Skip to main content

IBTTA names 2016 president

The International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) has elected Earl J. (Buddy) Croft III as its 2016 president. Croft was elected president for a one year term by the IBTTA’s international membership at its 2015 Annual Meeting in September. Croft is currently the Executive Director of the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA) in Jamestown, Rhode Island. Since 2006, Croft has led a state-wide team responsible for finance, operations and maintenance of Rhode Island’s four larg
January 6, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
The 3804 International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) has elected Earl J. (Buddy) Croft III as its 2016 president. Croft was elected president for a one year term by the IBTTA’s international membership at its 2015 Annual Meeting in September. Croft is currently the Executive Director of the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA) in Jamestown, Rhode Island.
 
Since 2006, Croft has led a state-wide team responsible for finance, operations and maintenance of Rhode Island’s four largest bridges in Aquidneck Island. This included the Newport Pell Bridge, the largest suspension bridge in New England. During his tenure, RITBA has spent nearly US$180 million dollars maintaining and repairing its bridges to enhance safety.

One of his proudest accomplishments to date is the installation of a median barrier on the bridge deck of the Newport Pell Bridge, a US$6 million dollar building project whose aim was to reduce the number of crossover accidents and enhance safety for all motorists.

Croft has been a member of IBTTA's Board of Directors for the past six years, most recently serving as first vice president. Before joining IBTTA's Board, Buddy was a member of several committees including serving as Chairman of the IBTTA Audit Committee and as a member of the Finance and Government Affairs Committees.

"I am delighted to assume the helm of this organisation at this pivotal time in transportation history," said Croft. "In the United States, we are at a crossroads where the country’s building and repair needs for it roads, bridges and tunnels are colliding with significantly reduced transportation budgets, both on the federal and state levels. IBTTA plays an important role in providing solutions to address these challenges here and abroad and I look forward to addressing these transportation issues as president."  
 
"Buddy is the perfect leader to serve as president of IBTTA at this critical time," said Patrick D. Jones, executive director and CEO of IBTTA. "Under his leadership, Buddy has modernised Rhode Island's tolling operation by introducing the E-ZPass system and open road tolling for motorists. He brings to IBTTA a tremendous level of experience and leadership in transportation and tolling."

Related Content

  • August 31, 2022
    Emovis goes back to Rhode Island
    Back-office deal with Ritba includes system upgrades and invoice processing capability
  • December 12, 2024
    ITS America reveals leadership line-up for 2025
    Directors include Cavnue's Chris Armstrong and Seleta Reynolds of LA Metro
  • June 1, 2015
    ITS America historic meeting welcomes industry leaders
    Welcome to ITS America’s 25th Annual Meeting Anniversary in Pittsburgh! This historic silver anniversary brings together more than 2,000 of the nation’s top transportation and technology policymakers, business leaders, engineers, investors and researchers. The event’s theme – Bridges to Innovation – is appropriate in that the issues to be discussed and debated and the technologies on display are representative of how important ITS is to America’s – and the world’s – transportation future.
  • June 26, 2018
    Fasten your seatbelts: it’s going to be a bumpy ride
    A spat has broken out between two major US transportation organisations over how best to pay for road use: the ATA says tolls are ‘fake funding’ while IBTTA has scorned ‘scare tactics and falsehoods’… Much has been made of the state of US roads: everyone agrees that funding is needed – but who should pay? And how? Chris Spear, president and CEO of American Trucking Associationsm(ATA), believes finance is facing a cliff edge: the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), historically the primary source of federal revenue