Joint Transportation Oversight Committee presents resolution honoring long-serving ALDOT director John R. Cooper

The Joint Transportation Oversight Committee presented a surprise resolution commending John R. Cooper for his service as director of the Alabama Department of Transportation.

The resolution, read aloud by a committee member, praised Cooper as the department’s longest-serving director and listed accomplishments credited to his tenure, including development of the Alabama Transportation Improvement and Rehabilitation Program, work on the Rebuild Alabama Act and delivery of projects such as improvements to U.S. Highway 280, replacement of downtown Birmingham interstate bridges, widening projects on multiple interstates and initiation of the Mobile River Bridge and Bayway mega-project.

The reading emphasized that Cooper began his tenure in January 2011 and noted an honor earlier in 2026 from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials recognizing him as among the longest-tenured state transportation executives in the country. The resolution framed his service as providing continuity relative to historically shorter average director tenures.

Cooper accepted the honors briefly and thanked the members, saying he had “never worked a day in my life” and expressing gratitude for the support he said he received from governors and the legislature over the years.

No formal vote or motion to adopt the resolution was recorded in the transcript; the presentation concluded with applause and brief remarks from committee members who commended Cooper’s accessibility and leadership.

The committee then moved on to its next agenda items.