Augusta ? Maine Department of Transportation Commissioner, David Bernhardt, has recently been named to a one-year term as Vice President of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) board of directors.
Commissioner Bernhardt is a licensed professional engineer and was appointed commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation in February 2011. He joined the Maine Department of Transportation in 1984 and has held several positions at the department over the years. Immediately prior to his becoming Commissioner, Bernhardt served as Maine DOT's Director of Engineering and Operations. Commissioner Bernhardt is a 1984 graduate of the University of Maine at Orono, where he earned Associate's and Bachelor of Science degrees in Civil Engineering.
?I am pleased that Commissioner Bernhardt is being recognized as a national transportation leader,? said Governor Paul R. LePage. ?As Commissioner of MaineDOT he has demonstrated a remarkable ability to stretch limited resources and connect transportation with improving the economy and creating jobs. AASHTO will be well served by his leadership.?
AASHTO represents state departments of transportation in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico; it is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association serving as a catalyst for excellence in transportation. AASHTO represents all five transportation modes: air, highways, public transportation, rail, and water. Its primary goal is to foster the development, operation, and maintenance of an integrated national transportation system.
?I?m excited about this new opportunity and am looking forward to the work ahead of me,? said Bernhardt. ?This is a great opportunity for Maine ? it enables us as a small state to have a loud voice at the national level, and further fosters cooperation with other states, enabling us to share and utilize best-practices from all across the nation.?
AASHTO is guided by a Board of Directors made up of the chief transportation officers from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The 12-member Executive Committee is led by AASHTO's elected officers, and is assisted by its executive director.