BKF Engineers provides civil engineering, land surveying, and land planning services for government agencies, institutions, developers, architects, contractors, school districts, and corporations. BKF has a stable of repeat clients as a result of its high quality of work, sustainable design, and dedication to client needs. The firm, which is currently working on projects for some of the most well-known technology firms in the world, has more professional civil engineers than any other civil engineering company in the Bay Area.

"We also provide a number of specialty services including sustainable design, site accessibility consulting, hydrology/hydraulics, traffic signal design, and 3D laser scanning," says Natalina V. Bernardi, Vice President and Principal, who has been with the firm for 30 years. "Currently we have 466 employees in our company, and 161 of them are licensed engineers and surveyors."

The firm has helped many smaller cities and communities completely renovate their downtown areas and incorporate complete street concepts using federal grants and funding. It worked with developers to construct needed housing developments such as the Kottinger Gardens Senior Housing Project in Pleasanton and the Connolly Station Transit Oriented Development in Dublin. Downtown streets that used to be state highways and lacked pedestrian and bike-friendly facilities have been transformed into thriving centers of culture, shopping, and entertainment for local residents. The list of such clients is long and includes historic downtown Oakley, Gilroy, Castro Valley, and Los Altos.

The firm worked on the Oakley Main Street Downtown Improvements project, which was part of the Oakley Downtown Vision Masterplan. This project was a collaboration to transform Main Street from a disconnected chain of businesses into an integrated and welcoming city center. The City of Oakley had the difficult task of invigorating and growing the downtown area with a limited budget but was able to meet its goals by working with BFK, which helped the City utilize public grants to bring project into life.

The project emphasized creating a pedestrian-friendly environment. The improved downtown included unique streetscape elements that made Main Street and the area a more family-friendly and fun environment for Oakley residents. The work was so successful that last year the Northern California Association of Public Works recognized the Oakley Main Street Downtown as the Project of the Year.

Recently BFK received an Engineering Excellence Honor Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) as a result of its work on the San Pablo Bike and Pedestrian Improvements Project in Albany, California. The project, which was designed by BKF, sets a new standard for multi-tiered facilities geared towards all modes of transportation, including vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists. It was the first project of its kind in Caltrans District 4, and Caltrans recently presented the project at the Metropolitan Transportation Commission's Planning Innovations Forum

In addition to BKF, the successful partnership on the project included the City of Albany, Caltrans, and AC Transit working in sync on the construction of a two-way protected bicycle lane along San Pablo Avenue between Dartmouth and Monroe Avenues. The bicycle lane is one of the most significant segments in the City of Albany Active Transportation Plan.

BKF has been a part of Hacienda since 2001. The Hacienda office contains the firm's Transportation and Land Development departments. About 40 employees work at the Hacienda office, one of 13 offices located throughout the Bay Area. The firm supports the community in a variety of ways, and contributes to the ACEC Scholarship Foundation, which offers scholarships to civil engineering students.

In 2017, ENR (Engineering News Record) California named BKF the 2017 Design Firm of the Year. In 2018, for the fourth year in a row, the firm has been awarded The Best Firm to Work For, Top Work Place, and Hot Firm. For more information about BKF Engineers, please visit www.bkf.com.