ARDOT Director Lorie Tudor to Retire

Lorie Tudor, director of the Arkansas Department of Transportation (Jason Burt)

The Arkansas Department of Transportation announced that Lorie Tudor, the department’s first female director, is retiring effective Jan. 10.

Tudor, who has led the department since March 2020, informed the state Highway Commission of her decision in a letter Monday.

During her time as director, Tudor oversaw the first phase of the $1.15 billion 30 Crossing project, the largest project in the department’s history. She and other department officials marked the completion of the first phase, which ended with a $633 million price tag, on Tuesday. That part of the interstate widening project included an expansive new bridge over the Arkansas River connecting Little Rock and North Little Rock.

The project was funded in part by a temporary half-cent sales tax that voters approved during Tudor’s tenure.

Under Tudor’s leadership, the department navigated the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergency closing of the Interstate 40 bridge over the Mississippi River in May 2021. Tudor also helped guide the completion of the Connecting Arkansas Program, a series of 31 state highway construction projects to modernize the state’s transportation system.

Tudor began her career with the department in 1981 as a clerk typist. After 14 years, she left to obtain an engineering degree from the University of Memphis. Tudor returned to the department in 1998 as an entry-level civil engineer in the planning and research division.

She was promoted to deputy director and chief 0perating officer in 2014.

“I’ve had a great career at ARDOT,” Tudor said in a statement. “I’ve been very fortunate to have worked with a wonderful group of hard-working individuals who all understand the value and importance of serving the people of Arkansas.”

Highway Commission Chair Alec Farmer said the commission will meet “as expeditiously as possible” to consider Tudor’s replacement.