Dilts returning to state government as Turnpike COO

Former New Jersey Commissioner of Transportation Stephen Dilts is leaving a private sector infrastructure construction and planning firm to become the chief operating officer of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

A former mayor of Hampton, Dilts served as transportation commissioner for the second half of Gov. Jon Corzine’s administration.  He had served as deputy commissioner under Kris Kolluri, who was named by Gov. Mikie Sherrill to run both New Jersey Transit and the Turnpike Authority.

This will be Dilts’ second stint at the Turnpike.  He was the chief of staff from 2002 to 2003, and the deputy executive director from 2003 to 2006.

He has spent the last eleven years at HNTB, where he runs the firm’s offices in Parsippany, Cherry Hill, Lawrence, and Newark.  He formerly ran the New York office.