Greater Harrisburg's Community Magazine

Harrisburg hires city engineer after year without in-house official

Michael Yeosock

Harrisburg soon will have a new official helming its engineering department and infrastructure projects.

After over a year without an in-house city engineer, the city announced that it has hired Michael Yeosock to fill the position.

After the previous city engineer, Wayne Martin, resigned in November 2021, Lower Paxton Township-based Dawood Engineering filled the position on a temporary basis, since March 2022.

Yeosock has over 30 years of municipal engineering experience. He most recently served in the city of Norwalk, Conn., as principal engineer since 2018, and was the assistant principal engineer before that.

“We are incredibly excited to bring someone in with Michael’s experience to lead Harrisburg’s engineering efforts,” said city Business Administrator Dan Hartman in a statement. “His experience as an engineer in a city with similar issues, not to mention his work on diverse and modern transportation projects and grant writing, made him a slam dunk hire.”

Yeosock will begin as city engineer on Jan. 30. Dawood Engineering will then be used by the city on an as-needed basis for contracted services.

According to the city, during his time in Norwalk, Yeosock facilitated more than $100 million in civil infrastructure projects devoted to improving traffic signals, recreational trails, green infrastructure and streetscapes.

“I am so humbled to have been selected by Mayor [Wanda] Williams to be the next city engineer for the city of Harrisburg,” Yeosock said in a statement. “I look forward to the opportunity to work with the administration, City Council and all stakeholders on future projects like this and Vision Zero that will help make all modes of transportation in Harrisburg more friendly, sustainable, safe and equitable.”

Yeosock is a native of Plains, Pa., in Luzerne County. He earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering of mines from West Virginia University, and carries six different master’s degrees in space resources, legal studies, civil engineering, environmental engineering, construction and engineering management, and mining engineering management.

Yeosock’s top priority in his new role is to improve multimodal infrastructure and livability throughout Harrisburg, according to the city. He will also work to build a stronger partnership with PennDOT and its new secretary, who will be announced and sworn-in once Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro begins his term.

Additionally, he will work to develop an asset management program and determine road paving and bridge rehabilitation needs, the city said.

“I’m very eager to get to work in making Harrisburg an even greater city by making smart choices through an inclusive process,” Yeosock said. “We are going to integrate environmental and resilient thinking which takes advantage of the many grant opportunities now available to municipalities to safeguard and improve on their critical infrastructure.”

 

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