Figg Engineering Group

Figg Engineering Group
Name	Figg Engineering Group
Type	Private
Industry	Structural engineering, bridge design, civil engineering
Founded	1978
Founder	Robert P. "Bob" Figg
Headquarters	Tallahassee, Florida, United States
Key people	Brandon Figg, Robert P. Figg Sr.
Services	Bridge design, structural analysis, construction engineering

Figg Engineering Group Figg Engineering Group is a United States–based structural engineering firm known for designing long-span bridges, movable bridges, and signature infrastructure works. The firm has participated in projects across North America and internationally, collaborating with agencies, contractors, and consulting firms on high-profile commissions. Figg has been associated with landmark projects that intersected with major urban planning efforts, transportation initiatives, and civil works programs.

History

The firm was founded in 1978 by Robert P. "Bob" Figg in Tallahassee, Florida, during a period of expansion in highway and bridge programs linked to agencies such as the Federal Highway Administration, Florida Department of Transportation, United States Department of Transportation, and regional authorities. Early work included local bridge rehabilitation and design contracts that connected Figg with construction firms and academic centers including Florida State University and University of Florida. During the 1980s and 1990s the company expanded its portfolio through competitive procurements from state departments such as the Georgia Department of Transportation, North Carolina Department of Transportation, and municipal clients like the City of Miami and Jacksonville, while engaging with national firms such as Bechtel, Fluor Corporation, and AECOM. In the 2000s Figg pursued signature span designs during a boom in signature architecture and urban renewal projects associated with entities such as the Miami-Dade County redevelopment initiatives and federal grant programs administered by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. Leadership transitioned over time to family members and senior principals, maintaining links with professional organizations including the American Society of Civil Engineers, National Society of Professional Engineers, and the National Academy of Engineering.

Notable Projects

Figg has been credited on a range of high-profile bridge projects that engaged stakeholders like the Florida Department of Transportation, South Carolina Department of Transportation and Environmental Control, and port authorities such as the Port of Miami and Port Everglades. Notable works include long-span and cable-stayed bridges often highlighted alongside projects by firms such as HNTB, Montgomery Watson Harza, and Parsons Corporation. Projects associated with Figg have been featured in discussions with agencies including the Federal Transit Administration and metropolitan planning organizations like the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York), and have been cited in case studies alongside structures such as the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, Sunshine Skyway Bridge, Gateway Bridge (Brisbane), and notable movable spans like the Tower Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge in comparative engineering literature. Figg projects have intersected with major programs such as the Interstate Highway System corridor upgrades and urban waterfront redevelopment efforts in cities like Tampa, St. Petersburg, Florida, Charleston, South Carolina, and Houston.

Engineering Specialties and Innovations

The firm's engineering specialties include cable-stayed bridge design, orthotropic deck systems, long-span suspension analysis, and movable bridge mechanics, working with materials and suppliers such as VSL, Geosynthetics, and major steel fabricators linked to the American Institute of Steel Construction. Figg has employed finite element modeling tools and collaborated with software vendors and research labs at institutions like Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, and University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. Innovations attributed to projects involving Figg personnel include aerodynamic deck profiling, iterative constructability planning used in work with contractors such as Skanska and Kiewit, and approaches to scour mitigation referenced alongside publications from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and U.S. Geological Survey studies. The firm has also interfaced with transit agencies including Tri-Rail, SEPTA, and municipal light-rail programs in design-build procurement frameworks similar to those used by Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Safety Record and Controversies

Figg's history includes both commendations for innovative design and scrutiny over incidents tied to construction safety and structural failures that prompted investigations by entities such as the National Transportation Safety Board and regulatory review by state attorneys general and agencies like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. High-profile collapses and accidents on projects involving Figg-engaged structures generated legal actions involving contractors, owners, and insurers including national carriers and major law firms with ties to litigation in jurisdictions such as Florida, South Carolina, and California. Controversies spurred reviews in professional journals published by the American Society of Civil Engineers and case law cited in appellate courts, prompting changes in practice, peer review processes, quality assurance protocols, and collaboration with independent reviewers from universities like Princeton University and Cornell University.

Organizational Structure and Leadership

The company is organized around principals, project managers, specialty engineers, and support staff, interfacing with external partners including engineering consultancies such as HDR, Inc., CH2M Hill, and Black & Veatch. Leadership has included members of the Figg family and senior engineers who maintain professional registrations with state boards such as the Florida Board of Professional Engineers and leadership roles in organizations like the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Civil Engineers. Figg has engaged in joint ventures and design-build teams alongside contractors and design firms, participating in procurements overseen by bodies including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and regional transportation agencies like the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority.

Awards and Recognition

Projects involving the firm have received awards from industry bodies such as the American Society of Civil Engineers awards program, the American Institute of Steel Construction prizes, and design recognitions from organizations including the National Steel Bridge Alliance and the Transportation Research Board. Individual engineers associated with Figg have been honored by state engineering societies like the Florida Engineering Society and have contributed to technical conferences sponsored by institutions such as ASCE and the International Federation for Structural Concrete. The firm's work has been profiled in engineering media outlets and academic case studies from universities including University of Texas at Austin, Columbia University, and University of Michigan.

Category:American engineering companies Category:Bridge engineering firms