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Louis Berger (formerly known as Berger Group Holdings) is a full-service
engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...
,
architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...
, planning, environmental, program and construction management and economic development firm based in
Morristown, New Jersey Morristown () is a town and the county seat of Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. ...
. Founded in 1953 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania by
Dr. Louis Berger Louis Berger (1914 – 1996) was an American civil engineer. A graduate of Tufts College, Berger received his Master's degree in soils and geology from MIT and Doctorate in soil mechanics from Northwestern. He was a former faculty member of Pennsy ...
, the firm employs nearly 6,000 employees in more than 50 countries worldwide. The company was acquired by
WSP Global WSP Global Inc. is a Canadian company with American and British roots, providing management and consultancy services to the built and natural environment. It is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. After the purchase of New York-headquartered ...
in 2018. The firm provides services to federal, state and local government clients, as well as to international multilateral institutions and to commercial industry. As of September 2011, Louis Berger ranked as the third largest
USAID The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government that is primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance. With a budget of over $27 bi ...
private-sector partner, and was ranked #25 in 2015 among U.S. design firms in terms of total firm revenue by
Engineering News-Record ''Engineering News-Record'' (widely known as ''ENR'') is an American weekly magazine that provides news, analysis, data and opinion for the construction industry worldwide. It is widely regarded as one of the construction industry's most authori ...
. The company has suffered setbacks in recent years with settlement of fraud charges for contracts in
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
; admission of criminal responsibility to
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (FCPA) (, ''et seq.'') is a United States federal law that prohibits U.S. citizens and entities from bribing foreign government officials to benefit their business interests. The FCPA is applicable world ...
violations in a settlement with the US Department of Justice for bribery of governments in Asia; and a debarment by the
World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Interna ...
for corrupt practices. In 2019, the National Transportation Safety Board determined that Louis Berger's inadequate peer review of the design contributed to the
Florida International University pedestrian bridge collapse The Florida International University pedestrian bridge collapse occurred on March 15, 2018, when a 175-foot-long (53 m) section of the FIU-Sweetwater UniversityCity Pedestrian Bridge collapsed while under construction. T ...
. They were also criticized for failure to identify the significance of structural cracking and not preparing a remedial plan to address it.


History


Background

Louis Berger was founded in 1953 by
Louis Berger Louis Berger (1914 – 1996) was an American civil engineer. A graduate of Tufts College, Berger received his Master's degree in soils and geology from MIT and Doctorate in soil mechanics from Northwestern. He was a former faculty member of Pennsy ...
in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Born in 1914 in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Dr. Berger graduated from
Tufts College Tufts University is a private research university on the border of Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1852 as Tufts College by Christian universalists who sought to provide a nonsectarian institution of higher learning. ...
in 1936 with a degree in civil engineering, and earned a master’s in soils and geology from
Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the ...
in 1940. In 1942, Dr. Berger joined the
United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mult ...
where he designed waterfront facilities along the Mississippi River and commanded a Coast Guard base in Greenland. Upon returning from active duty, he earned his PhD in soil mechanics from
Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...
and joined the teaching faculty at the
Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvan ...
. In 1952, Dr. Berger left his position at
Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvan ...
to form the engineering consulting firm that would later become Louis Berger. Fredric S. Berger, son of the company's founder, Dr. Louis Berger, was involved with the company since 1972 and served as chairman of Louis Berger Group from 2007 until his passing in April 2015. Mr. Berger held a bachelor's in economics from
Tufts University Tufts University is a private research university on the border of Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1852 as Tufts College by Christian universalists who sought to provide a nonsectarian institution of higher learning. ...
and a master of science degree in civil engineering from the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the ...
. Mr. Berger was a founding member of the
American University of Afghanistan The American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) ( fa, ; ps, ) is an Afghan private university located in the Darulaman section of Kabul. Most students of AUAF currently live abroad and there are plans to create a new AUAF campus in Qatar in the ...
and served on the university's board from 2004 to 2015. In 2013, Mr. Berger was appointed to advisory boards for the
U.S. Institute of Peace The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) is an American federal institution tasked with promoting conflict resolution and prevention worldwide. It provides research, analysis, and training to individuals in diplomacy, mediation, and other pea ...
and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency.


Early years

The firm’s first major projects included design on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, the first turnpike in the U.S., and on I-80 between Denville and Netcong, the first interstate road in the state of New Jersey The firm also designed the Herat-Islam Qala Highway in Afghanistan in 1965.


International Development Work

Louis Berger began its first international project in 1959 when the firm was selected by
USAID The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government that is primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance. With a budget of over $27 bi ...
and the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers , colors = , anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day) , battles = , battles_label = Wars , website = , commander1 = ...
Gulf District to design a 435-mile highway between Yangon and Mandalay in Myanmar. The project was initially rejected by the Burmese government as proposed by the Corps of Engineers, but Louis Berger was able to design the project using more economical alternatives. In December 2010, the Discovery Science Channel production team filmed 30-hours of footage of the works for the construction of a new bridge over the Sava River in Belgrade, Serbia. In 2012, Louis Berger completed work on the Juba-Nimule Road in
South Sudan South Sudan (; din, Paguot Thudän), officially the Republic of South Sudan ( din, Paankɔc Cuëny Thudän), is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia, Sudan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the C ...
under the Sudan Infrastructure Services Project. The road was the first paved highway in South Sudan and links the Sudanese capital to the town of
Nimule Nimule is a city in the southern part of South Sudan in Magwi County, Eastern Equatoria. It lies approximately , by road, southeast of Juba, the capital of South Sudan and largest city in the country. The town also lies approximately , by road, no ...
on the Ugandan border.


Organization

Louis Berger consists of three operating companies which include a United States unit (formerly known as Louis Berger Group), an international unit, and a services unit that provides base logistics and operations support, global operations and maintenance, turnkey power solutions and fueling and facility services. Headquartered in Morristown, New Jersey, Louis Berger manages its regional operations out of offices in Washington D.C., France, United Arab Emirates, India and Panama. The company was acquired by the Canada-based
WSP Global WSP Global Inc. is a Canadian company with American and British roots, providing management and consultancy services to the built and natural environment. It is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. After the purchase of New York-headquartered ...
in 2018 for $400 million.


Industry Rankings

Louis Berger was ranked #25 among U.S. design firms in 2015 based on total firm revenue by Engineering News-Record and #10 among Program Management firms The firm also ranked #37 among Environmental firms in 2014.


Criticisms


Fraud in Afghanistan

In November 2010, Louis Berger agreed to pay a record $69.3 million to settle charges of fraud against the government brought under the False Claims Act. The case, filed by a whistleblower, alleged that the company billed the government for internal costs unrelated to its rebuilding contracts in Afghanistan.


Bribery in India, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Kuwait

Between 1998 and 2010, executives at the company paid bribes amounting to $3.9 million to government officials in India, Indonesia, Vietnam and Kuwait to win business in violation of the
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (FCPA) (, ''et seq.'') is a United States federal law that prohibits U.S. citizens and entities from bribing foreign government officials to benefit their business interests. The FCPA is applicable world ...
. A settlement agreement between the company with the US Department of Justice was announced in July 2015, in which the company admitted criminal responsibility and agreed to pay a penalty of $17.1 million. The inquiry into the company's activities in Vietnam uncovered corrupt payments to government officials in the Third Rural Transport and Da Nang Priority Infrastructure Investment Projects, both World Bank funded projects. The World Bank imposed a one-year debarment on firm for engaging in "corrupt practices" in February 2015.


Protection payments to Taliban

According to the lawsuit, filed in December 2019 in the D.C. District Court on behalf of Gold Star families, some U.S. contractors involved in Afghanistan's reconstruction projects, including Louis Berger Group, made illegal "protection payments" to the
Taliban The Taliban (; ps, طالبان, ṭālibān, lit=students or 'seekers'), which also refers to itself by its state (polity), state name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a Deobandi Islamic fundamentalism, Islamic fundamentalist, m ...
, funding a "Taliban-led terrorist insurgency" that killed or wounded thousands of Americans in Afghanistan. In 2009, then-Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...
said that the "protection money" was "one of the major sources of funding for the Taliban."


Key Projects


Roads and Bridges

* Dragon River Bridge, Vietnam *
Bang Na Expressway The Bang Na Expressway (full name: Bang Na - Bang Phli - Bang Pakong Expressway), officially Burapha Withi Expressway ( th, ทางพิเศษบูรพาวิถี), is a six-lane elevated highway in Thailand. It is a toll road and ru ...
, Thailand * Kabul-Kandahar Highway, Afghanistan * Third Bridge over Panama Canal, Panama *
Ada Bridge The Ada Bridge ( sr-cyr, Мост на Ади, Most na Adi) is a cable-stayed bridge over the Sava river in Belgrade, Serbia. The bridge crosses the tip of Ada Ciganlija island, connecting the municipalities of Čukarica and New Belgrade. The ...
, Serbia *
Pennsylvania Turnpike The Pennsylvania Turnpike (Penna Turnpike or PA Turnpike) is a toll highway operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. A controlled-access highway, it runs for across the state. The turnpike's we ...
, Pennsylvania *Juba-Nimule Road, South Sudan *Ohmi-Odori Bridge, Japan


Aviation

* Suvarnabhumi Airport *
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport is the main international airport in Mauritius. It is located southeast of the capital city of Port Louis. The airport was previously known as the ''Plaisance Airport'' and has direct flights to ...
* Ovda Air Base *
Queen Alia International Airport Queen Alia International Airport ( ar, مطار الملكة علياء الدولي, Maṭār al-Malika ʿAlyāʾ ad-Dawaliyy) is an international airport located in Zizya, 30 kilometers (18 miles) south of Amman, Jordan's capital city, as w ...


Rail

*
Kamalapur railway station Kamalapur Railway Station, officially known as Dhaka Railway Station, is the central railway station in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh. It is the largest station and the busiest infrastructure for transportation in the country that acts as a gatew ...
*
Doha Metro The Doha Metro is a rapid transit system in Doha, Qatar's capital city, which became operational on 8 May 2019. It has three lines with an approximate overall length of 76 km and 37 stations. It is an integral component of the larger Qata ...
*
MRT Blue Line The MRT Blue Line ( th, รถไฟฟ้า สายสีน้ำเงิน) or MRT Chaloem Ratchamongkon Line ( th, รถไฟฟ้ามหานคร สายเฉลิมรัชมงคล) is Bangkok's third rapid transit li ...
*
Mumbai Monorail MMRDA Mumbai Monorail is an monorail system in the city of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, built as part of a major expansion of public transport in Mumbai, public transport in the city. The project was implemented and is currently operated by the ...
*
North South Railway (Saudi Arabia) North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''north'' is ...


Maritime

*
Port at Lekki Lekki Deep Sea Port, operational, but still partly under construction, is a multi-purpose, deep sea port in the Lagos Free Zone. It is the largest seaport of Nigeria and one of the biggest in West Africa. Lekki port is to be expanded to have a ...
*
Port of Santos The Port of Santos (in Portuguese: ''Porto de Santos'') is located in the city of Santos, state of São Paulo, Brazil. As of 2006, it is the busiest container port in Latin America. In 2016, it was considered the 39th largest port in the world ...


Other Projects

*
Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is the largest of the many reflecting pools in Washington, D.C., United States. It is a long and large rectangular pool located on the National Mall, directly east of the Lincoln Memorial, with the Washington ...
*
Kajaki Dam The Kajaki Dam is one of the two major hydroelectric power dams of Helmand Province, Helmand province in southern Afghanistan. The dam is located on the Helmand River 100 miles (161 km) north-west of Kandahar and is operated by the Helmand an ...


See also

* Hermanos Serdán International Airport * Kabul-Kandahar Highway *
Pennsylvania Turnpike The Pennsylvania Turnpike (Penna Turnpike or PA Turnpike) is a toll highway operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. A controlled-access highway, it runs for across the state. The turnpike's we ...
* Third Bridge over Panama Canal


References

{{Authority control American civil engineering contractors Engineering consulting firms Construction and civil engineering companies of the United States Construction and civil engineering companies established in 1953 1953 establishments in Pennsylvania