Last summer, when some Tacony-Palmyra decking needed to be replaced, the sensors revealed that the bridge's trusses were strong enough to handle the force of demolishing the concrete panels in place, instead of having to remove them piece by piece. That information meant a huge saving in time and money, local officials say.

The smart technology is quite unusual, says John Comegno, the bridge commission chairman. "As far as I know, there are no toll spans on the Eastern Seaboard with it in place."

According to Comegno, Pennoni staffers are being proactive about the bridges' requirements. "They're responsive, and they attend to the things that we need to attend to," he says. "But they also show initiative."

Outreach

Pennoni also has shown a willingness to give back—to its nearly 1,000 employees and to others. The firm distributes more than 60% of its profits to its workers, after medical expenses. It also makes grants available for employee-supported charities.

As a firm that was originally staffed by three college students, Pennoni supports future engineers. It raises money for its own college scholarships. Company employees also talk to students in middle and high schools about engineering and encourage them to consider the field as a career. The firm also partners with organizations such as the American Society of Civil Engineers to connect with students.

Pennoni recently created a civil engineering club at a local high school to encourage the profession there. Students built a bridge out of balsa wood, then tested it with weights to make sure it was sturdy.

Chuck Pennoni says that every day he sees the possibilities created by good engineering, especially when he looks at Philadelphia's skyline, which is dotted with contributions from the firm's staff.

"People are proud to work for Pennoni because of that," he says, referring to those iconic buildings. "That's what really feeds me."