FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Maryland Department of Transportation Public Affairs
David Broughton, 410-865-1029
Jim Joyner, 410-865-1030
William Pines Named SHA Administrator
Joey Sagal Named MDTA Executive Director
HANOVER, MD (August 9, 2023) – The Maryland Department of Transportation announces new transportation leadership for the State Highway Administration and the Maryland Transportation Authority. Today, Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld announced William Pines PE, PMP, CCM, will serve as the Administrator for the State Highway Administration after serving 11 years at the Maryland Transportation Authority, most recently as the Executive Director. Stepping into the role of Maryland Transportation Authority Executive Director is Joseph “Joey" Sagal. Executive Director Sagal most recently served as the Authority's Chief Operating Officer.
“I want to thank Tim Smith for his years of service with the State Highway Administration," said Transportation Secretary Wiedefeld. “During his long career at State Highway, he has been an industry leader serving in many roles from District Engineer, Deputy Administrator for Operations and, ultimately, as Administrator. He steered us through COVID while delivering a vast construction program and led a strong focus on worker and pedestrian safety. I also want to thank Tim for his commitment to provide a smooth transition in the coming weeks."
Both Administrator Pines and Executive Director Sagal will begin serving in their new roles effective immediately. Administrator Pines oversees the State Highway Administration which operates, maintains and rebuilds the numbered, non-toll routes in Maryland's 23 counties with more than 17,000 lane-miles and 2,500 bridges. As head of the Maryland Transportation Authority, Executive Director Sagal leads an 1,800-employee agency that operates and maintains the state's eight toll facilities and the DriveEzMD Maryland system.
In his new role as the State Highway Administrator, Will Pines will be returning to where he started his career as a transportation design engineer in 2004. At the Authority, he served in several leadership roles for the Division of Operations and Office of Engineering and Construction, including Inspection Program Manager, Bridge and Tunnel Manager, Deputy Director of Engineering and Director of Project Development. He has managed several major MDTA projects, including the $463 million Governor Harry W. Nice/Senator Thomas “Mac" Middleton Bridge Replacement project, the $1.1 billion I-95 Express Toll Lanes Northbound Extension Program, and the $189 million I-895 Bridge Project.
Executive Director Sagal has served with the Maryland Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration for 25 years focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as key parts of an organization's success and advancement. Prior to his service as the Authority's Chief Operating Officer, he served in many operational leadership roles at the State Highway Administration with his most recent role as the Deputy Administrator Chief Engineer for Operations, leading SHA's Hanover Complex Offices of: Asset Management, Construction, Homeland Security & Safety, Maintenance, Materials Technology, Traffic & Safety, and Transportation Mobility & Operations (CHART).