Private company

HNTB

Logo: Original : HNTB Corporation Vector : Jbarta, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons3

American infrastructure design firm

HNTB Corporation is an American architectural and infrastructure design firm. Founded in 1914 in Kansas City, Missouri, HNTB began with the partnership made by Ernest Emmanuel Howard with the firm Waddell & Harrington, founded in 1907.2 It employed 3,500 people.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

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Photo: Itsjustbrandon622, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons5

HNTB Corporation is an American architectural and infrastructure design firm. Founded in 1914 in Kansas City, Missouri, HNTB began with the partnership made by Ernest Emmanuel Howard with the firm Waddell & Harrington, founded in 1907.2

The story

Waddell & Harrington was formed in 1907 as a partnership between John Alexander Low Waddell and John Lyle Harrington and was based in Kansas City, Missouri, but had offices in Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, British Columbia. The company designed more than 30 vertical-lift bridges for highways and railroads. After Howard's partnership, Waddell & Harrington eventually became Harrington, Howard & Ash. In 1941, it changed its name to Howard, Needles, Tammen & Bergendoff when Enoch Needles, Henry Tammen & Ruben Bergendoff joined as partners. In 1975, it merged with Kivett and Myers to form a sports architecture practice. In 1982, it acquired the rail firm of Thomas K. Dyer adding track, signal, communications and traction power to its portfolio, thus positioning the firm to serve the rail industry. In 1993, it formally changed its name to HNTB Corporation. In 2000, the firm became employee-owned.

From Wikipedia’s article on HNTB, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Products and brands

Architecture

HNTB's architecture projects have included Levi's Stadium in San Francisco, home of the San Francisco 49ers, completed in 2014; the Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower Airport terminal, which opened in 2015; an expansion of Kroger Field at the University of Kentucky; Camping World Stadium reconstruction in Orlando in 2014; and Bartle Hall Convention Center Ballroom Expansion in 2007.

HNTB will assist MANICA Architecture in designing and building a new stadium for the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City, Kansas.

Aviation

In 2014, Airport Business Magazine recognized two of the company's aviation experts, James Long PE and Jennie Santoro, with a "Top 40 Under 40" award. In 2015, HNTB's Clint Laaser, RA, LEED AP, received the same recognition. The annual award by the magazine recognizes 40 aviation industry professionals under the age of 40 for their academic, professional and community achievements.

HNTB's aviation projects have earned several awards. The firm created the conceptual design for the 221-foot-tall air traffic control tower at San Francisco International Airport. In 2016, the project earned a Grand Conceptor Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies for the structural engineer of record (Walter P Moore). HNTB was lead architect and performed initial planning and engineering services on the San Diego International Terminal 2 expansion project. In 2014, the project earned a Best of the Best Projects award from Engineering News-Record in the Airport/Transit category.

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Currently, HNTB is the architect of record on Orlando International Airport's new south terminal project. The project won a 2017 American Architecture Award. The firm also supports mentoring programs for young professionals in the aviation market.

Bridges

Ted Zoli is currently the national bridge chief engineer at HNTB.

In 2016, the National Steel Bridge Alliance gave HNTB awards for several bridge projects. These included the South Park Bascule Bridge in Seattle; the Portsmouth Memorial Bridge between New Hampshire and Maine; the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge in St. Louis; and the Falls Flyover Ramp in Wichita, Kansas.

HNTB serves as owner's engineer for the New York State Thruway Authority on the New NY Bridge project, which replaces the Tappan Zee Bridge over the Hudson River in New York. The new bridge is called the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.

HNTB was project oversight representative for the Florida Department of Transportation on the Sisters Creek Bridge replacement in Jacksonville, Florida. In 2017, the project earned a National Awards of Merit in the Transportation category from the Design-Build Institute of America.

HNTB led the final design for the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge in Boston.

The company won an award for the repair of the John E. Mathews Bridge after it was severely damaged by a ship impact in September 2013.

DOTs

HNTB serves, and has previously served, on a variety of projects for state departments of transportation across the U.S. The firm's DOT work has included construction engineering and inspection services on the I-595 Express Corridor Improvements Project for the Florida Department of Transportation, the Johnson County Gateway Interchange for the Kansas Department of Transportation, and program management consultant services on the U.S. 290 Corridor rebuild for the Texas Department of Transportation.

Additionally, the firm has served on the I-94 reconstruction for the Michigan Department of Transportation, the Milwaukee Zoo Interchange for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, and the Poplar Street Bridge project for the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Intelligent transportation systems

HNTB's intelligent transportation systems projects have included system design and maintenance and operations services for a smart truck parking system in Michigan and the Tampa Bay SunGuide Center.

HNTB also supports the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority on Tampa Connected Vehicle Pilot and a Truck Parking Availability System for the Florida Department of Transportation.

Tolls

HNTB supported the Florida Department of Transportation to complete I-595 Corridor Roadway Improvements in Broward County, Florida, which reached substantial completion in 2014.

Transit/Rail

HNTB works on transit stations, commuter rail, Bus Rapid Transit, Positive Train Control, streetcars and others.

The company is a supporter of high-speed rail projects.

HNTB provided several services on the Chicago Transit Authority Red Line Wilson Station Reconstruction Project in Chicago, including train control, communications, mechanical, architectural, environmental mitigation support and structural. The project was completed in 2017.

HNTB was part of a joint venture that was lead designer on the Dallas Area Rapid Transit South Oak Cliff Extension 3 project. The project was completed in 2016.

HNTB won the 2017 Bronze Engineering Excellence Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts for its work supporting the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority on the Fitchburg Commuter Rail Improvement Program.

Tunnels

HNTB was lead designer for the SR99 Tunnel Project in Seattle. The tunnel was completed in 2017 and opened in 2019.

HNTB was the independent design verifier for the Istanbul Strait Crossing tunnel in Turkey. The tunnel, also known as the Eurasia Tunnel, established a connection between the European and Asian sides of the city, and opened in 2016. The project won a 2016 Global Best Project award from Engineering News-Record, and engineering industry publication, in the Bridge/Tunnel category.

From Wikipedia’s article on HNTB, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Timeline

  1. 1914Founded Founded in Kansas City1

Sources

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