Thornton, Nicholas R
Director, Office of Real Estate Services
Since 2019, Nic has served as the Program Implementation Team Leader in the Office of Real Estate Services, where he leads a diverse team of real estate professionals in interpreting and implementing Federal legislation and regulations related to the right-of-way (ROW) program, including property management, alternative uses of the highway ROW, Federal land transfers, and the outdoor advertising control program. His recent accomplishments include the drafting and implementation of new guidance memorandums on several emerging types of alternative uses of the ROW related to climate change, equitable communications access, energy reliability, and shelters for people experiencing homelessness.
From 2016 to 2019, Nic served in the Office of the Administrator as a Special Assistant, where he provided direct support to the Deputy Administrator and Acting Administrator. Nic was critical in coordinating Agency activities during the Administration transition and beyond. Nic began his career with FHWA in 2010 as an Attorney Advisor in FHWA's Office of the Chief Counsel, drafting and analyzing legislative proposals for several surface transportation authorization acts, including MAP-21 and the FAST Act. In addition, Nic prepared FHWA witnesses for hearings before congressional committees and State legislatures and served as the principal regulatory attorney for several significant rulemakings, including the National Tunnel Inspection Standards final rule and the pavement and bridge condition performance measures rulemaking.
