2024 40 Under 40: Ricky Angueira

Ricky Angueira is a senior associate working with Jarrett Walker + Associates, currently working with the Williamsburg Area Transit Authority (WATA). Angueira is leading the drafting and communication of WATA's Transit Strategic Plan (TSP) for its service area and stakeholders.  

Angueira helped to initiate work on WATA's TSP in 2022, displaying a great commitment to meeting the needs and requirements of the community. He leads the Jarrett Walker + Associates’ recurring meetings with WATA with a sense of purpose, presenting to the WATA's Board of Directors, updates on the project and generating opportunities or ideas and suggestions. Angueira also presented WATA’s draft TSP in virtual town halls to its community to help generate support and incorporate feedback. 

He is working to create an understanding of the intricacies of transit and how it works for the common rider and community member. He works to provide innovative ways to visualize systems to gain understanding and support from those who could be directly affected by future transit projects.  

During the development of WATA’s TSP, Angueira was thrown a curveball when WATA initiated a new service through the international tourist destination of Colonial Williamsburg, replacing a private service. Angueira seamlessly incorporated this into the plan, including connections with the existing network and most noteworthy, proposing a cost-share formula for the multiple local governments involved.  

How did you get to where you are today? 
I started studying engineering in Puerto Rico, focused on transportation in Connecticut and then studied urban planning in Spain.

I loved urban planning and exploring how different cities have evolved into what they are today but I learned that many places struggle to plan their transit networks. Many cities have grown outwards with a focus on traveling by car and now they find it difficult to build vibrant, walkable communities so I started to focus on transit planning to help these communities have better transit networks so that they can build the city they want. 

I had lived in a few places where I could rely on transit (Richmond, Va., San Francisco, Calif.,  Washington D.C., Madrid, Spain,) so I understood how liberating it can be to not depend on a private car for everything. Good public transit planning can unlock a city's potential and empower people's lives.

What do you enjoy most about your job? 
Helping cities have clear conversations about what transit can do for their communities. Since there isn't one technical solution that works perfectly everywhere, I help communities think through their goals and priorities. Then, together, we can design the best transit network that works for them. Having these conversations is challenging but bringing clarity and seeing an implemented transit network achieve the goals of a community is very rewarding. Many cities throughout the world can improve their transit service to reach their goals, so I want to continue to help them have clear conversations about the potential of transit service. 
What accomplishments are you most proud of and why? 
I have led many projects to create public-facing transit maps but I recently worked on the new transit map for San Juan, Puerto Rico. I'm proud to be able to use what I have learned and bring it back home. 

Last spring, I taught a graduate course at Virginia Tech on Transit Network Design. It was incredibly fulfilling to share my knowledge and experience with the next generation of planners.