New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham recently announced she has appointed David Quintana as acting secretary of the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT), effective immediately.
“David Quintana has spent his career delivering transportation projects that connect our communities and move New Mexico forward,” Lujan Grisham said. “He is well prepared to lead the Department of Transportation.”
Quintana holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and has worked for the department for more than 20 years, starting as an engineer in training. He later served in a number of district engineering roles in northern New Mexico and also was Santa Fe’s roadway and drainage section manager. His most recent position for the department was programs and infrastructure division director and chief engineer. In this role, he oversaw more than 220 employees and managed an annual budget of more than $500 million.
Quintana’s experience also includes managing six district offices and overseeing project development, bridge design, environmental review, right-of-way acquisition and the Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan. He has directed the department’s statewide design and construction program.
The department finalized its 2026 State Rail Plan on March 3. The plan prioritized $283.1 million in rail investments over the next four years.