SCDOT Commission appoints Justin Powell as next Secretary of Transportation

At today’s meeting of the South Carolina Department of Transportation Commission, the Commission appointed Justin P. Powell to serve as the next Secretary of Transportation, pursuant to section 57-1-410 of the South Carolina Code of Laws. Powell’s appointment will be submitted to the South Carolina Senate for confirmation. This action follows the retirement announcement from Secretary of Transportation of Christy A. Hall, P.E.

Chairman of the Commission Pamela Christopher said, “We have established tremendous momentum under Secretary Hall’s leadership and we are fully assured that Mr. Powell is the best person to move us forward and keep improving upon that success. We have seen that our best leaders come from within the agency – Mr. Powell has demonstrated that he clearly understands the complexity of this agency and is going to be ready to hit the ground running on day one.”

Vice-Chairman of the Commission Max Metcalf said, “Mr. Powell has held management positions in government agencies for nearly two decades and has held five years of progressively more complex leadership roles here at SCDOT. As an executive, he has proven himself as an expert leader with a sharp eye for finance and a keen mind for business.”

Secretary of Transportation Christy A. Hall, P.E. said, “I have every confidence in Mr. Powell’s ability to lead this agency. I look forward to working together with him over the coming weeks to ensure a successful transition.”

Secretary of Transportation Appointee and current Chief Operating Officer Justin P. Powell said, “I am honored and humbled to be appointed to serve as the next Secretary of Transportation. I want to thank the Commissioners for their trust and confidence in me to lead this department. Our most important asset at SCDOT is our people and I am committed to supporting our employees as they continue to diligently serve our great state. To me, there is no higher calling to serve the people of South Carolina and I look forward to the bright future ahead.”

In his capacity as Chief Operating Officer he manages the day-to-day operations of SCDOT including its $5 billion construction program and maintenance of the nation’s fourth-largest state highway system Powell joined SCDOT in 2019 as Deputy Secretary for Finance and Administration with responsibility for SCDOT’s $2.7 billion budget and oversaw the growth of the construction program from $3 billion to $5 billion. In 2022, he was promoted to Chief of Staff, serving as the senior advisor to the Secretary of Transportation and led numerous strategic initiatives on the Secretary’s behalf.

Before working for SCDOT, he served as Assistant County Administrator in Horry County where he provided financial leadership to the County’s $500 million roads sales tax program, managed a project to restore freight rail service to a three-county region, and supported the County’s response to numerous disasters and subsequent resiliency efforts. In addition, Powell has also worked at other local government agencies including Dorchester County, the City of Greenville, and Fairfax County, VA.