Eulois Cleckley, executive director of the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, will soon be leaving Denver for a new job in Florida.

Cleckley, who has led the department since 2018, was named the new Director and CEO of the Department of Transportation and Public Works in Miami-Dade County Thursday.

In a statement, Cleckley said working for DOTI has been “a true honor and an experience I will never forget.”

“We reimagined and implemented our transformation into a modern transportation department that aligns project delivery, operations and utility services,” Cleckley said. “We put a new framework in place to deliver projects, programs and services at rates and heights we’ve never reached before.”

Cleckley played a pivotal role in the creation of DOTI, which now has 1,300 employees, an annual $340 million budget and a $1.2 billion capital program. He also serves as president of the National Association of City Transportation Officials and is a member of the Transportation Research Board. 

During his tenure, Cleckley spearheaded projects such as adding two bus-only lanes in downtown off 15th and 17th streets and bike lane improvements on 15th Street. 

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said that when Cleckley joined the team in 2018, increasing mobility was a top priority, and while it hasn’t been easy, Cleckley fully embraced the challenge. 

“The direction of Denver’s mobility future is headed in the right direction because Eulois seized the opportunity to make it happen,” Hancock said. “While I’m sad he will be leaving …, I know Miami-Dade will be getting the same commitment and dedication he brought to Denver, and we wish him the very best.”

Before his time at DOTI, Cleckley worked as deputy director of the metropolitan planning organization for the Houston-Galveston Area Council.

He’s also worked in Department of Transportation for the Washington, D.C., district, has been a private consultant for local and state governments and a transportation specialist for the United States Department of Transportation.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava praised Denver’s improvement in its transportation systems, calling Cleckley a “forward-thinking leader” who drove the efforts. 

“I know he’ll help us move our transportation system forward as we work together to build a better connected Miami-Dade and help our residents move more efficiently and reliably,” Cava said. 

Although Cleckley expanded mobility throughout his tenure, it hasn’t been entirely unscathed. Last year, Denver City Councilwoman Amanda Sawyer criticized DOTI and claimed the department lacked accountability and was unwilling to work with her office.

Cleckley will assume his new position in Miami-Dade County this summer at an undetermined date.

“I’m excited to take all that I learned and all that we created together to Miami-Dade County to move its transportation system forward, improving connectivity and moving people more efficiently and reliably,” Cleckley said. 

Gazette reporter Hannah Metzger contributed to this article.