Governor Announces John Craig to Leave Dept. of Roads

(Lincoln, Neb.)  Gov. Dave Heineman announced today that John Craig, Director of the Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR), will leave June 7 for a job opportunity in Oregon.

“John has been a great asset to the department,” Gov. Heineman said. “In more than 10 years of service as Director of the department, we have seen many improvements that have benefited Nebraskans every day. I appreciate his service to the state and I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.”

Craig, 59, will become vice president of HDR, an architectural, engineering and consulting firm.

Craig said, “It has been my privilege to serve the citizens of Nebraska in my capacity of Director of the department. I am proud of the many transportation professionals, public and private organizations, elected and appointed officials, and the citizens of Nebraska as we have provided a transportation system that is safe, reliable and affordable. These partnerships are a credit to all.”

Some of Craig’s most important accomplishments as Director involve obtaining the highest benchmark ratings on record with smallest workforce in 50 years. Craig pointed to the current fatality rate, which is the lowest on record, with 100 fewer fatalities on the road in 2008 than in 1998. Work zone crashes have been reduced 63 percent from 10 years ago.

Craig also highlighted the recognized Pew Foundation ratings on infrastructure as signs of improvement. In the 2008 report, Nebraska was one of 12 states rated with a “B+ or higher” for infrastructure based on criteria including cost effectiveness, structural and functional integrity, and overall functionality. In addition, the most recent Reason Foundation report compares cost effectiveness of the 50 state highway systems and shows that in 2006 Nebraska was ranked eighth in the nation, up from 29th in 2000.

Craig was first appointed in 1999 by then-Gov. Mike Johanns. At the time, he was the executive director of the Associated General Contractors of Nebraska and had previously served as deputy commander and deputy division engineer for the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Missouri River Division, in Omaha.

With 2,100 employees and offices across the state, NDOR is responsible for working with private and public organizations to provide a safe, reliable, affordable, and environmentally compatible transportation system for the movement of people and goods in Nebraska.