(1) Neither the state nor any of its political subdivisions shall engage in the construction of any public work involving engineering, unless the plans, specifications, and estimates have been prepared and the construction executed under the direct supervision of a professional engineer or a licensed architect.
(2) Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to any public work, including a highway or capital project under KRS 56.491, that involves only maintenance or repair of the facility. Maintenance or repair shall not include any work which alters, modifies, or changes the original characteristics of the design.