NDLTAP
Staff Bio

Kelly Bengtson joined UGPTI as a pavement and bridge engineer. He will assist UGPTI with road and bridge investment needs studies, asset management efforts, and technical assistance to local units of government.

Bengtson, a native of Hallock, MN, has been the Kittson County, MN, Engineer since 1997. Located in the northwest corner of the state, Kittson County is typically one of the top 10 agricultural production counties in Minnesota for tons of annually grown crops, which puts significant demand on its infrastructure. During Bengtson's time there, the Kittson County Highway Department delivered more than $60 million in road and bridge construction projects, $25 million in road and bridge maintenance, and $8 million in Red River flood damage repair work. The Highway Department has four front office people, four technicians and 12 maintenance workers/equipment operators. The department covers 365 state-aid highway miles and 90 miles of local county roads.

Bengtson was also drainage engineer for the County Drainage Authority, which was responsible for 260 miles of legal drainage ditches. Before joining Kittson County Highway Dept., Bengtson was District Manager/Engineering Technician for the Kittson Soil and Water Conservation District for 10 years. He started his career as a Product Engineer with Deere & Company in Waterloo, Iowa for 3 years. Bengtson attended NDSU, where he earned his bachelor of engineering degree. He has a Professional Engineering license in Civil Engineering.

Bengtson and his wife, Trina (Greenbush, Mn.) have three daughters, a son-in-law, and one grandson. His hobbies include farming, golf, bowling and history.