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Eric Sundquist

Eric Sundquist - Deputy Director for Sustainability

Deputy Director
Sustainability

Eric joined Caltrans in 2021 serving as the sustainability advisor in the Director’s Office of Equity, Sustainability and Tribal Affairs (ESTA). In that role Eric led the Department’s effort to evaluate and minimize vehicle-miles traveled in assessing project transportation impacts, and in developing metrics around equitable multimodal access to destinations. Prior to Caltrans, Eric was Director of the State Smart Transportation Initiative (SSTI) at the University of Wisconsin, Madison from 2010 to 2021 and a Senior Associate there from 2007 to 2010. SSTI works with state DOTs nationally to modernize policy and practice around policy goals including environmental protection, equitable transportation service and impacts, and cost-savings. Eric has been active in the Transportation Research Board, chairing the Social, Economic, and Cultural Issues Section and serving an officer on the Major Cities and Transportation and Sustainable Transportation committees.

Eric held several positions at the Georgia Institute of Technology including Research Scientist from 2004 to 2007 and Research and Teaching Assistant from 2003 to 2004. He held editor and reporter positions at several publications, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the (Norfolk) Virginian Pilot, the (Fredericksburg, Va.) Free Lance-Star, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and the (Newport News, Va.) Daily Press and Times Herald from 1981 to 2007. Eric has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Miami University of Ohio, a Master of Humanities degree from the University of Richmond, a Master of Science degree in Public Policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in City Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Eric is a long-time bike commuter. He first visited California in 1988 on a cross-country bike trip and is planning to do a 400-mile group ride – the (Des Moines) Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, or RAGBRAI – in July. His appointment begins March 21, 2024.