MDT director outlines priorities: bridges, workforce, bus-safety PSAs and airport grants

Chris Doerington, director of the Montana Department of Transportation, told the Senate Highways and Transportation Committee that his immediate priorities are staffing succession, maintaining an aging system of bridges and responding to rising infrastructure costs.

"People are the very most important part of what we do — our citizens and our employees," Doerington said, outlining values he wants the agency to follow as it implements projects across the state.

Doerington said the department faces a near-term workforce challenge: about 20% of MDT employees are currently eligible for retirement, prompting an emphasis on succession planning and streamlined project-delivery processes. He told the committee MDT intends to make internal improvements so projects are delivered efficiently despite higher construction costs for asphalt, concrete and steel.

The director highlighted bridges as a…