People Spotlight: Meet Riyaz Sheikh
Our People Spotlight series gives you an inside look at our technical experts around the world. This week, we are highlighting a senior project manager from our Transportation business line in Canada and providing you insight into their transportation project management inspiration and work.
Riyaz Sheikh, P.Eng., is a professional engineer and senior project manager with 18 years of experience in transportation infrastructure. He spent seven years with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO), where he contributed to MTO’s Planning and Preliminary Design Process Guidelines, which continue to drive innovation across landmark projects. Riyaz has led major highway projects across Ontario using various delivery models, including feasibility, planning, preliminary design, detail design, design-build, technical advisory, alternative finance and procurement projects. His expertise is also extensive in constructability, stakeholder / third party management, value engineering, risk management, and utility relocations. He is also a certified project manager through AECOM’s program, which is recognized by the Project Management Institute.
In addition to his design portfolio, Riyaz has experience in construction inspection, construction contract administration, and value engineering.
Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry.
My passion for shaping infrastructure and delivering strategic projects is what drew me to the transportation industry. Growing up, I was inspired by how transportation networks shape lives in one form or another, whether that’s by connecting communities, supporting economic development, or enhancing quality of life.
Throughout my career, I have been motivated by the opportunity to lead complex, multi-disciplinary projects that address today’s mobility challenges through innovative solutions, while also creating lasting value for future generations. Joining this industry allows me to combine my technical expertise with a broader vision for sustainable, resilient infrastructure, aligned with AECOM’s values.
Throughout my career, I have been motivated by the opportunity to lead complex, multi-disciplinary projects that address today’s mobility challenges through innovative solutions, while also creating lasting value for future generations.
What is your favorite AECOM project that you’ve worked on and why?
This is a tough one as I have had the opportunity work on so many meaningful projects at AECOM. One that stands out is my leadership role as Deputy Project Manager, leading the delivery of the Bradford Bypass Preliminary Design and the West CMGC Detail Design, two of Ontario’s highest priority transportation projects.
The Bradford Bypass is a new controlled access freeway between Highway 400 and Highway 404 in the northern Greater Toronto Area of the Canadian province of Ontario, designed to ease the growing traffic congestion in Simcoe County and York Region, while supporting economic development across the Greater Golden Horseshoe. There are proposed full and partial interchanges, as well as grade separated crossings at intersecting municipal roads and watercourses, including the Holland River and Holland River East Branch, which are complex, lengthy multi-span structures spanning over 550 and 700m in length, respectively. The freeway will facilitate a staged approach in sections with an interim four-lane configuration and an ultimate eight lane design for the Bradford Bypass.
This project brings together the very reasons I became an engineer: solving complex challenges, working collaboratively across different engineering disciplines, and delivering real benefits to the public. Some of the key challenges were not only technical, but also had other components such as engagement, risk and schedule management, and environmental facets that were just as critical to the outcome of this project.
One of the major hurdles on the Bradford Bypass was to lead and navigate the shift from the long standing MTO Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) process to the new requirements under Ontario Regulation 697/21 with a very aggressive project schedule. The original project approvals were rooted in the Class EA framework from the late 1990’s, but regulatory changes meant that we had to essentially modernize and re-evaluate the project through a project specific environmental process. There were no previous examples to draw from as this project would serve as a precedence and pioneer for establishing the framework for projects moving forward. This required updating previously completed technical work, carrying out new environmental studies, re-engaging with Indigenous communities and stakeholders, and aligning with today’s higher standards for environmental protection, consultation, and documentation. While challenging, this transition allowed the project to meet current legislative requirements and provided a stronger, more defensible foundation for design and future construction. In addition, the transition to Ontario Regulation 697/21 also gave us an opportunity to engage more meaningfully with Indigenous communities. Through expanded consultation, we were able to build stronger relationships, listen more closely to community priorities, and incorporate their feedback into the project planning. This process not only strengthened trust but also left a positive impression, creating a foundation for ongoing collaboration and mutual respect as the project moves forward.
The Bradford Bypass West CMGC Detail Design is being delivered on a compressed 20-month schedule, with two early works contracts (2024 and 2025) followed by a final contract in 2026. This approach required closer collaboration with the CMGC contractor, conducting due diligence to confirm that design decisions were constructible, cost-effective, and properly sequenced. At the same time, our team must manage very complex staging along Highway 400, working around the active Highway 400/88 Interchange project while also advancing innovative solutions such as segmental structures for the freeway-to-freeway interchange. Despite these challenges, both early works packages were delivered on time, keeping the project firmly on track for major construction in 2026.
Equally important, the CMGC model has fostered a strong partnership between MTO, the CM, and AECOM. In an industry where designers, contractors, and owners often work in silos, this collaborative approach-built trust, streamlined decision making, and reduced project risks. The result is not only continuing to be a technically successful project, but also a new model for how complex infrastructure can be delivered when all partners are aligned behind the same goals.
While this project is technically demanding, it reinforces why I became a technical professional. It’s a clear example of how thoughtful planning, strong partnerships and technical excellence can result in lasting improvements to safety, mobility and quality of life. Seeing how careful planning and engagement can create lasting, positive change is exactly what continues to drive my passion for this field.
The transition to Ontario Regulation 697/21 also gave us an opportunity to engage more meaningfully with Indigenous communities. Through expanded consultation, we were able to build stronger relationships, listen more closely to community priorities, and incorporate their feedback into the project planning. This process not only strengthened trust but also left a positive impression, creating a foundation for ongoing collaboration and mutual respect as the project moves forward.
Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.
Well planned transportation systems do more than just move vehicles; they improve how people live by reducing congestion, shortening travel times to and from work, school and essential services, and making travel safer and more reliable. Through direct engagement, whether in consultations, public information centres (PIC), or face-to-face interactions, I have had the opportunity to connect with a wide range of individuals, including members of the public, stakeholder groups and Indigenous communities.
A memorable example is the Class EA and Preliminary Design for the QEW/Glendale Interchange Improvements, which featured Ontario’s first Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI). We held two PIC’s and also presented at a passionate town hall with more than 1,000 people in attendance. The community was close knit, with many older residents, businesses, and a heavy reliance on tourism, so there was understandable concern about how the new interchange, service roads, and accesses would affect daily life and local businesses.
By listening carefully to those concerns, we refined the design to minimize closures during construction, simplify navigation, and support tourism by improving traffic flows. Key changes included larger skews for the DDI, wider lane widths, enhanced signage, consistent treatments at nearby intersections, and large-scale visual plans to help the public clearly understand the changes. We also created space for a future Ontario Tourism Information Centre and facilitated better access to local businesses, including Canada’s largest open-air shopping centre. The response from the community was extremely positive, and their continued support throughout the project reflected the trust and confidence we were able to build together.
These interactions have given me a deeper understanding of the diverse challenges and perspectives people face. Hearing their stories and concerns helped me approach each project with greater empathy and purpose. As an engineer, this insight enabled me to deliver tangible, practical solutions that addressed real needs, making my work not only technically sound but truly impactful on a human level, which is truly rewarding. It’s a constant reminder that what we build as engineers makes a real difference in the day-to-day lives of everyday people.
By listening carefully to those concerns, we refined the design to minimize closures during construction, simplify navigation, and support tourism by improving traffic flows. We also created space for a future Ontario Tourism Information Centre and facilitated better access to local businesses, including Canada’s largest open-air shopping centres. The response from the community was extremely positive, and their continued support throughout the project reflected the trust and confidence we were able to build together.
Share a piece of career advice
As the legendary hockey player Wayne Gretzky once said, “Skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.” This mindset applies well to the engineering industry. It’s about anticipating change, staying curious and continuously learning. The ability to navigate complex regulatory, environmental and technical factors are crucial to continued success in this field. Our industry and the world are constantly evolving with new technologies, sustainability practices and innovative solutions to transportation challenges. To our benefit, AECOM continues to promote innovation and development, and the results show with a suite of tools, expertise and networks that can be drawn upon. I encourage everyone to capitalize on the resources available to accelerate your career.
