AUSTIN, Texas, June 17, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- HNTB Corporation today is marking the 25th anniversary of its Austin office opening, with roots that go back to 1910. That year, Austin's Congress Avenue Bridge opened, which HNTB founder Ernest Howard helped design. The firm would go on to shape Austin's transportation system through projects such as the MoPac/US 183 Interchange, the Ben White/I-35 Interchange and the SH 45/US 183 Interchange.
In 1994, Richard Ridings, PE, HNTB project director, officially opened HNTB's Austin office at 6th Street and Congress Avenue in One American Center, using his American Express® credit card.
"HNTB had offices in Houston and Dallas at the time, but we saw an opportunity to expand into Austin, near our clients and the capitol building," said Ridings, who has been instrumental in growing the office and who celebrates his 27th anniversary with HNTB this year.
'Office' is a generous term, according to Kris Keith, PE, HNTB project manager.
"It was more like two storage closets that faced each other across a hallway," said Keith, one of the first Austin office employees. "Initially, our office furniture consisted of folding tables along the walls but as the office grew, we changed locations and expanded into a mature office environment."
Today, HNTB occupies a large, modern office at 7th and Brazos Street, just a few blocks from its original location. In addition to the downtown Austin location, the South and Central Texas offices include locations in San Antonio, El Paso, Round Rock and a project office in Corpus Christi, employing 125 professionals and counting. HNTB plans to fill upcoming positions in civil design, procurement engineering, construction inspection, traffic operations planning, environmental services and more.
With its strategic location as Texas' state capital, as well as its music and technology hub, Austin is among the most heavily congested metro areas in the nation. HNTB's expertise in aviation, tolling, transit planning, highways, bridges and railroads is helping transportation agencies address and better manage congestion issues as the region tops 2 million people.
In the past 25 years, HNTB has had the privilege to contribute to numerous Austin transportation projects, including the SH 45, MoPac/Loop1, State Highway 130 and 183A. HNTB has been the General Engineering Consultant for Williamson County since the inception of its bond program in 2001, assisting in development of infrastructure for one of the fastest growing regions in the state.
Some current HNTB projects include a General Planning Consultant contract and the Blue Line for Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Project Connect; bond programs for Williamson, Hays and Travis counties; and procurement engineering and a statewide operations and maintenance program for TxDOT's Project Finance, Debt and Strategic Contracts Division.
"HNTB is incredibly proud of our accomplishments and history in the region and state," said Central and South Texas Office Leader and Vice President Michelle Dippel, "Our talented engineers and planners are passionate about providing transportation solutions to our clients and giving back as active members of the communities where we live and work."
HNTB's employees support numerous local chapters of industry trade organizations, including the Women's Transportation Seminar, Conference of Minority Transportation Officials, American Council of Engineering Companies, American Society of Civil Engineers, Texas Society of Professional Engineers, Institute of Transportation Engineers, and the American Society of Highway Engineers. In addition, the firm actively supports and encourages employees to volunteer where their passions lie, and the office has actively supported organizations such as the Hill Country Conservancy, Capital Area Food Bank, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Toys for Tots, Meals on Wheels, Community First Village and The Trail Foundation, among others.
About HNTB
HNTB Corporation is an employee-owned infrastructure solutions firm serving public and private owners and construction contractors. Celebrating 105 years of service in the United States, HNTB continues to grow in size and service offerings to clients from seven office locations in Texas, currently employing approximately 360 full-time professionals in the state. HNTB understands the life cycle of infrastructure and addresses clients' most complex technical, financial and operational challenges. Professionals nationwide deliver a full range of infrastructure-related services, including award-winning planning, design, program management and construction management. For more information, visit http://www.hntb.com, or follow HNTB on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
SOURCE HNTB Corporation
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