Highlights from Jacobs Associates History

2009
The Claremont Tunnel Seismic Upgrade project is awarded the Charles Pankow Award for Innovation by the American Society of Civil Engineers. In addition, the Narragansett Bay Commission’s Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Abatement Project receives the Underground Construction Association Project of the Year Award.

2009
Jacobs Associates is selected by the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC WASA) as General Consultant for Tunnels and Geotechnical Engineering for the Long-Term Control Plan.

2008
Jacobs Associates is chosen by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission to lead the construction management for the Crystal Springs Bypass Tunnel in San Mateo County.

2008
Arrowhead West Tunnel, a major project for Jacobs Associates for more than 15 years, holes through.

2007
Jacobs Associates acquires another company for the first time. The joining party, Milbor-Pita and Associates of Washington State, specializes in geotechnical and rail tunnel engineering.

2007
Jacobs Associates opens an office in Melbourne, Australia.

2006
Jacobs Associates opens offices in Boston and Portland.

2005
The Northeast Interceptor Sewer Project wins "Project of the Year" by the American Public Works Association and also is awarded "Outstanding Government Civil Engineering Project" by the American Council of Engineering Consultants. This same year, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission selects Jacobs Associates as prime consultant for design of the Bay Tunnel.

2004
Jacobs Associates is awarded design of the Caldecott Improvement Project in Oakland by Caltrans.

2002
Jacobs Associates establishes a Seattle office. Major projects include the Brightwater Conveyance System and the SoundTransit University Link Light Rail project.

2002
Principal William W. Edgerton receives award for "Outstanding Individual in the Underground Industry" from the American Underground Construction Association. Jacobs Associates opens an office in San Diego.

2001
San Diego County Water Authority retains a Jacobs Associates-led design team for its San Vicente Pipeline Tunnel project. This year also marks the start of a multi-year construction management contract for Jacobs Associates on the Willamette River West Side CSO Project, which leads in 2005 to a similar assignment on the Willamette River East Side CSO Project.

1998
Principal Alfred M. "Pete" Petrofsky receives Golden Beaver Award for Engineering.

1997 – 2002
Jacobs Associates leads the construction management group for the award winning Hollywood Water Quality Improvement Project for the Department of Water & Power in Los Angeles. Starting in 2000, Jacobs Associates assists with construction management of the Chattahoochee Sewer Tunnel. The success of the Chattahoochee Sewer Tunnel leads to a subsequent construction management assignment in 2008 for the South Cobb Tunnel.

1996
Jacobs Associates establishes Los Angeles office after winning the design contract for the Arrowhead East and West Tunnels, part of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Inland Feeder Project .

1990 – 2003
Jacobs Associates provides design and construction services on the MetroWest Water Supply Tunnel in Boston. For the San Francisco Clean Water Program, Jacobs Associates provides contractor and owner design services for various cut-and-cover and tunnel wastewater projects. Also during this period, Jacobs Associates provides tunnel design services for contractors on three major design/build projects: the Melbourne CityLink in Australia, the M-5 East Motorway in Sydney, Australia, and the Tren Urbano—Río Piedras Contract in Puerto Rico.

1993
Allen Neyland is awarded the “Tunnelling Achievement Award” by the Australian Underground Construction and Tunnelling Association (AUCTA). From that point forward, the award was known as the “Allen Neyland Tunnelling Achievement Award” in recognition of Allen’s service to AUCTA and the tunnelling and underground construction industry.

1987 – 1996
Jacobs Associates, as subcontractor to Parsons/Dillingham, provides construction management services for the Los Angeles Metro Rail Project.

1987
Principal James L. Wilton receives Golden Beaver Award for Engineering, making Jacobs Associates the only consulting engineering firm at that time to claim two Golden Beaver Awards.

1980
Founder Don Jacobs receives the prestigious Golden Beaver Award for Engineering.

1974
Research paper authored by two Jacobs Associates engineers, George Wickham and Henry Tiedemann, further enhances the firm's reputation for tunnel design. Their paper, "Ground Support Prediction Model RSR Concept," introduces the Rock Structure Rating methodology, which becomes a landmark resource for tunnel design by providing an approach to quantifying and predicting the support required for a tunnel based on geologic conditions.

1971 – 1987
Jacobs Associates establishes reputation as the premier designer of tunnel and excavation support during construction of the WMATA subway system. From offices in Washington, DC, our firm provides construction engineering for contractors on 24 construction contracts related to the WMATA system. Jacobs Associates conducts a major research study on cut-and-cover construction of subways for the U.S. DOT.

1971 – 1985
Jacobs Associates teams with the consortium John Connell-Mott, Hay & Anderson-Hatch-Jacobs and receives an award for the planning, design, and construction management of the Melbourne Underground Rail Loop in Australia. Jacobs Associates manages the estimating, scheduling, and construction management activities. This marks the firm's first major construction management job, and the first time Jacobs Associates joint ventures with other firms for an assignment. The project finishes on schedule and budget to the Authority's complete satisfaction.

1970
Principal John W. Nichols establishes a construction claims department that eventually would make up half of the entire firm. Jacobs Associates handles claims for owners and contractors on such projects as the Epcot Center in Florida, Golden Gate Bridge renovation, the MGM Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, the O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, and the Space Shuttle facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base.

1966
Jacobs Associates advises Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) in Australia on the constructability of a 55,000 linear foot Southeastern Trunk Sewer Tunnel Project. Subsequently, MMBW retains Jacobs Associates to oversee the project. Due to slowed progress from cave-ins around the head of the TBM, the project falls behind schedule. After consulting with Jacobs Associates, MMBW Staff designs a modified TBM cutterhead, now known as the "Melbourne Head." This innovation results in the completion of the job on schedule and budget, establishing a world record for tunnel excavation progress.

1963 – 1972
Construction of the BART subway system is a significant part of the history of Jacobs Associates. The firm performs several early estimating and feasibility studies for the project designers. Later, contractors retain Jacobs Associates for excavation support design on several BART stations, including Embarcadero, Powell, Civic Center, Oakland City Center, Berkeley, and Ashby. The firm also performs value engineering studies for contractors on the line section from 24th St./Mission to Glen Park, and the Oakland ‘Wye.’

1962 – 1970
Jacobs Associates continues to develop construction estimating and scheduling services. Projects include the Panama Canal Sea Level Route, dam projects in Nigeria, Liberia, Venezuela, Canada, West Pakistan and the United States, and several Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) projects, including the Trans-Bay Tube. By 1967 Jacobs Associates has developed proprietary software to assist contractors in developing construction cost estimates.

1958
Jacobs Associates wins first large contract: the Trinity Dam Conveyor. The firm provides designs for several large aggregate processing plants, including the Mangla Dam Processing Plant in Pakistan, possibly the largest such facility ever built. Jim L. Wilton plays a major role in establishing Jacobs Associates' reputation.

1956
Jacobs Associates incorporates in San Francisco and continues development of construction performance services: designing underground equipment for tunnel construction and preparing pre-bid estimates for tunnels, dams, and other heavy civil construction projects. Clients include major contractors, the World Bank and state, federal and foreign agencies.

1954
J. Donovan Jacobs establishes one-person consulting firm and takes first assignment as project engineer for a consortium of Kaiser-Walsh-Perini-Raymond on their successful bid for a tunnel contract on the Snowy Mountain Hydro-Electric Scheme in New South Wales, Australia.