Mark Van Port Fleet Appointed Michigan DOT Director
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder recently announced that longtime Michigan Department of Transportation employee Mark Van Port Fleet will serve as the agency’s new director.
Van Port Fleet
Van Port Fleet has worked for MDOT for 38 years in roles such as deputy director, chief operations officer, deputy chief engineer and director of the Bureau of Development. He also has served in leading roles for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
His appointment to director is effective Nov. 1.
“During his time at MDOT, Mark has created a standard for developing and completing innovative, high-quality projects that benefit all Michiganders,” Snyder said in a press release issued Oct. 30. “His dedication to improving our roadways and infrastructure is impressive and brings me confidence he will excel in this new role.”
According to the press release, Van Port Fleet represented the state for four years as Michigan negotiated with Canada on the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
Van Port Fleet succeeds Kirk Steudle, who worked at MDOT for 31 years. Steudle recently was appointed senior vice president of Econolite, a company that specializes in intelligent transportation systems and traffic management software.
RELATED: Retiring Michigan DOT Chief Kirk Steudle appointed Econolite executive
During his tenure as MDOT director, Steudle led several initiatives related to transportation safety, including performance measures for road projects and asset-management principles. He also helped launch MCity, an autonomous-vehicle research center at the University of Michigan as well as the American Center for Mobility, a nonprofit facility dedicated to testing and developing autonomous technology.
