Matthew Calo

The summer before my senior year, I had the opportunity to intern with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. I worked in the Aviation department and was located at LaGuardia Airport. I joined the PANYNJ at an incredibly exciting time. They were nearing the end of the World Trade Center redevelopment, beginning construction on a new Goethals Bridge, raising the deck of the historic Bayonne Bridge, and preparing for a massive redevelopment at LaGuardia Airport. My responsibility for the summer was acting as a tenant liaison for tenants undergoing construction at the airport. I aided employees as they reviewed and processed construction packages from conception through final inspection. I participated in several inspections and site visits. I was fortunate to spend some days with the Resident Engineer’s Office during the construction of the new East End Substation, which was built to prepare the airport for the upcoming redevelopment. My experience at LaGuardia was particularly intriguing because of the numerous constraints the airport placed on construction. Space is incredibly limited and the airport is one of the busiest in the United States. Therefore, very careful planning was executed to ensure the minimum number of delays and inconveniences. This experience helped emphasize that Civil Engineering requires precise planning and cooperation amongst several trades.

During my summer, I was also able to visit the George Washington Bridge. Several other interns and I were brought to the top of the 604 foot bridge. We walked around one of the two support towers and were able to see the entirety of New York City. Afterwards, we were brought below the road to see where the cables anchor into the bedrock below. The experience was one of the most memorable I’ve had. I am very fortunate for the time spent with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.