The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials recently released the latest episode in its “State DOT 2-Minute Update” video series, this one profiling Tracy Larkin Thomason (above), director of the Nevada Department of Transportation.
[Above photo by AASHTO]
In this video, Larkin Thomason discusses the agency’s efforts to enhance emergency response coordination with neighboring states.
Recognizing that emergencies beyond Nevada’s borders can significantly impact the state, Nevada DOT has initiated collaboration with Utah, Arizona, and California – an initiative that brings together departments of emergency management, transportation agencies, traffic operations centers, and law enforcement from the four states to strategize on resource placement, communication improvements, and joint procurement opportunities.
The goal is to establish seamless, multi-jurisdictional emergency operations that can be expanded and refined over time, Larkin Thomason noted.
This part of a longer-term effort to create a “connected corridor” along I-80 not only in her state but with subsequent states all the way to the U.S. East Coast. “I truly believe transportation is fundamental to our way of life,” Larkin Thomason explained as part of a panel discussion at the Transportation Research Board’s 2024 Annual Meeting. “So once we have the full backbone of this effort in place, there will be tremendous secondary benefits for first responders, law enforcement, and others.”
The key to this “Moonshot Project,” according to Larkin Thomason, is that it will allow each state to proceed at its own speed with such “transformative” research efforts.
“Every state has different priorities – and one of the things the ‘Moonshot Project’ could do is lay out a roadmap; an agreement that lets each state move at its own pace,” she said. “Because the [transportation] funding decisions in my state are based on the priorities of my state.”
Named executive director over two years ago, Larkin Thomason previously served as the senior vice president of program development for the Intelligent Transportation Society of America. Prior to that, she spent more than 30 years working in various senior-level roles at Nevada DOT, including more than eight years as the deputy director.
Larkin Thomason holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Nevada, Reno. She has also served on several national committees and panels for National Academy of Sciences and AASHTO.
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