James M. Carigan


Raised in Liberty, Kentucky, Mr. Carigan graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1942. After graduation, he worked for the TVA mapping the Tennessee River watershed and building dams to provide electricity for the procession and production of war materials.

In 1949 Mr. Carigan started working at the Kentucky Department of Transportation in District 6. He moved to Louisville in 1952 and assisted in the location and design of the Watterson Expressway. In 1957, Jim moved to Frankfort as Chief of the new Aerial Engineering Section and later as head of the Division of Photogrammetry.  Under his direction, the section developed into one of the leading units in the US. This group made the first serious use of the computer in the determination of construction quantities in highway and became fully integrated into the design of roadway plans.

After his retirement in 1978, he became the Engineer of Photogrammetry for King Khaled of Saudi Arabia.