AASHTO Journal - Tom Everett set to Become FHWA Executive Director

Tom Everett (seen above) will step into the role of executive director of the Federal Highway Administration on Oct. 22; a longtime agency veteran who is considered a “national authority” on developing and implementing highway infrastructure policies and performance standards.

He replaces Cheryl Walker, FHWA’s acting executive director since June 1, who took that role following the retirement of Walter “Butch” Waidelich Jr., FHWA’s executive director since March 2016.

Everett – who holds a Masters in civil engineering from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelors in civil engineering from Rutgers University – joined FHWA in 1985 as a highway engineer trainee and has played key roles revamping the agency’s bridge inspection protocols as well serving within its leadership team.

Everett spent 10 years as a structural engineer team leader in FHWA’s Office of Bridges and Structures and has held other key leadership agency positions including bridge management/inspection engineer, technical programs team leader, and director of the agency’s Office of Program Administration, overseeing the administration and implementation the Federal-aid highway program in that role.

Everett also assisted Congress by drafting language for the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation or FAST Act in 2015 and also proved key in helping the FHWA begin transitioning in 2017 to more “digitized” forms of bridge inspection and recordkeeping procedures – adopting so-called “e-Construction” tools to reduce paperwork and associated costs, improve communication and environmental sustainability, while “facilitating more efficient project delivery.”