Michael Baker International Partners with Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to Honor the 75th Birthday of Nation's First Superhighway

PITTSBURGH, Oct. 1, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Michael Baker International, a global leader in engineering, consulting, planning, technical and professional services, is paying homage to the nation's first superhighway, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, by co-sponsoring a long-term exhibit in the State Museum of Pennsylvania. The creation of the exhibit comes as the commission celebrates the turnpike's 75th birthday.

Michael Baker International leaders joined top state officials to unveil the new exhibit at the museum in Harrisburg, Pa., on Thursday, Oct. 1. The company has served as the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission's consulting engineer since 1956, consistently pushing for upgrades in safety and efficiency for nearly six decades.

"We are proud to honor the legacy of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in its 75th year, especially since this is also Michael Baker International's 75th anniversary. We played a pivotal role in creating this first-of-its-kind highway, which is critical to the nation's ability to move goods and people through this corridor," said Kurt Bergman, CEO of Michael Baker International. "Much has changed in transportation engineering since Michael Baker began serving as the turnpike's general consulting engineer, such as the emergence of intelligent transportation systems and more efficient construction techniques. We look forward to helping the turnpike evolve for the transportation needs of the next 75 years."

The Pennsylvania Turnpike now stretches for 550 miles, which is three times its original length.

The 1,800-square-foot exhibit is located in the museum's newly named Hall of Transportation and Industry. It features a fully-restored original 1940 toll booth, which stood at the Irwin interchange in western Pennsylvania until the early 1980s. It also features a circa-1970 electronic road conditions control board, vehicles from the period when the roadway first opened, historical images, multimedia presentations, scale models and original artifacts.

"When you see this new exhibit, you get a sense of the impact this roadway has had on our modern transportation system. It preceded our interstates and was considered an engineering marvel when it was being developed in the late 1930s," said Larry Bankert, director of toll road operations for Michael Baker International. "Michael Baker's ongoing partnership with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is focused on ensuring that the nation's first superhighway is also its finest by meeting the needs of both today and tomorrow."

The Pennsylvania Turnpike exhibit at the State Museum of Pennsylvania is a product of the collaboration among the museum, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation. Donations from corporations, including Michael Baker, financed the restoration of artifacts and the fabrication of the new exhibit.

About Michael Baker International

Michael Baker International is a leading global provider of engineering and consulting services, which include planning, architectural, environmental, construction, program management, and full life-cycle support services as well as information technology and communications services and solutions. The company provides its comprehensive range of services and solutions in support of U.S. federal, state, and municipal governments, foreign allied governments, and a wide range of commercial clients. Michael Baker International has more than 6,000 employees in more than 90 locations across the U.S. and internationally. To learn more visit www.mbakerintl.com.