advertisement

---

On Monday, New Jersey governor-elect Chris Christie announced his intention to appoint James Weinstein New Jersey Transit’s executive director and James Simpson, the state’s transportation commissioner.

Currently vice president of architectural and engineering firm AECOM, Weinstein previously was commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation, senior VP of the Northeast Corridor-Amtrak, and commissioner for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, New Jersey Turnpike Authority, New Jersey Highway Authority and South Jersey Transportation Authority. He would succeed Richard Sarles, NJ Transit’s executive director since 2007, who plans to retire.

Former administrator of the Federal Transit Administration, Simpson is chairman and co-founder of infrastructure management firm Spartan Solutions, and chairman of Victory Worldwide Transportation. He previously was a senior advisor to the U.S. transportation secretary and commissioner of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Meanwhile, Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Townes on Monday announced he would step down from the top post on Jan. 31 and retire at September’s end.

Townes had been under mounting pressure to resign after the cost of HRT’s light-rail project in Norfolk, Va, exceeded its budget by about $100 million. He became HRT’s president in 1999, when PenTran merged with Tidewater Regional Transit.

Townes will help HRT officials during the leadership transition process.