Wiley named next director of the Arkansas Department of Transportation
by December 4, 2024 4:34 pm 422 views
The Arkansas Highway Commission has named Jared Wiley as director of the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT). Wiley follows Director Lorie Tudor who announced Dec. 3 she will retire effective Jan. 10, 2025.
Wiley will become the department’s sixth person to serve in the director’s role in the past 52 years. His starting salary will be $225,992, according to ARDOT.
“The Department is very fortunate to have a deep pool of highly qualified talent to choose from in selecting the next Director. We know that Jared will do an excellent job leading ARDOT and the entire team. The Commission looks forward to working with him in this new role,” noted a statement from Commission Chairman Alec Farmer.
According to ARDOT info, the agency has 3,890 employees who help manage 16,392 system miles, and 7,000 bridges. ARDOT received $897 million in state funding in fiscal year 2024, and receives on average $790 million annually in federal funding. The department has a $1.8 billion total annual budget.
Wiley has worked as ARDOT’S chief engineer for preconstruction since April 2023.
“I am humbled and honored by the trust the Commission has shown in me. I commit to building on the legacy of cooperation and collaboration that was established by my mentor, Director Tudor. She has taught me and our staff many things over her 41-year career. ARDOT is blessed with a great staff of dedicated public servants. The entire ARDOT team will continue to work diligently to improve the safety, efficiency and reliability of Arkansas’ transportation system,” said Wiley.
Wiley began his career with ARDOT as an engineering student intern in Hot Springs prior to being hired in December 2005 as a civil engineer in the Planning and Research Division.
Following an engineering career path, he advanced through several positions in the Planning Branch where he oversaw ARDOT’s traffic count and roadway inventory programs before becoming consultant coordinator in the Deputy Director and Chief Engineer’s office in July 2013.
Wiley was promoted to assistant division head of the Transportation Planning and Policy Division in January 2014, then promoted to the position of division head of Program Management in May 2015. In April 2020, Wiley was promoted to the position of assistant chief engineer for Planning. From there he moved into his position of chief engineer for preconstruction in April of 2023.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering with an emphasis in civil engineering from Arkansas State University. He is a Registered Professional Engineer.