Pedersen to retire as state highway chief
Neil J. Pedersen, the eight-year head of the State Highway Administration who oversaw the development and construction of the Intercounty Connector as well as hundreds of smaller road projects, announced Wednesday that he is stepping dowm.
Pedersen, 60, whose retirement as state highway administrator will be effective June 30, said he is stepping down for "personal reasons."
"my wife and I have a number of things that we would like to do but have not been able to while I have been SHA Adminsitrator," he wrote in a memo to the agency. "We also realize the importance of spending time with our families while we are able to do so."
Pedersen's retirement after 29 years with the system has not been widely expected. He was named head of the SHA by then-Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. in 2003.
Comments
Neil is one of the most well respected transportation official in Maryland Transportation that I have had the opportunity to know. He has shown great leadership capabilities at SHA and I truly wish him the very best in his retirement. He certainly deserves it. Best regards to his family, too.
Ken Chapman- A retired MTA employee now living in the great city of Charlotte, North Carolina.
Posted by: Ken Chapman | June 15, 2011 2:06 PM
Good riddance
Posted by: Anonymous | June 15, 2011 2:44 PM
One of the nicest men I've ever had the pleasrure to meet. Sad to see him go, but best wishes to him.
Posted by: jijiN | June 15, 2011 3:52 PM
I retired over 5 years ago,and was very
glad to have served the years that he
served as Administrator.Iwish him the
best in his Retirement.
Posted by: James Lewis Sr | June 17, 2011 4:59 PM
I don't see where to comment on today's article, so I'll just post here. Please don't quote me, at least not by name, as my comment could be perceived as a little cruel, but if you think about it, isn't death a little LESS tragic when a seatbelt may have helped? Anyone that wreckless with their own life is also a great danger to others. One less grossly negligent person in the world putting countless others at grave risk is not necessarily a bad thing in the big picture.
Posted by: jon salkov | June 20, 2011 10:10 AM