BOISE, ID — The Idaho Transportation Department has appointed Dave Kuisti as its new chief deputy, according to an announcement released Friday.

Kuisti has spent 35 years with the department, serving in a range of engineering and leadership roles across the state. His career includes work as a design engineer in North Idaho, an engineering manager in Boise, and district engineer in Lewiston. Most recently, he served as chief engineer and division administrator over Highways Construction and Operations.

As chief deputy, Kuisti will oversee more than 12,000 lane miles of highways and more than 1,800 bridges on Idaho’s state highway system. He will lead nearly 1,200 employees statewide, including staff across six district offices, Highway Development, and Highway Construction and Operations.

Idaho Transportation Department Director Scott Stokes said Kuisti’s experience positions him well for the role.

“Dave is an excellent leader who is well-prepared to take on this critical role in our agency,” Stokes said in a statement. “His technical experience and leadership skills will serve him well as we continue our work to deliver a safe and mobile transportation network to the people of Idaho.”

Kuisti is a licensed civil engineer and a graduate of the University of Idaho, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering.

He replaces Dan McElhinney, who had served as chief deputy since 2022.