The Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) has appointed Hiral Patel, P.E., as Deputy Chief Engineer and Tim Matthews, P.E. as Public Private Partnership (P3) Division Director effective July 2, 2026. Both bring extensive experience and a strong record of leadership to their new roles, where they will help advance the department's mission of delivering a safe, efficient and innovative transportation network for Georgia. 

"Hiral and Tim have demonstrated a longstanding commitment to improving transportation in the state of Georgia," said Georgia DOT Commissioner Russell R. McMurry, P.E. "I am confident that that their expertise, experience and dedication to effective leadership will benefit the state's transportation network and the people and communities we serve."

Patel brings more than 30 years of experience with department. She began her career in construction with the Atlanta Area Office in District 7 and has since served in a variety of leadership roles, including Area Engineer in District 1, Assistant Administrator for Program Delivery, Administrator of Environmental Services, and Director of Engineering. She most recently served as P3 Division Director. In her new role, Patel manages statewide transportation engineering, design, and construction divisions. Her responsibilities include overseeing major infrastructure projects, procurement, and serving in the Chief Engineer's capacity when needed. Patel earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Gujarat University and is a registered professional engineer in the state of Georgia.

Matthews will assume the role of P3 Division Director after having previously served as Assistant P3 Division Director/Pre-Let Administrator since 2023. He began his career at the department 23 years ago in the Office of Road Design and has held positions of increasing responsibility, including Design Group Leader, Project Manager in the Office of Program Delivery, Transportation Investment Act (TIA) Regional Coordinator, Major Mobility Investment Program (MMIP) Program Manager, and State Express Lanes Administrator. In his new role, Matthews will oversee the development and implementation of the department’s P3 program, a collaborative delivery model in which public entities, such as Georgia DOT, partner with private companies to accelerate project delivery, provide access to additional capital, and can reduce public cost and debt requirements. Matthews holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and is a registered professional engineer in the state of Georgia.

Patel is replacing Marc Mastronardi, P.E., as Deputy Chief Engineer, who is retiring from the department after 33 years of dedicated service.