AASHTO Journal - DC DOT’s Lott Named Vice Chair of Equity in Infrastructure Project

The Equity in Infrastructure Project or EIP has named Everett Lott (above), director of the District of Columbia Department of Transportation (DC DOT), as vice chair. Lott will join EIP co-founder and chair Phillip Washington – the CEO of Denver International Airport – and EIP co-founder John Porcari, former deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, in leading the organization, with guidance from EIP’s Advisory Council.

[Above photo by AASHTO]

The EIP seeks to secure commitments from public agencies – including state departments of transportation – to improve their contracting processes and create more prime, joint venture and, equity contracting opportunities for historically underutilized businesses or HUBs.

That, in turn, should build generational wealth, reduce the racial wealth gap and grow the overall economy by including more Americans in the work associated with the ongoing historic investment in infrastructure, the group said.

The EIP defines HUBs as firms formally designated as disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs), minority and women-owned business enterprises, small business enterprises, as well as any other business classification used locally in the United States intended to boost the participation of otherwise underutilized firms.

“I am honored to serve as EIP’s Vice Chair,” Lott said in a statement. “I know firsthand how increasing contracting opportunities for HUBs can change lives and communities for the better, and I am excited to engage my colleagues across the country with EIP’s mission.”

“Everett Lott is not only one of America’s preeminent leaders in transportation, he is also deeply and personally committed to leveraging this moment in infrastructure investing to break long-lasting cycles of inequity,” added Washington.

Lott – named DC DOT’s director in July 2021 – led the agency through the construction of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge. He also helped roll out of the Open Streets model in neighborhoods across Washington, D.C., which draws thousands of residents to the public space to explore and engage with local businesses, vendors, and government agencies.

Lott also served on the Build Back Better Infrastructure Taskforce created by Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), where he co-chaired the transportation committee to identify and plan for the successful implementation of projects supported by the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA enacted in November 2021 – an effort that doubled down on the District’s commitment to reconnect underserved communities throughout the District. Lott also led DC DOT through the successful completion of the District’s first public-private partnership or P3, which will reinvent the city’s system of more than 75,000 streetlights to a LED-based lighting platform.

Lott, a former Federal Highway Administration official, originally joined the DDOT as deputy director in December 2018. He also previously served as the associate administrator for administration at the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, along with stints at the Health Resources and Services Administration and the U.S. Peace Corps.

Lott is an alumnus of Texas Tech University, where he completed both undergraduate and master’s degrees. He is also a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute’s Leadership for a Democratic Society and has completed additional graduate studies at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.