The Office of Capital Improvements (OCI) has new leadership.  Mayor Carlos Alvarez has appointed Johnny Martinez to head the office that is responsible for guiding the County's Capital Projects including the $2.9 billion Building Better Communities Bond Program.

Prior to joining the County, Mr. Martinez, a registered Professional Engineer, served as Secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for District Six since 2003.  In that position, he was responsible for state transportation projects in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties.

Mr. Martinez reports directly to County Manager George M. Burgess. As the former FDOT Secretary in South Florida, Mr. Martinez has been involved with many of the area's capital projects including the Seaport Tunnel linking the Interstate System with the Port of Miami, one of the largest projects of its kind to be undertaken in the Southeastern U.S.  Mr. Martinez has long championed construction of the tunnel, which is funded in part by GOB dollars, as a critical investment in the County's infrastructure.

"The future of our Port as a gateway for cargo trade between the Americas depends on improving access between the mainland and the port," Martinez said.  "Right now, trucks have to traverse through heavy downtown Miami traffic when transporting goods to and from the Seaport.  We cannot compete unless we improve access."

Martinez will also play a key role in other important capital projects-currently work is underway at more than 600 sites for GOB projects that range from small neighborhood improvements-such as new sidewalks, drainage and road work-to larger infrastructure upgrades including new and expanded parks, healthcare facilities and community centers.

In a 20-year career with FDOT, Martinez held a number of leadership positions.  He joined the state agency in 1985 as a Senor Project Manager and served in a number of roles including Assistant District Construction Engineer, District Consultant Management Engineer and District Director of Production before his appointment as head of the District Six regional office.  As District Secretary, Martinez was responsible for the coordination and development of capital programs at the local, state and federal levels and managed a $2.6 billion Five-Year Work Program budget.

Martinez holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Miami.