AASHTO Journal, 10 May 2013
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert announced Monday he has chosen Carlos Braceras to serve as Director of the Utah Department of Transportation. Braceras has been serving as Acting Director of UDOT since late March (see related AASHTO Journal story here).
“Carlos Braceras is a man of outstanding capability and extraordinary expertise,” said Herbert in a statement. “He understands Utah and he understands Utah’s transportation system. His well-articulated vision for Utah’s future transportation system focuses on our economy, optimal mobility, maximum value for tax dollars and our unique quality of life.”
Braceras has served as UDOT Deputy Director since 2001. Prior to that position, he was the director of UDOT’s Region 3. He also worked on UDOT’s Legacy Parkway/I-15 North Project, where he was responsible for development of the environmental documents, design-build contracts, and construction of both facilities. Since joining UDOT in 1986, Braceras has served as the chief geotechnical engineer, the chief value engineer, and the Region 2 roadway design engineer. In 1998, he was named “State of Utah Governor’s Manager of the Year” and received the “UDOT Leader of the Year” award.
Braceras is active in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, where he currently serves as the chair of the AASHTO Subcommittee on Maintenance and is a member of four other AASHTO committees in addition to serving as AASHTO’s treasurer.
“I am humbled by the trust placed in me by Governor Herbert,” Braceras said. “I have great confidence in the people I work with every day to continue to pioneer new ways to address Utah’s transportation challenges and help the Governor achieve his four cornerstones.”