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McElhinney brings safety focus,
customer-service mindset
to role as ITD’s Chief Operations Officer

Dan McElhinney, who has worked in the transportation field for more than three decades, managing numerous high-profile projects, will become ITD’s new Chief Operations Officer on August 10.

McElhinney comes to ITD from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), where he was District Director in Stockton. As District Director, he was responsible for overseeing more than 3,500 lane miles in eight counties, leading 600 employees and managing a nearly $2 billion capital program asset management plan and an annual operating budget of more than $150 million.

Prior to accepting the Stockton position, Dan served as the San Francisco Bay Area Chief Deputy District Director for 13 years, where he led more than 3,000 employees and had oversight for a construction program in excess of $10 billion.

“I am pleased to have Dan as a member of the ITD team,” ITD Director Brian Ness said. “He brings 32 years of experience to the position. He has worked on major construction projects such as the Presidio Parkway and Oakland Bay Bridge projects in the San Francisco area. One of the things about Dan that really impressed me was when he said a small culvert job in a remote and rural part of the state is just as important as a big construction project in the heart of a densely populated region of the state. Idaho has a lot of those small, rural places, as well as several of those larger, urban locations, so it is important that the Chief Operations Officer brings the right mindset to work.”

At ITD, McElhinney will be responsible for overseeing more than 12,000 lane miles of highways and roads, more than 1,800 bridges on the State Highway System, as well as the department’s Highway Construction & Operations and Highway Development areas, plus six district offices located in regions around the state.

“Dan has a history of bringing people together to resolve complex problems both in major metropolitan areas as well as very rural communities. During the hiring process, it was clear that he cared about people. He talked about mentoring employees, and the joy of riding with a snow plow driver in the mountains to understand their job better and to get to know them on a personal level,“ Ness said.

“I am excited to have Dan on board to bring to ITD the issues that he has dealt with, such as rapid growth, autonomous vehicles and innovative contracting methods. Dan is an excellent communicator who understands how to maneuver through the political process.”

McElhinney is a licensed civil engineer who graduated from the Colorado School of Mines in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering with Minors in Surveying and Metallurgy.

McElhinney said the opportunity to join a proven winner weighed heavily in his decision.

“The chance to join the award-winning Idaho Transportation Department team really was what attracted me to this position, and the opportunity to support employees in innovation and safety initiatives also were key factors.”

McElkinney weighed in on a few of the things he wants to accomplish with the department:

What do you see as your biggest challenges or opportunities at ITD?
DM: "We have the opportunity together to plan for and address the forecasted growth and transportation needs for Idaho. I look forward to meeting our district teams and local stakeholders to discuss transportation challenges and together develop solutions."

What is going to be your main focus?
DM: "Customer service with a results-oriented approach in teamwork with district and statewide collaborative partnerships."

How would you script out your initial days on the job?
DM: "I plan to communicate with the team immediately, travel to the districts or conference online often, to listen about updates on current issues and projects. I hope to learn about local successes and to hear any suggestions for me and the department to consider in support of our ITD team members and to help achieve the department’s goals."