Work Zone Traffic Control Committee (AHB55) awarded papers authored by Ms. Finley as the best paper sponsored by the committee.  Within ITE, she is a member of the STEM Subcommittee, a member of the Women in ITE Subcommittee, and she was in the 2015 LeadershipITE class.  Within ATSSA, she is a member of the Temporary Traffic Control Committee.

Ms. Finley received her Bachelor of Science (Cum Laude) and Master of Science degrees in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University. She is a registered professional engineer in the state of Texas.