The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials has named Malcolm “Mack” Long, director of the Montana Department of Transportation, as chair of its Committee on Construction.
[Above photo by AASHTO]
Long – appointed Montana DOT’s director in January 2021 – spent his 25-year career in construction; work that encompassed airports, highways, and utilities.
During AASHTO’s 2022 Spring Meeting in New Orleans, Long participated in a knowledge session that examined how partnerships between state departments of transportation and federal, local, and tribal agencies – among other stakeholders – are critical to addressing a variety of mobility challenges across the country.
“We like to say we [state DOTs] are the builders because we build the connections that bring communities together,” he said at that meeting.
“Our district administrators are our eyes and ears on the ground – for example, they go to diners for breakfast in the mornings, to get input from our residents,” Long explained. “That includes outreach to tribes in our state as well. Everyone has different views of transportation needs and it is an interesting balancing act to bring all of it together.”