Advancing the Vision

The Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) Advisory Council is comprised of a small group of high-level transportation and business professionals from across Texas and every sector of the transportation world. The council, which meets annually, offers a tremendous service to the Institute by advising on transportation issues and trends and supporting TTI’s research programs and initiatives. TTI profiles several council members in each issue of Researcher.

Al Alonzi

Texas Division Administrator
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Austin, Texas

Al Alonzi provides executive direction over the $3.2 billion annual FHWA federal-aid apportionment to Texas, one of the largest and most complex federal-aid programs in the nation. He leads a multidisciplinary staff of 50 professionals to provide guidance to state- and local-funding recipients unified in the primary objective of remaining a relevant partner in Texas, while advancing national transportation goals.

He formerly served as deputy division administrator for the FHWA Texas Division Office. He has served FHWA in multiple capacities in several field offices and the Washington, D.C., headquarters for over 24 years.

Bob Jones

President and CEO,
Jones Engineering Solutions, LLC
Houston, Texas

Bob Jones recently formed Jones Engineering Solutions, LLC, after serving as president, CEO and founding partner of Jones & Carter, Inc., a 350-employee, Texas-owned, civil engineering company, for many years. His expertise includes municipal, land development and transportation infrastructure; master planning; political coordination; finance and cost evaluation; program development and management; and regulatory assistance. He works with local, state and national entities to enhance transportation and transportation funding.

Jones is president-elect of the Texas Council of Engineering Companies and serves on the boards of the North Houston Association and West Houston Association. He is a former commissioner of the Texas Building and Procurement Commission and a member of the Texas A&M University Dwight Look College of Engineering Advisory Council.

Linda Watson

President/CEO
Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Austin, Texas

Linda Watson manages the day-to-day operations of Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which serves 10 communities and has an annual operating budget of $246 million, 1,500 employees and 500 vehicles. Formerly, she was CEO of LYNX, the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority; general manager of the Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority; and assistant general manager of the Fort Worth Transportation Authority.

Watson serves on the Federal Transit Administration Transit Research Analysis Committee; ITS America Board; Transportation Research Board; and National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences. She previously served on the American Public Transportation Association Executive Committee.