The logo you see at the top of this webpage is the third logo for the American Public Works Association since its formation in 1937. In each case, the logo primarily depends on the weight of the acronym APWA to assert its identity.
First there were two separate organizations, American Society of Municipal Engineers and International Association of Public Works Officials, each with its own logo. In 1937, those organizations merged to form the American Public Works Association.
The first APWA logo shadowed the shape and fonts of the logos for the predecessor organizations. It used gold lettering on a blue background.
In 1990, the logo was redesigned to give the feeling of openness and movement, again using the representative "APWA blue" and substituting white for the gold color.
The current logo was unveiled in 2004 as a representation which builds on those sentiments but refines the concept to suggest a forward-thinking, high energy organization. This logo is sometimes also incorporates the tag line of "Your Comprehensive Public Works Resource" which identifies the association's purpose and commitment to public works professionals.