Maine DOT chief Bruce Van Note to retire next month

File photo / Tim Greenway Bruce Van Note, commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation, plans to retire from his position on Aug. 15.

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By Renee Cordes

After more than 30 years in Maine’s transportation sector including seven years as head of the Maine Department of Transportation, Bruce Van Note plans to retire from his leadership role on Aug. 15.

Dale Doughty, now deputy director, will serve as the agency's acting commissioner.

As Maine’s transportation chief, Van Note earned a reputation as a pragmatic and effective leader who maximized the agency's resources to drive forward exciting new initiatives, while maintaining a statewide network used by millions of residents and visitors each year, according to an announcement by Gov. Janet Mills.

Significant projects completed under his watch include the construction of the Madawaska-Edmunston International Bridge connecting the U.S. and Canada; the opening of the I-395/Route 9 Connector between between Bangor and Brewer; and the creation of a commuter bus service between Lewiston, Auburn and Portland.

Van Note is also credited with guiding changes to the state's highway fund to unlock new, sustainable revenue for state transportation investments — reducing the need for general obligation bonding.

He was also a leader in the state's response to severe winter storms in late 2023 and early 2024 that caused more than $90 million in damage to public infrastructure.

"Bruce Van Note has set a high standard for practicality and productivity and has been an invaluable member of my cabinet,” Mills said.

'MacGyver' mode

In a November 2020 interview with Mainebiz, Van Note talked about stretching transportation dollars during the pandemic analogous to a character from a 1980s television series known for fixing things on the fly.

“The best transportation dollar is one you never spend, so we are honestly in kind of a ‘MacGyver’ mode right now, which I don’t necessarily take as a negative,” Van Note said at the time. "If you think of that TV series, the person always finds a way to do something even though you don’t have enough stuff to do that, and that’s the mode we’re in. We’re trying to maintain the service with less money, especially in the near term. We have to absorb revenue cuts, and bonding is a part of the solution, but looking for more efficient ways is a part, too.”

In Monday’s announcement about his retirement, Van Note said that serving as the Maine DOT commissioner has been the honor and privilege of his life.

"There have been many challenges to overcome including the pandemic, significant increases in construction costs, workforce shortages, extreme storms and more,” he said. “They made this one of the toughest jobs you'll ever love, but finding solutions is what we do ... Throughout it all, I'm proud of the smart and steady progress we've made for the people of Maine."

Van Note, an engineering graduate, attorney and professional land surveyor, was born in Houlton and grew up in Bath.

Doughty has been with the Maine Department of Transportation for nearly three decades, most recently as deputy director. The commissioner's position is a cabinet-level appointment, subject to a hearing before the Legislature's Transportation Committee and confirmation by the state Senate.