[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 80 (Tuesday, May 25, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E939]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       A TRIBUTE TO PAUL MAXWELL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN GARAMENDI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 25, 2010

  Mr. GARAMENDI. Madam Speaker, I rise with my colleagues Congressman 
George Miller and Congressman Jerry McNerney, to recognize Paul 
Maxwell, Contra Costa Transportation Authority's Chief Deputy Executive 
Director and most recently its Interim Executive Director, and 
congratulate him as he approaches his retirement.
  Paul joined the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) in April 
1990 as its first Deputy Director for Projects bringing a wealth of 
knowledge of transportation planning, programming, and funding, having 
previously served 13 years in the region at the Bay Area Metropolitan 
Transportation Commission. As Deputy Director for Projects at CCTA, 
Paul has been responsible for the Authority's participation, project 
management and delivery of over two billion dollars of capital 
improvements. His service to Contra Costa County residents has included 
oversight and management of the development of state highway 
expansions, local street improvements, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) 
District rail extensions, transit centers, bicycle bridges, trails and 
other facilities. Further, as part of his responsibilities with CCTA's 
Congestion Management Agency, Paul advocated for state and federal 
transportation funds for crucial Authority projects and worked closely 
with staff in the development of those project priorities, including 
State Route 4, BART, and the Richmond Parkway, to name just a few.
  Most recently he has worked tirelessly on the combined efforts of the 
CCTA, Caltrans, and the Alameda Congestion Management Agency to deliver 
the Caldecott Tunnel fourth bore project; the largest American Recovery 
and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funded transportation project in the United 
States to date. He has also worked with BART, Caltrans, Contra Costa 
County, and East County cities to deliver the expansion of State Route 
4 East and the eBART extension. State Route 4 and the Caldecott Tunnel, 
located on State Route 24, are two of the major commute and freight 
corridors connecting the East Bay Area to the coast and the Central 
Valley. Their improvement is essential to the economic vitality of our 
region and I know my friends, Mr. Miller and Mr. McNerney, and I are 
very grateful for Paul's efforts on these major projects.
  Throughout his tenure, Paul has maintained strong relationships with 
those involved in various CCTA projects and is well-respected by his 
colleagues, agency staff, Board members and stakeholders. In 1996, Paul 
was named Chief Deputy Executive Director where he oversaw the 
coordination of all Authority sections. And in December 2009, he was 
named and has acted as the Interim Executive Director until his 
retirement this month.
  Prior to this distinguished record at CCTA, Paul served as the 
Manager of Planning and Programming at the Bay Area's Metropolitan 
Transportation Commission where his responsibilities included 
transportation finance, air quality planning, multi-modal 
transportation corridor studies, and the Regional Transportation Plan. 
He served as the primary liaison between the Metropolitan 
Transportation Commission and the California Transportation Commission. 
He has also worked with the Metropolitan Washington, DC, Council of 
Governments and DeLeuw, Cather and Company, an engineering and 
construction firm here in Washington, DC.
  Paul holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Newcastle 
University in the United Kingdom. He also achieved his Masters of 
Science in Transportation Engineering from the University of 
California--Berkeley.
  Madam Speaker, we invite our colleagues to join us in honoring Paul 
for his tireless and dedicated service to the people of California, the 
Bay Area, and especially Contra Costa County. We also join his family, 
colleagues and friends in congratulating Paul on a successful and 
fulfilling career, and a very well-deserved retirement.

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