Beau Memory, new Transurban chief for North America.

The new president of Transurban for North America came to the private toll operator from the public sector in Colorado to help bridge the USD 2trn infrastructure gap and sees opportunities for the firm both in its US home base of Virginia and in Canada.

Beau Memory, who joined Transurban last month from Colorado’s E-470 Public Highway Authority, told Infralogic this week that he joined the firm because of “the opportunity to really continue serving the public and provide infrastructure solutions, but to do it from a different vantage point and do it with a company that is known for strong partnerships with the public sector, with its customers and with its investors.”

“There’s a true USD 2trn, national infrastructure funding gap,” Memory said. “The private sector and private resources can’t be ignored in that. And while certainly the private sector, can’t fill all of that gap, we can certainly play a defined role that brings innovative solutions and resources to the table.”

While getting to know Transurban’s holdings in the US, Memory has seen opportunity for expansion in the firm’s base of Virginia and elsewhere.

“We have a lot of exciting opportunities here in the Northern Virginia area. Today I just toured the [495 Northern Extension] of the current express lanes we call Project NEXT,” Memory said. “We just signed an exploratory agreement for bidirectional lanes on the 95 Express Lanes with Virginia DOT.”

Right now, Transurban only has one toll asset in Canada, the A25 Extension between Montreal and Laval, which Memory said is “a strong asset” for the firm.

“The Montreal market’s an exciting one,” he said. “We’re actively exploring opportunities to bring new mobility benefits to that region.”

Transurban has been working with VDOT on an autonomous vehicles trial on express lanes it runs, with a report expected early next year after doing trials in the fall. And it’s looking at other innovative technologies, including working with the Eastern Transportation Coalition on studying road usage charging through a pilot project in Connecticut, a spokesperson said.

“I’m really excited about those opportunities and then I’m excited about the opportunities for innovation,” he said. “Transurban has been doing some really interesting things with autonomous and connected vehicles … We’ve done some really interesting work with wrong-way driver prevention.”

Memory’s experience working on toll roads and other transportation projects made him a natural hire for Transurban.

“Beau brings a deep understanding of toll roads, the broader transport industry, strategy development and public policy,” Michelle Jablko, CEO of Transurban, said in a statement earlier this month. “He has experience working with a variety of stakeholders including federal and state legislators and various communities to deliver complex major projects and innovations that benefit customers.”

Memory has been visiting Transurban offices and facilities, including in its home base of Australia, since he joined the firm.

“My background is largely in the public sector and one of the things that I always looked for when it came to, you know, partnerships was who was going to be a strong partner, who was going to be there for us when times are tough, who could work with us through challenges.

“One of things that really attracted me at Transurban was the quality of the talent and in my first few weeks here, I’ve got to say that it even exceeds expectations,” he said.

Transportation wasn’t something Memory planned on pursuing when he was in college, he said.

“I went to school in North Carolina and really had no plans at that time to get into transportation. It was something that I sort of found myself in in my 20s and really developed a passion for,” Memory said.

After his initial jobs following graduation, he worked for the North Carolina Transportation Department and then became the executive director of the North Carolina Turnpike Authority as the Interstate 77 managed lanes were being considered.

“When I was running the North Carolina Turnpike Authority, we were entering the express lanes market at the time,” Memory said. “And those are types of projects we had not delivered at that point. When I started and we started going down that path, I actually brought my board and some of my staff to see the Transurban operation here in Northern Virginia. And so it’s just really exciting to be part of an organization that I think sets the standard for express lane delivery in North America.”

“As I look to the future, one thing I’m really excited about is continuing to grow our footprint in the markets where we already have a solid footing,” he said.