ITSNJ Public Agency Official Award

In the category of Public Agency Official a person, who works for a public entity, who has contributed significantly to advancing ITS in New Jersey is honored.

 

2024 ITSNJ Public Official Award Recipient
Bindesh Patel - NJDOT

A true professional and an excellent Supervisor, Bindesh approaches his role with determination and a calm demeanor. As a 10-year veteran of the Department, Bindesh has gained the respect of the industry and his peers over the years, stepping up when needed - and embracing a team-first mentality. The New Jersey Department of Transportation’s (NJDOT) Bureau of Mobility Engineering (MSE) supports Operations’ Transportation Mobility by managing the development, implementation, and support for ITS initiatives.

These initiatives include traditional ITS devices such as Dynamic/Variable Message Signs, closed circuit television (CCTV) systems, and the State’s fiber-optic communication network, as well as emerging technologies such as connected vehicle systems, wrong way driving systems, and LiDAR based detection systems.

Bindesh’s wealth of knowledge is also applied to concept of operations documents, software requirements efforts, and the integration of various existing traffic management systems. Bindesh and the Mobility Engineering staff were also responsible for fulfilling the duties of the Traffic Impact Coordinator (TIC) position when this work was transferred from Capital Program Management to Transportation Mobility following the retirement of the TIC Coordinator. This was not an easy task. In this role, Bindesh coordinates with the Department's construction and maintenance teams to ensure that all units across the Department are aware of current construction activities and their impacts on the motoring public. Under Bindesh’s leadership, the Department’s moved the Advanced Traffic Impact notice (TO-103) process from paper to electronic and ensures weekly meetings are held with NJDOT personnel and representatives from various agencies (NJ Transit, PANYNJ, Turnpike Authority, etc.), to ensure construction/maintenance projects are coordinated statewide to reduce major impacts to traffic.

In addition to everyday work, Bindesh and the ME Staff have unsurprisingly been recognized locally and nationally for their innovative work. The team's 'Route 1 Hard Shoulder Running' project received national recognition from AASHTO and FHWA. Most recently, the Intelligent Transportation Society of New Jersey (ITSNJ) awarded this team the Statewide Outstanding Project (Construction) Award for their work on the 'Smart & Connected Corridors – Route 1 / Route 295' project. This project has been submitted for an AASHTO Transportation Award in 2024. As an honored speaker at various transportation conferences, summits, etc., both in New Jersey and nationally, Bindesh has had the opportunity to share his accomplishments with other transportation professionals.

In 2023 and again in 2024, Bindesh and his team were invited to attend the Smart Grant Summit hosted by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to communicate information about various NJDOT projects using Smart Grant funding. Most recently, Bindesh spoke at the Intelligent Transportation Society of America’s Annual meeting in Phoenix, Arizona and the Annual TransAction Conference in Atlantic City, highlighting the Department's vital work to improve safety and quality of life for all residents and motorists in the state.

Submitting a Nomination
  • Submissions must include a Statement on how the individual meets the evaluation criteria and a Photo of Nominee
  • Submissions must not exceed five (5) pages
  • A resume may be submitted, but shall be included in the 5-page limit

Pictures of all winners may be displayed at the Annual Meeting.