AECOM names new HSR head

AECOM Transportation has named Vice President, Strategic Programs John Barna as Director of its National High Speed Rail Practice. He replaces Al Engel, who left AECOM to head Amtrak’s high speed initiatives.

In his new role, Barna helps coordinate the company’s high speed rail services and the pursuit of HSR business nationwide, as well as serving as the principal spokesman on HSR issues. His responsibilities include serving as the company’s client coordinator for California High Speed Rail Authority work and HSR in the Western United States. In addition, he assists in developing major transportation project business opportunities in California and Washington. He has been working on public-private partnership opportunities, as well as potential design-build projects, in California.

Previously, Barna served as executive director of the California Transportation Commission, an independent state commission responsible for programming and funding several billion dollars annually for transportation projects in California in partnership with regional transportation agencies and the California Department of Transportation. The Commission is also responsible for advising the California Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing Agency and the California Legislature on key transportation policy matters. During Barna’s tenure, the Commission developed seven new capital programs, worth approximately $12 billion, as a part of the voter-approved Proposition 1B. Also, the Commission initiated formal outreach efforts with environmental agencies and stakeholders to implement AB 32 and SB 375, landmark California emission reduction legislation, in the transportation sector, leading to the adoption of updated regional transportation programming guidelines. Barna also served as one of the three owner-decision-makers on the Toll Bridge Program Oversight Committee, responsible for the retrofit and replacement of the state’s toll bridges, including the replacement of the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge. .

Before that, Barna was deputy secretary for transportation at the California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, and president of his own transportation consulting firm, Anrab Associates. Before starting his own firm, he was an associate with Planning Company Associates, where he provided multi-modal transportation planning and programming services. Prior to joining Planning Company, Barna was deputy director of the California High Speed Rail Authority, where he managed the engineering design and environmental analyses of the Authority’s proposed corridors between Bakersfield-Los Angeles and Los Angeles-Inland Empire-San Diego. In addition, he was responsible for system integration, financial modeling, and public affairs. Prior to joining the Authority, Barna was deputy secretary for transportation at the California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency. He is a graduate of Northwestern University.