Our People
Meet Mark Hitchcock
Guideway Engineering
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Senior Project Director Mark Hitchcock says that working in the transportation field wasn't something he picked; it picked him.
After starting at the Georgia Department of Transportation, Mark worked on every rail and transit project imaginable, spanning from highway design to operating a light rail, both in the U.S. and abroad. Once he finished one project, Mark joked that another three would pop up in its place. What keeps him coming back, though, is the unique delivery of each project and how they can benefit the surrounding communities. Currently, he serves as the technical project lead or project manager for numerous transit projects, focusing his talents on public transit worldwide.
His technical experience with clients like TxDOT and involvement in studies like the Southeast Regional Rail Planning Study reflect his proficiency in managing and consulting on guideway-related issues. Mark’s experience also includes supporting the Norfolk Southern Public Improvements program throughout the eastern U.S., providing design reviews and construction support, functioning as an extension of staff and a representative in the field.
Mark's favorite projects to work on are the conceptual phase of design-build, as he enjoys seeing the designs he works on come to life. While the initial design might just be some lines on a napkin, Mark believes you must see a project through, remaining agile to tackle any challenges along the way. For Mark, the industry's biggest challenge remains adapting 21st-century transportation solutions to a 19th-century world. Many of the basic constraints on planning and design date back to the late 1800s or early 1900s. Transit trends are evolving, and everyone has a choice each day about where they want to go and how they get there. It's the job of people like Mark to make those choices easy, safe, efficient and cost-effective. While Mark draws inspiration from the past, he is excited about the future. Working in transit is the ride of a lifetime for Mark, and he won't be changing stops anytime soon.
“I didn’t pick the transit industry, it picked me. Once I completed a project, another three showed up. I just couldn’t say no, and I became an expert.”
Mark Hitchcock
Get to know Mark
How have digital tools positively impacted the transit industry?
One of the main tools we have been using for the last several years is Bluebeam as a design review program. It allows us to make collaboratively review our work products with clients in real-time. Previously, it would take a long time with comment workshops and different stages of the review process. Tools like this shorten the lifecycle of a project, allowing us to work efficiently and effectively.
How do you support inclusion and diversity in your projects?
Previously, transit projects were constructed on the cheapest property you could find, and that disproportionately hurt disadvantaged communities. We now recognize the significance of that impacts, and this changes the way we do studies and our approach to projects within communities. We recognize these inherent biases and avoid or mitigate them. Transportation should always be about equity and making travel possible for everyone.
What excites you about the future of the industry?
It’s exciting that people are finally starting to understand how transportation can impact your carbon footprint. People are considering how their transportation can be inherently efficient instead of just building another tunnel when we are at capacity. Using technology like artificial intelligence (AI) and rideshare capabilities, we can make choices that benefit both the user and the environment.
What do you enjoy most about working at #OurJacobs?
It is the diversity of projects and clients that I work with. I work with clients throughout the U.S. and every project is different. Each has its own technology and challenges. I have the best job in the world.