RSS
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube
Press Release:
Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today appointed Jolene Molitoris as the next director of the Ohio Department of Transportation, upon the retirement of current ODOT Director James Beasley on January 30th. Assistant Director Molitoris will be the first woman to lead this multi-modal agency.
“Jim has made lasting impacts during his time at the Ohio Department of Transportation,” Governor Strickland said. “He has led ODOT in a way that ensured integrity and ethics in the agency, instilled fiscal accountability and restraint, and modernized ODOT to think beyond just the highway system.”
Under Director Beasley’s leadership, ODOT revised its mission to include all modes of travel: highway, rail, waterway, transit, aviation, bicycle and pedestrian. Director Beasley also worked to cut non-essential spending in the agency and find new efficiencies, saving the department $180 million in one year.
In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed Molitoris as the first woman to head the Federal Railroad Administration, where she led agency-wide changes to make significant improvements in safety and customer service. The changes resulted in the seven safest years in U.S. railroad history.
“From her work in Washington and Ohio, Jolene is nationally recognized for her leadership in the transportation industry,” Strickland said. “Our continued investment in infrastructure is critical if we want to put Ohioans back to work and stimulate our state’s economic recovery. As ODOT director, Jolene will continue Jim’s dedication to building Ohio’s transportation system for the 21st Century and beyond.”
“Building on the achievements of Director Beasley, ODOT will strive to integrate all modes of transportation in this state, giving Ohioans real choices and connecting the investment of state dollars to the creation of new jobs and economic development,” said Ms. Molitoris, in a news release issued by the Governor’s Office. “As director, I look forward to working closely with our public and private partners to truly transform transportation and move Ohio into a prosperous new world.”
An announcement will be made soon on plans to congratulate Director Beasley and Ms. Molitoris at ODOT’s Central Office.
I like the direction we’re heading. At least our leadership is getting it.
This could be a HUGE opportunity for change. I’m going to try to stay skeptical since ODOT is pretty broke these days, but at the very least I’m looking forward to hearing what Jolene’s plans may be.
It has to be better than Taft’s admin. Sucks the money isn’t there, but if anything we may see more changes in funding policy and priorities in the grand picture of state infrastructure improvement that would really set us up for success when the economy turns around.
This is a sea change for transportation in Ohio to have someone of Jolene’s caliber in charge. She is very pro-rail and pro-transit and has the track record to back it up. She is also very well-connected into those in power in DC on both the legislative and executive branches…. which will be important as we seek Ohio’s share of the federal $$$ for rail, transit, bike & pedestrian, waterways, etc.
Provided the villagers don’t try to toss her out…
Will new ODOT leader yield to bikes, walkers?