DETROIT, MI With more than 35 years of experience with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), Mark Van Port Fleet has been appointed as the new Deputy Director and Chief Operations Officer. He is succeeding Gregory C. Johnson, who will become the state highway administrator for the Maryland Department of Transportation. Van Port Fleet, 57, will transition into his new position after serving six years as the Deputy Chief Engineer/Director of the Bureau of Development and previously as the Engineer of Design.

"Mark is the right choice for this important post because of the immense respect he enjoys both inside the department and with our industry partners," said State Transportation Director Kirk T. Steudle. "He has embraced innovations in design and development and will continue MDOT's focus on remaining a national leader, even with unprecedented funding challenges."

As a very active member of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), Van Port Fleet has chaired several technical committees and currently sits on AASHTO's Technology Implementation Group and Standing Committee on Performance Management.

Van Port Fleet is nationally recognized for his role in implementing Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) in Michigan. CSS is a collaborative approach to developing transportation projects where MDOT solicits dialogue from groups like local governments, county road commissions, other state agencies, and land use advocates early in a project's planning phase. A cooperative spirit and an awareness of community interests help achieve the ultimate goal - projects that fit their surroundings while effectively serving transportation needs.

A key player in crafting MDOT's highly successful local bridge program, Van Port Fleet also was instrumental in the department's transition to have the majority of its construction lettings in the first two quarters of the fiscal year.

Van Port Fleet is a 1975 graduate of Wyoming Park High School and holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Michigan State University. He began his career as a Student Engineer in 1979 and is a licensed Professional Engineer in both Michigan and Florida. He also is a former member of Michigan State University's professional advisory board for the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department.