New district head brings 30 years of experience to role

ABILENE — Herbert Bickley, P.E., has been named as Abilene District Engineer for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). In this role, he will oversee the department’s functions in Borden, Callahan, Fisher, Haskell, Howard, Jones, Kent, Mitchell, Nolan, Scurry, Shackelford, Stonewall and Taylor counties.

Bickley comes to Abilene from TxDOT’s Lufkin District, where he had served as Director of Transportation Operations since 2000. A 30-year TxDOT veteran, Bickley started with the department in 1976 as a summer employee in San Augustine. After working five summers while attending Angelina College and then Texas A&M University, he graduated in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and then began work in the Lufkin District’s maintenance operations office that same year.

He returned to Texas A&M University and earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 1987 while working for TxDOT’s Bryan Area Office. Upon graduation, he returned to the Lufkin District to work in the Livingston Area Office. After becoming a registered engineer in 1991, he accepted the position as the district’s traffic engineer.

While in Lufkin, Bickley served in several positions including assistant director of operations and Livingston area engineer in addition to his most recent position as Director of Transportation Operations. He was the 2010 recipient of the Dewitt C. Greer Award, one of the highest honors awarded to a TxDOT engineer each year.

Bickley replaces Lauren Garduño, P.E., who recently accepted a position with TxDOT’s administration as Chief Procurement and Deputy Administrative Officer.

Bickley has one daughter, Cassie, who attends Angelina College in Lufkin, and one son, Brant, who lives in New York City.