Michael Baker International Appoints Craig Churchward to National Role as Transportation Planning Manager

Responsible for Managing Transportation Planning and Design Projects Across Enterprise

Minneapolis (August 18, 2016) - Michael Baker International, a global leader in engineering, planning and consulting services, today named Craig Churchward as transportation planning manager, supporting both the Planning and Highways & Bridges practices.

Churchward will operate from the company’s Minneapolis, Minn., office and will serve as a national resource to project managers across the enterprise, providing key assistance in pursuing and delivering transportation planning and design work. He will lead the company in Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS), visual impact assessments, transportation aesthetics, active transportation and public engagement.  

In this role, Churchward will leverage his expertise in landscape architecture to help project managers apply CSS to all transportation projects in the company. CSS, a collaborative and holistic approach to all aspects of managing transportation projects, uses a state-of-the-art understanding of how human behavior and transportation facilities interact. It allows project managers at Michael Baker to quickly determine which transportation improvements are needed and to find solutions that better integrate freeways, highways, roads and streets into their environmental surroundings and the people and communities these facilities are meant to serve.

“Craig is a great addition to our team in Minneapolis and will be a valuable partner to project managers and clients across the country,” said Kenton Zinn, office executive for Michael Baker’s Minneapolis office. “He has a strong background in transportation, planning and community-based solutions, and is committed to developing the team’s capabilities as we Make a Difference in our communities and for our nation’s surface transportation systems. Craig’s knowledge and experience with CSS will contribute to solving our clients’ complex challenges.”

Locally, Churchward also is responsible for regional business development for the practices in the Minneapolis area and northern Great Lakes region, helping to manage the transportation planning efforts. 

Churchward brings more than 35 years of transportation planning and design experience to his new role. He previously led his own firm for the past seven years. He has also authored several guides for the Federal Highway Administration and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Churchward serves as a speaker at transportation events around the country and is a member of the Transportation Research Board’s Landscape and Environmental Design Committee. 

About Michael Baker International

Michael Baker International is a leading global provider of engineering and consulting services, which include planning, architectural, environmental, construction, program management, and full life-cycle support services as well as information technology and communications services and solutions. The company provides its comprehensive range of services and solutions in support of U.S. federal, state, and municipal governments, foreign allied governments, and a wide range of commercial clients.  Michael Baker International has more than 6,000 employees in more than 90 locations across the U.S. and internationally. To learn more, visit www.mbakerintl.com. 

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