Joe Siccardi in the still-under-construction Johnson bore of the Eisenhower Johnson Tunnels.
Joe Siccardi. You may not know his name, but every Coloradan has seen his work.
A 1949 University of Colorado Boulder civil engineering graduate, Siccardi was part of the team of engineers and workers who built the Eisenhower and Johnson Tunnels and the Glenwood Canyon I-70 project.
Siccardi spent 34 years with the Federal Highway Administration, rising to the position of federal highway administrator. From 1988 through 1995, he served as bridge engineer for the State of Colorado, introducing new innovations in bridge design.
He died April 21, 2020 at the age of 93, and his family has endowed a scholarship at CU Boulder for civil engineering students as a way to recognize his lifelong commitments to education and engineering.
鈥淗e loved studying,鈥� said Dave Siccardi, Joe鈥檚 son. 鈥淗e would get home from his shift at the Federal Highway Administration, we鈥檇 have dinner as a family, and then he鈥檇 grab an apple and a pile of school books and head off to class.鈥�
Over his career, Siccardi earned four degrees. In addition to his civil engineering bachelor鈥檚 at CU Boulder, he received a master鈥檚 in civil engineering from New York University, a master鈥檚 in public administration from the University of Colorado Denver, and a law degree from the University of Denver.
鈥淎ll of those different degrees were in response to things that happened in his life. He realized to be more effective professionally he needed more education, and he was not afraid to go get it,鈥� said Dave. 鈥淭he master鈥檚 of public administration and law degrees stemmed from the Glenwood Canyon project environmental concerns and lawsuits. He said, 鈥業鈥檓 not going to be behind the curve on this.鈥欌��
Joe鈥檚 daughter Donna Nortz agreed.
鈥淗e was really passionate about schooling and engineering. He just loved learning,鈥� Donna said. 鈥淭he independent living facility he was in started offering Spanish lessons. At 93 years old, he signed up. It didn鈥檛 matter what it was, he just loved learning.鈥�
Despite working on some of the most well-known Colorado highway projects, Dave said his father rarely touted his achievements.
Siccardi and a group of colleagues with early electronic tools at the Federal Highway Administration.
鈥淗e was a public servant who really believed in using the public鈥檚 money wisely,鈥� Dave said. 鈥淗is name is on a plaque up at the Johnson bore of the tunnel, but he talked about his work as 鈥榳e鈥� built this bridge or 鈥榳e鈥� built this tunnel. It wasn鈥檛 about him.鈥�
For Dave and Donna, endowing a scholarship was a way to honor their father and help the next generation of civil engineers.
鈥淲e had an opportunity to do something we think he always wanted to do, but there were always other family priorities,鈥� Dave said. 鈥淧art of it was also because of COVID. When he passed, we couldn鈥檛 have a celebration of his life of any significant size. He would appreciate this.鈥�
As an engineer, Donna said Siccardi was always looking to the future, at the next big project.
鈥淲henever he achieved a goal, it wasn鈥檛 time to sit back and say, 鈥榊eah, I did that.鈥�, It was, 鈥楲ook forward at what鈥檚 next,鈥欌�� Donna said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 part of his legacy for future engineers: what鈥檚 next. And he was never afraid to say I don鈥檛 know, but I will find out.鈥�
If you are inspired by this story and would like to donate to the College of Engineering and Applied Science, please consider making a gift or contacting eng.advancement@colorado.edu to learn more.