Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Denver City Council honors transportation leader Matt McLaughlin after his death
Summary
Denver City Council members and Department of Transportation & Infrastructure leaders paid tribute March 10 to Matthew McLaughlin, a transportation implementation director credited with major bridge and roadway projects, and recognized his family in the chamber.
Denver City Council members and leaders from the Department of Transportation & Infrastructure on March 10 honored Matthew “Matt” McLaughlin, the city’s transportation implementation director, who died earlier this year.
Councilmember Chris Watson opened the tribute and asked Executive Director Amy Ford of the Department of Transportation & Infrastructure (DOTI) to speak. Watson said McLaughlin led the DOTI team that designs and builds the city’s transportation infrastructure and listed several projects tied to his leadership.
The council and DOTI singled out projects McLaughlin led: reconstruction of the Eighth Avenue viaduct over the South Platte River, the reconstruction of the connecting Auraria Bridge over Cherry Creek, the Colorado Center pedestrian bridge over I‑25 and Evans Street, and his role as a department leader in implementing the 2017 GO Bond program. "He built bridges in our community to connect people, to connect communities," Watson said.
Amy Ford described McLaughlin as a direct, well‑liked leader whose team "clearly looks up to you," and said his legacy includes both infrastructure and relationships he nurtured across the city. Ford said McLaughlin often told staff, "He believed in you," reflecting the mentorship she said he offered. Members of McLaughlin’s family — his wife Lindsay and son Keller — were present in the chamber.
Council President pro tem and other councilmembers acknowledged DOTI staff who attended and thanked McLaughlin’s family for joining the meeting. Remarks emphasized the visible, long‑term nature of transportation work: the bridges and roads McLaughlin helped deliver will serve as a continuing reminder of his contributions.
The council did not take formal action related to staffing or projects during the tribute; members limited remarks to remembrance and recognition of McLaughlin’s service.
McLaughlin is survived by his wife, Lindsay, and three children, Keller, Violet and Elliot. The council’s remarks and DOTI’s statements constituted the memorial portion of the March 10 meeting.
