Texas Transportation Leader Michael Morris Named ENR Texas & Louisiana Legacy Award Honoree
Morris has led the North Central Texas Council of Governments' Transportation Department for 35 years.
ENR is pleased to announce that it has named Michael Morris, director of the North Central Texas Council of Governments' Transportation Department since 1990, as its 2026 Texas & Louisiana Legacy Award honoree. Morris has not only been one of the longest-serving leaders in Texas' regional transportation planning, but also one of the most influential.
As NCTCOG's transportation department director, Morris has overseen the allocation of billions in transportation dollars during the region's expansive growth over the past 35 years, influencing everything from highway expansions to transit initiatives and air quality conformity. Additionally, Morris helped develop the region's Mobility 2050 plan, which emphasizes multimodal solutions, congestion management and equity in underserved communities.
Morris also serves as staff director to the 45-member Regional Transportation Council, and has been a key advisor on megaregion mobility through the University of Texas' Cooperative Mobility for Competitive Megaregions (CM2) Advisory Committee since 2020. His approach prioritizes "building buildings on top of freeways" and leveraging technology to fund and improve efficiency.
Readers can learn more about Morris' legacy in Texas transportation in the April 14th print edition of ENR Texas & Southeast.
