HNTB adds principal project engineer to its national tunnel and underground team

HNTB has added Bob Valenti to its national tunnel practice as principal project engineer, where he’ll be based in the firm’s Oakland, Calif. office. 

With more than 30 years of experience, Valenti brings extensive expertise as an engineering consultant, leading and managing planning, design and construction of tunnels and below grade structures. 

“As cities in the U.S. experience a period of intensive growth, underground infrastructure solutions continue to grow in importance and efficient implementation,” said Sanja Zlatanic, HNTB chair national tunnel practice, senior vice president and HNTB Fellow. “Bob’s accomplished leadership and commitment to technical excellence enable him to build the strong client relationships needed to successfully complete large and complex tunnel projects.” 

Valenti previously served as supervising engineer and project manager of geotech and tunneling for another consulting firm. In that role, he was responsible for developing design criteria and standard specifications for underground and embankment structures supporting environmental documents and final design on the California High Speed Rail program. He also worked on large highway tunnel projects in Seattle and Boston. 

Valenti earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Northeastern University.  

He has authored publications based on his tunnel and underground expertise, including “Deep soil cement stabilization of soft blue clay on the CA/T Project” (co –author) in Proceedings, North American Tunnel;  “Fort Point channel design of composite caisson/tunnel immersed tubes” (co –author) Immersed Tunnel Techniques 2; and “Future air rights development above cut-and-cover tunnels” (co –author) in Proceedings, Transportation Research Board.