AboutOur Experienced Team
At Franson Civil Engineers, we pride ourselves on our extensive and comprehensive knowledge of water resources engineering. The basis for our knowledge and expertise begins with our senior management. The firm is directed by two principals who oversee the project teams, consisting of engineers, designers, and field and support staff. Learn more about our principals and their respective experience and expertise.
Eric J. Franson, P.E.
Principal
As President of Franson Civil Engineers, Eric is personally committed to setting and maintaining the firm’s high professional standards for quality control and client satisfaction. This begins with building relationships with clients to understand their needs.
Eric is a Civil and Environmental Engineering graduate from Utah State University, and a Registered Professional Engineer in Utah, Idaho, and Nevada. He has more than 21 years of experience in all aspects of consulting engineering from the initial planning stages through funding, design, and ultimately through construction review. His professional basketball experiences (college and overseas) taught him the true effectiveness of being a team; he brings that unique knowledge to civil engineering by managing the firm’s successful team atmosphere.
Eric has worked on several water-related projects, including: pressurized irrigation systems, water storage tanks, spring rehabilitation, culinary water systems, and earth-fill dam rehabilitation. His work has included master planning, feasibility report preparation, water rights evaluations, preparation of cost estimates, funding acquisition, contract administration, agency coordination, preparation of contract documents and specifications, and preparation of water management and conservation plans.
His commitment of service to client’s projects and needs are the mainstay of our firm’s ability to consistently deliver projects that meet client needs, on schedule and within budget.
Layne D. Jensen, P.E.
Principal
Layne Jensen is an experienced Project Manager known for leading challenging projects, specifically those with technical and environmental compliance issues. Layne is a Civil and Environmental Engineering graduate from Stanford University, a Mining Engineering graduate from the University of Utah, and a Registered Professional Engineer in Utah and Idaho.
Layne recently led the Millsite Reservoir Outlet Relocation Project, the Wide Hollow Dam Rehabilitation Project, the Fairview Tunnel Rehabilitation Project, the Fairview Lake Dam Rehabilitation Project, and the North Summit Pressurized Irrigation Project, with total project costs in excess of $25 million.
In addition to managing the above projects and many others, he has spent much of his career conducting environmental investigations and preparing environmental documents. Layne’s experience also includes funding acquisition, feasibility studies, alternatives development and analysis, client representation, and agency coordination. His design experience includes pipelines, wetland mitigation, embankments, culverts, channels, ponds, spillways, sedimentation ponds, pumping systems, erosion control systems, and stormwater control systems. These designs typically included engineering cost estimates and specifications. His experience also includes the reclamation of mining-disturbed land and the reestablishment of impacted drainages.
Jay W. Franson
Founding Principal (retired)
Jay Franson founded Franson Civil Engineers in 1989 and subsequently worked tirelessly to build the firm’s reputation as the best water resources engineering firm in Utah. Jay leaves a legacy of values, ideals, and successes that we honor today.
Jay is a Civil and Environmental Engineering graduate from Utah State University, a Mathematics graduate from Ashland University, and a Registered Professional Engineer in Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. He managed water projects in the western United States for over four decades. He had major roles on several extremely large and controversial projects including the Central Arizona Project and the Central Utah Project.
His commitment to the community has been an important aspect of his career. He served as the Mayor of Highland City for four years and served as the President of Highland Water Company for 13 years. He also served as a member of the Utah Drinking Water Board for nine years.
His credentials and character were recognized by his peers in 2007 as ACEC-Utah’s Engineer of the Year and in 2009 from the Utah Chapter of AWRA for Outstanding Service.