Transportation leaders named in Colorado, Maine and New Mexico

The governors-elect of Colorado, Maine and New Mexico have announced their appointees to lead their states' transportation departments.

In Colorado, Gov.-elect Jared Polis named Shoshana Lew executive director of the Colorado Department of Transportation. Previously, she served in the Obama administration as chief financial officer and assistant secretary for budget and programs in the U.S. Department of Transportation. More recently, she served as chief operating officer of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation.

Meanwhile, Maine Gov.-elect Janet Mills has chosen Bruce Van Note, director of policy and planning at the Maine Turnpike Authority, to become the next commissioner of the state's DOT. Previously, Van Note served as deputy commissioner for the Maine DOT, where he managed policy, legislative affairs, strategic planning, budget, capital projects,  maintenance and operations, and freight and business services.

And in New Mexico, Gov.-elect Michelle Lujan Grisham named Michael Sandoval as her choice to lead that state's DOT. A 24-year state employee, Sandoval has served as division director within the department. At DOT, he's had oversight of various programs, including the New Mexico Rail Runner Express commuter-rail service, the Albuquerque Journal reported.