SARASOTA, Fla. – DRMP continues to expand its Southwest Florida presence with the addition of Senior Roadway and Civil Services Project Manager Chris Bridges, PE.
In this role, Bridges will leverage nearly two decades of experience in Florida municipal government, along with the past three years pursuing and securing work in Southwest Florida, to support municipal transportation design projects and continuing engineering services contracts.
Bridges said Manatee, Sarasota, and Charlotte counties continue to experience significant growth and development in rural areas, fueling the need to upgrade and expand existing transportation infrastructure.
“The existing consultants servicing these counties are typically in Tampa and Fort Myers, so growing a Sarasota office affords us a ‘local’ advantage that we can offer those counties and the incorporated cities within those counties, too,” he said.
Bridges brings nearly 40 years of experience in transportation project design and management to DRMP. The first 18 years of his career were spent in consulting as a bridge engineer in Georgia, California, Arizona, and Florida. He then spent 19 years in Florida municipal government managing bridge replacements, roadway capacity projects, intersection improvements, and school safety initiatives. During the past three years, he focused on marketing and business development, pursuing municipal transportation projects throughout Southwest Florida. He is a registered professional engineer in Florida and California.
“I’m thrilled to be working at DRMP because I’ve met and known so many of the firm’s employees over the past 25 years,” Bridges said. “I was always impressed with their technical skills, and many have enjoyed long careers here, which is a testament to the culture and leadership.”
Bridges said DRMP’s commitment to growth in the region was a key factor in his decision to join the firm.
“DRMP offered me the opportunity to pursue and manage transportation projects in Southwest Florida while growing their Sarasota office,” he said.
Bridges said he plans to support existing and future municipal partnerships in the region.
“I want to support our team with pursuits with existing municipalities as well as exploring opportunities with new clients,” he said. “Having spent the last 25 years in Southwest Florida, I have a lot of contacts at municipalities as well as consultants who are open to collaboration on pursuits. Regarding project management, I want to continue the DRMP tradition of providing quality design documents within established client budgets and in a timely manner.”
Tampa Roadway Group Leader Pavan Paiavula, PE, said Bridges’ extensive public- and private-sector experience, combined with his long-term relationships throughout Southwest Florida, makes him a strong addition to the growing Sarasota team.
“Chris brings an exceptional combination of technical expertise, municipal leadership experience, and business development knowledge to DRMP,” Paiavula said. “His decades of experience managing transportation and infrastructure projects, along with the relationships he has built throughout Southwest Florida, will be invaluable as we continue expanding our presence in the region and delivering high-quality service to our clients.”
About DRMP
Since 1977, DRMP has earned a reputation as a trusted multidisciplinary engineering firm that approaches challenges differently. What began as a small Florida-based firm has grown into a Southeastern powerhouse with over 700 employees across 23 offices. We partner with clients to deliver smart, sustainable infrastructure that helps communities thrive.
Ranked among Engineering News-Record’s Top 500 Design Firms in the United States, DRMP is known for solving complex challenges through technical expertise, innovative thinking, and collaboration.
We value connection, creativity, and a welcoming, engaging culture that empowers employees to grow their careers. As we continue to expand, we remain committed to the principles that have guided us from the start.
