Patrick Simmons

Director Rail Division

A native of North Carolina, Mr. Simmons has lived and worked in the Tar Heel State from the mountains to the sea.His transportation credentials span design and operation of rural, small urban and regional transit systems to planning for high-speed rail development. He managed the State’s Rail Program from 1988 to 1992 and in 1994 was chosen to direct the newly formed Rail Division.He helped form the States for Passenger Rail Coalition, has provided testimony for the Congress on development of intercity and high speed rail, federal loan program administration and application of the National Environmental Policy Act. He is Chairman of the Transportation Research Board’s Committee on Passenger Equipment and Systems Integration.The Rail Division is best known for their nationally recognized innovations improving highway-railroad crossing safety, development of multi-modal stations and intercity passenger train operations. The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Rail Division also engineers railroad infrastructure improvements, acquires and manages rail properties, designs passenger facilities, plans for conventional and future high speed passenger rail services, is active in industrial development, marketing, and conducts safety inspections of rail freight and transit facilities.In 2007 the National Trust for Historic Preservation presented the John H. Chafee Trustees Award for Outstanding Achievement in Public Policy to the Rail Division for their station improvement program.