Engineer will oversee structural reinforcement to the famous prison

Engineer Atkins has been appointed to manage structural repairs to preserve Alcatraz prison in San Francisco Bay, California.

The work will include repairs to failing beams, which support the cell blocks, and restoring the cell house floor as well as restoring the salvaged beams.

Gary Self, senior group manager at Atkins, said: “We look forward to addressing the unique challenges of this project, such as working on an island that is only accessible by boat, with no land lines for telephone or data services. Not to mention we’re facing the cold, strong, hazardous currents of the San Francisco Bay and the penitentiary’s chilling past.”

Last year the firm was appointed to manage the restoration of the Statue of Liberty in New York, introducing safety improvements for visitors.