Our Team

John Barton

A 30-year career with one of Texas’ largest state agencies gives SPI Consultant John Barton an unparalleled level of experience and skills related to state government, and particularly transportation. The former Deputy Executive Director for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) rose through the ranks at the transportation agency over three decades from a summer employee with a maintenance crew to chief engineer and then deputy executive director.

Along the way, John established and continues to maintain an enviable network of transportation experts and officials in both the public and private sectors. He is well respected nationwide for his transportation knowledge, experience and expertise. As a result, he has been selected to leadership roles on a number of transportation-related committees and councils including membership on the Advisory Board of the Center for Advancing Transportation Leadership and Safety; chair of the Subcommittee on Traffic Engineering of the American Association of Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO); and member and chair of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America Board of Directors.

The former TxDOT executive is the recipient of a variety of awards, including the AASHTO President’s Special Award of Merit, the TxDOT Design Excellence Award and the governor’s Leadership in Transportation Award.

While at TxDOT, John honed his skills in administration of policies, programs and operating strategies and worked closely with officials and leaders representing a variety of government subdivision at the local, state and federal levels. He is well-versed in all areas of public-sector transportation issues after having been responsible for management of many of TxDOT’s divisions, including Aviation, Bridge, Construction, Design, Environmental, Maintenance, Rail, Right of Way, Texas Turnpike Authority, Traffic Operations and Transportation Planning and Programming.

A registered Professional Engineer, John holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Texas A&M University. He also completed the Governor’s Executive Development Program of The University of Texas at Austin’s Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs and is a professor of Engineering Practice in the Civil Engineering Department at Texas A&M.