JEFFERSON CITY 鈥 State highway officials are poised to launch a national search for a new director of the Missouri Department of Transportation.
With MoDOT chief Patrick McKenna poised to depart in September, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission outlined a transition plan Tuesday that includes naming a longtime engineer as the interim director.
鈥淲e thank Patrick for serving in his role the past eight and a half years. His leadership has revolutionized the way the department does business,鈥 Commission Chairman Dustin Boatwright said in a statement.
McKenna, who came to Missouri from New Hampshire, accepted a position with the Eno Center for Transportation, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit group that provides transportation research to government and industry leaders. He starts the new position in October.
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Beginning next week, MoDOT Deputy Director Ed Hassinger will take over as interim director. He has worked for MoDOT for more than 40 years and has served in the role as deputy director and chief engineer for the last 11 years.
Hassinger previously served as district engineer in the 狐狸视频 area.
鈥淭he commission will exercise due diligence by performing a national search open to both external and internal candidates,鈥 Boatwright said. 鈥淲e are confident we will have a new director in place by the end of the year.鈥
McKenna, who earned $281,000 last year, is credited with managing a major increase in road and bridge construction, including high-profile projects like expanding Interstate 70 to six lanes, the new I-70 bridge over the Missouri River in Rocheport and the expansion of Interstate 270 in the 狐狸视频 region.
Transportation spending in Missouri has been on the rise because of a phased-in 12-cent increase in the state鈥檚 motor fuel tax and an influx of federal funding from the 2021 emergency infrastructure program.
鈥淲e鈥檝e appreciated Patrick鈥檚 innovative thinking, steady hand of leadership, and partnership throughout his tenure as MoDOT Director,鈥 Gov. Mike Parson said in a statement.