LAREDO, TX TxDOT announces the appointment of David M. Salazar, Jr., PE, as the Laredo District Engineer. In his new role, Salazar will oversee the planning, designing, building, operation and maintenance of the state transportation system for the eight-county Laredo District.

A 26-year veteran of both TxDOT and private construction and engineering industries, Salazar began his career with Kiewit Construction in 1992 as a project engineer, then with TxDOT in 1995 as an engineering assistant at the Del Rio Area Office. In 2001, he left TxDOT briefly to work as a construction engineer for Price Construction and as assistant city engineer for the city of Del Rio, Texas, in 2003. Returning to TxDOT in 2004, Salazar joined the San Angelo District as District Materials Engineer until his selection as Carrizo Springs Area Engineer in 2006.

Salazar was appointed Laredo District Director of Maintenance in 2011 where he was responsible for overseeing the district's  maintenance program having worked closely with neighboring districts, the Maintenance Division, and local elected officials. His leadership was instrumental during the district's pavement preservation and reconstruction period of the Eagle Ford Shale boom years which caused considerable challenges to the state's transportation system.

A native of Uvalde, Texas, Salazar graduated from Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering in 1992 and he became a licensed professional engineer in 2001. He participated in TxDOT's Summer Internship Program in the Lubbock District while a student at Texas Tech University.