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Allen was selected as Chief of Technology, Research and Innovation in June 2002. In this role, he is responsible for:
All research at the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), including the Virginia Transportation Research Council (VTRC), a partnership of VDOT and the University of Virginia
Information systems technology, including business applications software development, production and maintenance through the Information Technology Division and oversight of VDOT’s IT statewide network
VDOT’s Knowledge Management program
Allen joined VDOT in 1972, held the position of acting director of the VDOT Office of Policy and Intergovernmental Relations from May 1986 to June 1987, was selected as director of the Research Council in 1989, and held the post of acting VDOT assistant commissioner for Planning, Research and Information Technology from December 1999 to April 2001.
He has published numerous articles on transportation finance and policy and has served as chair of several committees of the Transportation Research Board and the National Cooperative Highway Research Program.
He is a member of the Standing Committee on Research for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) as well as the AASHTO National Research Advisory Committee. He served on the faculty of the AASHTO Executive Institute for more than 10 years, specializing in innovative finance.
Allen holds an appointment as acting professor in the Systems and Information Engineering department at the University of Virginia and has taught transportation policy and finance in U.Va.’s School of Engineering and Applied Science. He also holds adjunct faculty positions with the U.Va. departments of Economics and Urban and Regional Planning.
Education
Allen holds a degree in business and economics from Berea College and a Ph.D. in economics from U.Va., where he specialized in public finance and policy analysis. He also earned a Certificate in Transportation Finance and Investment Analysis from Carnegie Mellon University.
Organizations
Research Advisory Board for the National Intelligent Transportation Systems Implementation Research Center
National Academy of Sciences’ Transportation Research Board: Future Strategies for Transportation Information Management Committee
AASHTO National Research Advisory Committee
Association of Engineering Education
Awards
Virginia Transportation Commissioner’s Award of Excellence, 1989
Personal
Born in Lexington, Va. Married to Denice Allen for 36 years. One daughter, a graduate of James Madison University, who is teaching in Albemarle County. | 