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WTS-Boston is proud to announce that Joseph J. Allegro Jr., P.E., President and founder at Allegro Construction Services, has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Honorable Ray LaHood Award. This honor recognizes a man who has made significant contributions to the advancement of women and minorities through programs or opportunities and has shown outstanding contributions to the transportation industry. 

Throughout his more than forty-year career in the transportation sector, Joe Allegro has consistently led by example, using his influence, credibility, and experience to advocate for women to compete for and succeed in key leadership roles. His commitment to equity is evident in the way he actively supports women and women-owned firms—ensuring they are not only included but trusted and empowered to lead. 

Joe has a long-standing reputation for creating meaningful opportunities for women on complex transportation and heavy civil projects. His actions have helped normalize the idea that women belong in key leadership positions. He regularly encourages women to take on visible, high-responsibility roles, including leading technical discussions, managing negotiations, and engaging directly with agency leadership. His support is thoughtful and deliberate, and when he endorses a woman or a woman-owned firm, decision-makers listen. 

Beyond individual advocacy, Joe is deeply committed to mentorship. He offers guidance, insight, and access to professional networks that help women navigate the transportation industry and advance their careers. He frequently makes introductions, provides strategic advice, and identifies opportunities that allow women to gain visibility and credibility with agencies and project teams. 

Joe’s impact on the transportation industry is equally significant. He served as Director of Construction on the Central Artery/Third Harbor Tunnel Project and has since provided owner-side oversight and dispute-resolution expertise to MassDOT, MBTA, CTDOT, and other agencies. His leadership has helped shape best practices in construction management, risk oversight, and project delivery on some of the region’s most complex infrastructure projects.  

Joe’s consistent support of women and minorities, combined with his outstanding contributions to the transportation industry, exemplifies the leadership and values recognized by the Honorable Ray LaHood Award. 

About the Award Recipient 

Joseph J. Allegro, Jr., P.E. has worked in the transportation design and construction industry for 42 years. The first twenty was spent with MassDOT, working in the highway design and traffic sections, on construction projects in District 7 (now District 5), and finally as Deputy Chief Engineer for Construction. He also worked on the Big Dig Project, starting as an Area Design Manager and leaving as the Director of Construction. His MassDOT stint was followed at Lochner Engineering, as the office’s technical lead. In 2005, he founded Allegro Construction Services, where he provides construction management and dispute resolution services. 

He is actively engaged with several professional organizations such as BSCES, DBIA, AACE, AAA, and with a special focus on the DRB Foundation. He has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Cornell University. 

Joe is a longtime resident of Jamaica Plain where he lives with his wife, Etty Padmodipoetro. They have been blessed with 5 children: Nadia (New York), Maya and Serena (Los Angeles), Eric (Fenway section), and Remy (Jamaica Plain). 

WTS-Boston congratulates Joe Allegro on this well-deserved recognition and celebrates his invaluable contributions to the advancement of women and minority groups and the transportation industry. His leadership, mentorship, and dedication to equity and inclusion continue to have a lasting impact on Allegro Construction and the broader community. 

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