IBTTA President Croft Stresses People, Partnerships and Progress

People, Partnerships and Progress is the theme that Earl J. “Buddy” Croft III, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA), brings to his term as IBTTA’s 2016 President.

In a statement this week, Croft pointed to the “pivotal time in transportation history” at which he takes the helm at IBTTA.

"In the United States, we are at a policy crossroads where the country’s building and repair needs for its roads, bridges and tunnels are colliding with significantly reduced transportation budgets, both on the federal and state levels,” he said. “IBTTA plays an important role in providing solutions to address these challenges, here and abroad."

At RITBA, Croft oversees a statewide team responsible for financing, operating and maintaining the state’s four largest bridges. During his tenure, RITBA has invested about $180 million in construction and maintenance repairs—including $6 million for a permanent median to prevent crossover accidents on the Newport Pell Bridge, the largest suspension bridge in New England.

Croft’s experience with toll modernization will serve him well as IBTTA President in 2016, the year when U.S. tolling agencies will be advancing toward nationwide interoperability. “Buddy has modernized Rhode Island's tolling operations by introducing the E-ZPass system and Open Road Tolling for state motorists,” said IBTTA Executive Director and CEO Patrick D. Jones. “He brings to IBTTA a tremendous level of experience and leadership in transportation and tolling."

Buddy Croft has been a member of IBTTA’s Board of Directors for six years, and serves on the Executive Board of the E-ZPass Group.