Bernard Haber

A Civil Engineer, Bernard Haber, PE is Partner Emeritus of Hardesty & Hanover,LLP the oldest bridge engineering firm in the nation. Prior to his retirement in 2001 he was the managing partner, having worked for the firm for 48 years, 29 years as a partner. He was responsible for the inspection and rehabilitation of many of the major bridges in the New York City area including the Whitestone, Throgs Neck and Verrazano Bridges. Some of his major design projects included the Cross Bronx and portions of the Long Island Expressways, the Henry Hudson Parkway reconstruction and portions of Interstate Route I 80 [NJ]. When the New York Thruway Schoharie Creek Bridge collapsed during a major flood Governor Cuomo asked him to design the reconnection of the Thruway with a new, safer and larger 750 ft. bridge which was accomplished in 8 month. When the Westside Highway collapsed in 1973, Mr. Haber was asked by the City to find the cause, inspect the entire highway and recommend what should be done. The highway was torn down and replaced with and urban boulevard. He has planned and designed hundreds of bridges throughout the USA and overseas including the proposal for the long awaited Messina Straits Bridge between Calabria, Italy and Sicily. A simultaneous career beginning in 1969 was his activity in civic affairs. He chaired a NYC Community Board [Q11] for 30 years, chairs the Queens County Safety Board and the NY State NE Queens Environmental Commission, serves as a director of the NYC Industrial Development Agency, St. Mary's Children's Hospital and the MTA Inspector General's Advisory Commission. He helped author the book "New York Ascendant", a 4 year planning study and proposal for New York City in the 21st Century commissioned by Mayor Koch. He is past president of the Planning & Design Division of the American Road and Transportation Builders Association.

A graduate of CCNY he has been honored by the college with the Engineering Achievement Award and the Townsend Harris Medal as an outstanding graduate. He has been named Engineer of the Year by both the American Society of Civil Engineers [1981] and the American Council of Engineering Corporations [2001]. In 2005 he received the NYC Mayor's award for Excellence in Engineering and Technology.