After 26 years in the trenches, Todd McDuffie now leads the Georgia Department of Transportation’s efforts in Northeast Georgia.
“I’ve worked on our state routes and interstates cleaning up from crashes, floods, sinkholes and battles (with) winter weather,” he said. “I’ve done the intersection studies to determine if a signal is needed and I’ve hung those signals.
“I know this district well.”
McDuffie, who began his career as an enforcement officer with DOT, has become top engineer for the departments’s 21-county District 1, which includes Hall County.
“It’s my home and I’m proud to be leading District 1,” the Banks County native said. “It is an honor and I take (the DOT’s) mission very seriously — to keep our roads safe and open.”
After a few years in enforcement, McDuffie moved into traffic operations and eventually became signal engineer for the Gainesville-based district.
McDuffie, 46, who graduated from Piedmont College in Demorest with a bachelor’s degree, later served as area maintenance engineer and as area engineer in Banks, Habersham, Rabun and Stephens counties.
He moved into the maintenance division in 2005 and eventually became district maintenance engineer.
He kept that title even as he served as interim district engineer, a job he held since the fall.
As district engineer, he will be responsible for preconstruction, construction and maintenance on every state route and interstate in Northeast Georgia. He will supervise 500 employees.
“Todd has a wealth of knowledge in the overall operation of the district and has a great understanding of the district’s needs,” said DOT Commissioner Vance C. Smith Jr.
“Todd has been the diligent face of the department on the front lines in Northeast Georgia.”
McDuffie said he particularly enjoys the people he works with at DOT.
They “are hardworking and tireless,” he said. “They are committed to improving safety and mobility. Our local officials in Northeast Georgia are partners with us in that effort.
“I also enjoy solving problems and working out on the roadway system. I am a maintenance engineer and always will be. I’d rather be working in the road than doing paperwork.”
The district maintenance engineer’s job hasn’t been posted yet, as the DOT is in a hiring freeze, said Teri Pope, District 1 spokeswoman.