PA Turnpike Chief Engineer Named 2025 Outstanding Engineer by Engineers’ Society of Western Pennsylvania
PA Turnpike Chief Engineer Named 2025 Outstanding Engineer by Engineers’ Society of Western Pennsylvania
PITTSBURGH — The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s (PA Turnpike) Chief Engineer Brad Heigel has been named Outstanding Engineer by the Engineers’ Society of Western Pennsylvania (ESWP).
The award is being presented as part of the ESWP’s annual banquet in Pittsburgh on March 19. ESWP has worked to advance the professions of engineering, architecture, and applied sciences through technical activities, public service participation and social organizations since 1880.
“Congratulations to Brad for his dedication to maintaining and elevating the quality of our roadway, ensuring we remain ‘best in class’ while preserving and enhancing America’s first superhighway,” said PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “Brad is a key part of why the Pennsylvania Turnpike continues to set the standard for engineering and design in the transportation industry.”
Since being named Chief Engineer in 2012, Heigel has overseen the day-to-day operations of the PA Turnpike’s Engineering Department and is responsible for delivering on the PA Turnpike’s 10-year, $8 billion Capital Plan. Heigel has been integral in the PA Turnpike’s key initiatives, including the most transformative PA Turnpike project yet, Open Road Tolling (ORT). The culmination of decade-long journey to modernize operations, ORT meets customer expectations for seamless, nonstop travel. By the end of 2026, the PA Turnpike will have reconfigured its interchanges East of the Reading and along the Northeast Extension, where ORT is already live, providing a safer, more natural free flow of traffic for customers. Thanks to ORT, new interchanges, like those currently underway at Breezewood, State Route 130 and Lafeyette, are now feasible. ORT launches systemwide in 2027.
“I am honored to be recognized by the Engineers’ Society of Western Pennsylvania,” Heigel said. “I’m grateful to lead our outstanding engineering staff who work tirelessly every day to modernize and innovate our system.”
During his time as Chief Engineer, has also overseen the PA Turnpike’s ongoing Total Reconstruction project. In the past decade, the PA Turnpike has reconstructed 174 miles of roadway into a modern six-lane highway, added 13 miles with the Southern Beltway and approximately 14 miles with the Mon-Fayette Expressway, as well as adding new interchanges to improve access to the PA Turnpike, including Interstate 95, State Route 29 and State Route 903 Interchanges.
By the end of 2026, the PA Turnpike will switch traffic onto the new Hawk Falls Bridge and open two of the Southern sections of Mon/Fayette to traffic. Future projects also include the Allegheny Mountain Realignment, the Delaware River Bridge Project and Scranton Beltway.
A native of St. Mary’s, Pennsylvania, Heigel is a graduate of Penn State University. Heigel first joined the PA Turnpike’s engineering department in 1990. He also was an Assistant Vice President at Michael Baker Corporation from 2010-2012 before re-joining the PA Turnpike team.
A national transportation leader, the Pennsylvania Turnpike (PA Turnpike) is the second largest tolling facility in the United States with the most miles. The PA Turnpike proudly supports safety and convenience for its more than 550,000 daily customers through 24-7 roadside assistance, round-the-clock food and fuel at 17 service plazas and a dedicated maintenance force and State Police Troop. The PA Turnpike’s approximately 1,400-person local workforce is unified in its mission; to operate a safe, reliable, customer-valued toll road system that supports national mobility and commerce. For more information about the PA Turnpike’s mission, vision and values, please visit Home | PA Turnpike.
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Media Contacts:
Marissa Orbanek, Press Secretary: (267) 408-5151, morbanek@paturnpike.com
Crispin Havener, Assistant Press Secretary: (717) 870-2841, chavener@paturnpike.com