ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Wes Moore today announced that Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld will step away from State service on August 1. Deputy Secretary Samantha J. Biddle will serve as acting secretary while Lieutenant Governor Aruna K. Miller leads a nationwide search to fill the official cabinet post.
“Our state is grateful for Paul Wiedefeld’s distinguished service over the last two and a half years. Under Paul’s leadership, we’ve made it easier for Marylanders to get from where they live to where opportunity lies — and laid the foundation for a more competitive, affordable state for all,” said Gov. Moore. “Secretary Wiedefeld brought decades of expertise to our team, and he used that wisdom to cultivate a new generation of talent. Samantha Biddle has the experience, instincts, and knowledge to carry forward the baton of service at the Maryland Department of Transportation. I look forward to continuing our work together as she takes on this new acting role.”
Secretary Wiedefeld’s career has spanned more than 40 years, including transportation posts in the public and private sectors. Wiedefeld’s leadership produced numerous remarkable achievements for the Moore-Miller Administration, including repositioning the department to center safety throughout its work; getting the Purple Line project back on track; and helming a swift response and recovery following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge.
Secretary Wiedefeld also secured more than $5 billion in federal grants to advance transportation projects for the State of Maryland, including $213 million to replace the Maryland Transit Administration’s obsolete light rail vehicles; $80 million for the Maryland Transportation Authority’s I-895 Baltimore Harbor Tunnel enhancement project, $30 million for Port of Baltimore’s Dundalk Marine Terminal reconstruction of berths 11-1; and billions in federal funds, alongside Amtrak, to transform the Northeast Corridor and MARC Penn Line.
“Secretary Wiedefeld comes from a family of servant leaders and has dedicated his life to public service, transforming how Marylanders move and connect,” said Lt. Gov. Aruna K. Miller. “We thank him for his tireless work. As we launch a nationwide search for his successor, we are committed to finding a leader ready to meet the urgent needs of our transportation systems.”
Samantha Biddle has served as deputy transportation secretary since 2023 and has spent nearly two decades in the transportation industry, serving in both the public and private sector. Biddle joined state service in 2014, beginning as the State Highway Administration’s regional planner for Frederick and Montgomery counties. She was then promoted to assistant chief and chief of regional and intermodal planning, then to director of organizational excellence and strategy. She then served as chief strategy officer in the secretary’s office before being promoted to chief of staff.
Alongside Secretary Wiedefeld’s appointment, Biddle was named deputy secretary, leading on policy and operational matters to ensure the successful management of the Maryland Department of Transportation's six modes spanning transit, highways, airport, port, tolling, and motor vehicle services. Her work has been instrumental in creating a people-based, department-wide narrative strategy that is focused on safety, positive return on investments, service delivery, and innovation.
Biddle holds a bachelor’s degree in geography from the University of Delaware and is an American Institute Certified Planner. She also completed the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Executive Institute and State Highway Administration Advanced Leadership Program. She serves as Maryland’s voting member for AASHTO’s Transportation Policy Forum; is chair of the AASHTO Census Transportation Solutions technical service program; is a director-at-large for Women’s Transportation Seminar– Baltimore Chapter; and serves as a Young Professionals Program Mentor.
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