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July 15, 2010

 

TxDOT Executive Director Named President of WASHTO

Western States’ Transportation Directors Fill Top Spots at Annual Meeting

AUSTIN - Texas Department of Transportation Executive Director Amadeo Saenz, Jr. has an additional transportation job.

Saenz was elected president of the Western Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (WASHTO) during the organization's annual meeting earlier this week in Bismarck, North Dakota. His term runs through July 2011. He previously served as vice president of the group.

"This is a pivotal time in transportation history, and I look forward to working with western state members on important federal transportation issues like SAFETEA-LU reauthorization," Saenz said.

Saenz was named the 19th executive director of TxDOT in 2007. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and a native of Hebronville.

The purpose of WASHTO is to serve its member departments by:

  • contributing to national policies on transportation issues responsive to members' needs;
  • promoting a closer relationship between its members;
  • advising Congress on legislation supporting efficient and effective transportation systems;
  • economic competitiveness and the environmental integrity of member states;
  • providing a forum for exchanging ideas, exploring and adapting techniques, promoting quality and best practices for implementation; and
  • working with the USDOT and other governmental agencies.

WASHTO membership includes departments of transportation from Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wyoming and Washington. For more information, visit www.washto.org.

The Texas Department of Transportation
TxDOT is responsible for maintaining over 80,000 miles of road and for supporting aviation, rail and public transportation across the state. TxDOT and its more than 12,000 employees strive to empower local leaders to solve local transportation problems, and to use new financial tools, including tolling and public-private partnerships, to reduce congestion and pave the way for future economic growth while enhancing safety, improving air quality and increasing the value of the state’s transportation assets. Find out more at www.txdot.gov. Follow us! http://www.facebook.com/TxDOT, www.twitter.com/txdot.