DOT Director Stepping Down | Video

Retha Colclasure | 11/27/2012

It`s the end of the road for Francis Ziegler, as he prepares to leave his job as director of the State Department of Transportation. Ziegler started with the department in 1970, the only place he`s ever worked. He started as a temporary employee, and moved up the ranks to be named director in 2006.

They say there are two seasons in North Dakota: winter and construction. After nearly 43 years working with construction, Ziegler now plans to spend his winters as a snowbird.

"We want to have fun when we`re young," he said.

He`s also had fun in his career. He`s worked at the department throughout numerous projects, thousands of miles of road work and a few new bridges.

"This bridge {Memorial Bridge in Bismarck} certainly ranks as one of the top, because I had personal involvement in this one. All the way from the environmental document through the construction of it, then I became the director when we started building it, and then the fact that I got to push the button when we blew up the first segment of the old bridge sticks in my memory, that`s for sure."

Another accomplishment was the Four Bears bridge, which Ziegler says bridged not only two sides of the Missouri River, but also two cultures.

"When you get to the end of the road, there`s a bridge to cross."

Now, he`s crossing the bridge into retirement, leaving behind a department that`s seen a nearly ten-fold increase in its budget and a massive increase in its workload.

"I will miss it, no doubt," he said.

He says these projects, while impressive are just inanimate objects that will someday be replaced, just like he will be replaced next week. The biggest thing he`s proud of in his career is developing a team that can pull together to finish projects and get the job done.

Ziegler says his one regret is that he wasn`t able to stop the rise in fatal crashes in the state. He will be replaced by Grant Levi, who was named interim director through the upcoming legislative session.

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