HNTB Corporation Ramps Up for Priced Managed Lanes in Northern California
Oakland, California (PRWEB) September 24, 2013 -- HNTB Corporation, a national infrastructure solutions firm, has dedicated additional resources to its tolling practice in Northern California to enhance its priced managed lanes planning and implementation capabilities.
Priced managed lanes, also known as express lanes, are a possible solution to dealing with highway congestion. They are well-known in other parts of the country and beginning to take hold in Northern California as a mobility option. They offer highway users the option of paying a pre-determined price to use the toll lanes, thereby enabling drivers to maintain a speed of at least 45 miles per hour which reduces congestion.
According to an HNTB America THINKS national survey conducted in April, nearly three in four drivers would be likely to use priced managed lanes if given the opportunity.
As part of HNTB’s expansion in the region, Matthew Click, AICP, vice president and national director of priced managed lanes, has relocated from Atlanta to the Bay Area. Chadi Chazbek, PE, has joined the firm as associate vice president and Northern California managed lanes practice lead. Both Click and Chazbek are based in HNTB’s Oakland office.
With 17 years of extensive experience in tolling, all-electronic tolling, transportation finance, congestion pricing and priced managed lanes, Click is one of the industry’s most recognized specialists in priced managed lanes, corridors and networks. In his position, Click advises transportation agencies about planning, financing and implementing priced managed lanes programs in congested urban areas. He has worked on programs in Florida, Georgia, Washington, Texas and other states.
Click has a Master of Science in urban and regional planning from Florida State University. He also attended the Leadership Academy and Graduate Leadership Academy at the Florida Department of Transportation.
Click is often requested to speak at industry conferences and events, recently presenting on “Priced Managed Lanes Reducing Congestion” to the Western Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials at its annual conference in San Francisco. Earlier this year, he was invited by the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., to participate with other industry experts in a news conference about priced managed lanes as a congestion option taking hold across the nation. He also is speaking this week at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association on the topic.
Chazbek brings nearly 20 years of experience in planning, design and construction experience on a wide range of transportation-related projects involving tollways, arterial streets, highways and freeway interchanges. He was involved with the implementation of five express lane projects in California in the past five years, including the development and implementation of the first express lane project in northern California, the I-680 Southbound Express Lane. Previously, Chazbek led the priced managed lanes group of an international engineering firm.
Chazbek graduated from the American University of Beirut joint program with the University of Texas at Austin with a master’s degree in civil engineering. He’s a member of several national associations, including the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Transportation Research Board and Intelligent Transportation Society of America.
“HNTB is the number one consultant to toll authorities across the nation and we are eager to put that expertise to work here,” said Darlene K. Gee, PE, vice president and HNTB Northern California office leader. “The combination of Click’s national experience and Chazbek’s regional expertise fully equips HNTB to meet our clients’ needs in the expanding priced managed lanes market in northern California.”
With offices in Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose, HNTB has a long history in Northern California, including a number of high profile infrastructure projects such as the design of the San Francisco 49ers’ Levi’s Stadium, the new Devil’s Slide Tunnels and San Francisco’s Presidio Parkway.
About HNTB
HNTB’s work in California dates back to its founding in 1914. Today HNTB continues to grow in size and service offerings to clients in California from eight office locations, currently employing more than 350 full-time professionals. 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 delivery and construction management. For more information, visit http://www.hntb.com.
John O'Connell, HNTB Corporation, (816) 527-2383, [email protected]
Share this article