GDOT COMMISSIONER MCMURRAY NAMED TRAILBLAZER OF THE YEAR

Georgia DOT Commissioner Russell R. McMurry has been named Trailblazer of the Year

McMurray, who is a native of Hart County, has received the award at the 36th Annual P3 Conference in Washington, D.C.

P3 stands for Public-Private Partnerships, which are long-term contracts between a government agency and a private entity to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain transportation infrastructure.

P3s can help transportation agencies achieve cost-efficiency, manage risk, and improve the delivery of challenging projects.

The Trailblazer Award is given to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to, and consistently advocated for, the forward progress of transportation P3s.

Under Commissioner McMurry’s stewardship, GDOT has emerged as a P3 leader, notably with the successful implementation of transformative efforts like the I-75 Northwest Corridor Express Lanes and the I-285/SR 400 Interchange reconstruction.

Those projects, delivered through innovative Design-Build-Finance models, are significantly enhancing traffic flow in the metro Atlanta area and improving commuter experiences while setting new benchmarks for efficiency and public benefit.

McMurry’s strategic vision also includes legislative advancements enabling progressive P3 approaches, fostering collaborative partnerships with private sector entities, and allocating risks effectively.

His advocacy for the appropriate use of alternative contracting methods is reshaping Georgia’s infrastructure landscape, ensuring sustainable funding and operational excellence, according to G-DOT.

This is the latest in a long list of awards for McMurray.

In March 2017, Georgia Southern presented McMurry with the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Information Technology Alumni Award.

Governor Deal presented McMurry with the Bill Hardman Sr. Tourism Champion in Government Award during the 2017 Georgia Governor’s Tourism Conference.

In 2016, 2017, and 2019, Commissioner McMurry was named one of Georgia Trend’s 100 Most Influential Georgians.

Georgia Trend also named Commissioner McMurry Georgian of the Year in January 2018.
And in February 2018, Commissioner McMurry received the Inaugural Engineering Influence Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Georgia (ACEC Georgia) in recognition of his exceptional leadership in response to the I-85 bridge collapse and rebuild.

Commissioner McMurry currently serves as a board member for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA), State Depository Board, UGA College of Engineering Advisory Board, and the ATL Transit Authority Board of Directors. He also chairs the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Council on Highways and Streets, serves as president of the Southern Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (SASHTO), and is the vice chair of the I-95 Corridor Coalition.