WASHINGTON - July 24, 2012

Michael Baker Jr., Inc., a unit of Michael Baker Corporation (NYSE MKT:BKR), announced today that it has been awarded a $1.57 million contract by the District of Columbia Department of Transportation (DDOT) for a comprehensive study of Long Bridge over the Potomac River to assess existing conditions and options for rehabilitation or replacing the bridge crossing in the future.  The heavily used bridge carries traffic for three railroads -- CSX (the bridge owner), AMTRAK, and the Virginia Railway Express -- and is the sole railroad bridge between the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Under this contract, Baker will review the condition of the existing bridge and identify potential short-term repairs.  The second phase of the study will analyze the capacity of the crossing in terms of rail traffic, identify alternatives to improve the multimodal capacity of the crossing in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and identify a preferred approach.  The study will be a collaborative effort with the three railroads using the bridge and will include extensive stakeholder coordination with agencies such as the National Park Service, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Virginia Department of Transportation, Department of Rail and Public Transportation, Department of the Interior, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Corps of Engineers, and the Federal Railroad Administration.
 
"DDOT is very excited to undertake this project in collaboration with the Federal Railroad Administration. This project is extremely important to DDOT for maintaining and improving commuter, passenger and freight rail service across the Potomac River," said DDOT’s Faisal Hameed, manager of the Project Development and Environmental Division. "Implementing a multimodal solution to meet current and future demands is vital to this region, and DDOT believes this study will help develop these solutions."

Baker’s David Wilcock, P.E., vice president and National Rail and Transit director and project manager, said, "We’re very excited to lead this study using our vast resources and experience in the areas of bridge engineering, multimodal planning and operations, environmental studies, and stakeholder outreach.  We look forward to working with all stakeholders to identify feasible improvement alternatives for further development."

Michael Baker Corporation (www.mbakercorp.com) provides engineering, design, planning and construction services for its clients’ most complex challenges worldwide.  The firm's primary business areas are architecture, aviation, defense, environmental, geospatial, homeland security, municipal & civil, oil & gas, rail & transit, telecommunications & utilities, transportation, urban development and water.  With more than 3,000 employees in over 100 offices across the United States, Baker is focused on creating value by delivering innovative and sustainable solutions for infrastructure and the environment.

# # # #

Contact:
David Higie

E-mail:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it