Western Alliance for Quality Transportation Construction (WAQTC)

About WAQTC

The federal government requires any person performing quality assurance (QA)/quality control (QC) on state- or federally-funded transportation projects to be qualified. As a result, the Colorado Department of Transportation has implemented the WAQTC soils qualification program.

The purpose of this program is to meet the federal requirements and ensure that individuals responsible for the QA/QC aspects of highway transportation projects are qualified to perform soils test procedures in accordance with the applicable test methods and consistent test procedures. CDOT provides technicians with a qualification for inspection of soils and is included in the WAQTC qualification. 

CDOT developed training videos. These videos are provided as a resource to the industry to assist individuals for this certification (refer to Quick Links or visit Manual and Training Videos page here). In addition to the training videos and review of our manual, individuals coming in to certify are expected to have hands-on laboratory testing and field experience to be provided by their respective employer. When individuals come in to certify, they will immediately take the written exams without any overview and proceed directly into the laboratory for practical examinations.

Exam Overview & Schedule

This program is for engineering technicians and engineers responsible for sampling, testing and inspections for quality control of soils and aggregate. CDOT qualifies soils and embankment inspectors through WAQTC’s Embankment and Base and In-Place Density modules. This portion of the certification program involves written and performance exams on the WAQTC materials. In addition to the WAQTC qualification materials, CDOT desires to have our inspectors familiar with construction practices, geological conditions, testing procedures and construction specifications that are unique for Colorado.

The second portion of CDOT’s soils and embankment qualification process includes demonstrating a familiarity of the materials contained in in our Soils, Excavation, and Embankment Inspection manual by passing another written exam with questions related to the manual’s content.

This exam is open-book. Additional performance exams are also required to demonstrate ability and knowledge to complete other soil tests beyond that which are required to qualify for WAQTC Embankment and Base and In-Place Density certification.

Participants may elect to take only the Soils Inspector portion of the certification to become inspectors, however CDOT does require that any individual certifying for WAQTC Embankment and Base must also pass the Soils Inspection portion of the exam.