URS Corp. named Richard Simonetta as its new vice president and national director of high-speed rail.

The company is currently working on several high-speed rail efforts, including providing design services for two segments of California's high-speed rail program. He will be based in URS' Columbus, Ohio, office and direct its nationwide high-speed rail transit practice.

With more than 38 years of experience in all facets of the industry, from small- and medium-sized bus systems to large multi-modal transit agencies, Simonetta is a transit industry veteran. He most recently served as CEO of Valley Metro Rail Inc. in Phoenix, where he was responsible for the design, construction and start-up of the region's $1.4 billion initial 20-mile LRT line that was completed on-time and on-budget in 2008. 

Simonetta also previously served as the CEO of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) - the 7th largest transit system in the U.S. - where he led the efforts to prepare the agency for the demands of the 1996 summer Olympics, including moving more than 25 million passengers during a 17-day period on the MARTA system.