C. Michael Walton and Ned S. Holmes were recognized for contributions to Texas transportation in December at separate Texas Transportation Hall of Honor induction ceremonies in Austin. Walton was inducted as the Hall’s 40th member Dec. 1; Holmes was inducted as the 41st member Dec 18.
“We have a state that has been blessed to have an outstanding transportation system, a system that has served the state well,” said TTI Agency Director Dennis Christiansen. “It’s widely recognized that the development and sustainment of that kind of system are the result of visionary leadership by a relatively small group of individuals. Mike Walton and Ned Holmes are especially deserving to be in this elite group.”
Walton, who holds the Ernest H. Cockrell Centennial Chair in Engineering and is a professor of civil engineering at The University of Texas, is internationally known for 40 years of leadership in transportation engineering and policy analysis. A member of the National Academy of Engineering, he’s held leadership positions on numerous technical and professional society boards and committees, including the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, the Transportation Research Board and the Intelligent Transportation Society of America, among others. He’s widely recognized as a transformative figure in bridging the gap between transportation research and industry practice.
Holmes — a businessman, banker, and residential and commercial real estate developer — has made significant contributions to transportation infrastructure in the greater Houston area and across Texas. He is chairman and CEO of Holmes Investments, Inc. In 2007, he was appointed to the Texas Department of Transportation Commission, where he served until 2012. He championed construction of the Grand Parkway in Houston and helped obtain funding to expand US 290. He also served as chair of the Transportation Transformation Group, a coalition of state departments of transportation advocating nationally for transportation funding and reform. Holmes also chaired the Port of Houston Authority from 1988 to 2000 during a significant growth period in the port’s infrastructure.
