This award is given by the Intelligent Transportation Engineers (ITE) Metropolitan Section of New York and New Jersey each year to a non-engineer who is dedicated to promoting the field of transportation.

New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced that Sal Cowan, NJDOT's director, division of traffic operations, traffic systems management is the recipient of the 2015 Transportation Advancement Award.

This award is given by the Intelligent Transportation Engineers (ITE) Metropolitan Section of New York and New Jersey each year to a non-engineer who is dedicated to promoting the field of transportation. Past recipients include Veronique “Ronnie” Hakim (2014), former NJ TRANSIT executive director and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (2010).

Cowan is being recognized for his successful preparation and implementation of traffic operations plans for several major events and construction projects in and around New Jersey, including Super Bowl XLVIII at the Meadowlands in February 2014, the Papal Visit to New York and Philadelphia in September 2015, and the closure of the northbound lanes of the Pulaski Skyway while a new deck is being put on.

“Every day our traffic operations staff led by Sal Cowan are working to keep traffic moving and motorists safe,” said Richard T. Hammer, NJDOT acting commissioner. “While their efforts are often unseen, untold hours of planning, preparation, and implementation of traffic management plans under Sal's leadership have made travelling New Jersey's roadways to major events like the Papal visit this fall or the Super Bowl in 2014 go smoothly and safely. His leadership in developing an aggressive plan to provide alternate routes during long-term projects such as the Pulaski Skyway Rehabilitation also have allowed the state to make critical infrastructure repairs while still making sure motorists can get where they need to go safely and with minimal disruption.”

Cowan has served as the director, division of traffic operations since October 2011. He is responsible for oversight and management of the statewide traffic management center and central dispatch unit, which are both staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week; as well as the traffic operations center in Cherry Hill and NJDOT's safety service patrol, which provides motorist assistance and safety for emergency responders along 225 mi. of interstate and state highways throughout New Jersey.

He also works closely with the New Jersey State Police as part of NJDOT's Statewide Incident Management Program and prepares traffic operations plans for major construction projects such as the Pulaski Skyway Rehabilitation Project and the I-295, I-76, and Route 42 Direct Connect Project. Cowan is leading NJDOT's effort to incorporate the Federal Highway Administration's National Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Responder Training Program into New Jersey's existing highway responder training initiative.

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