For an unprecedented second time in four years, a Utahn will lead one of the nation's top professional organizations in the field of transportation.

John Njord, executive director of the Utah Department of Transportation, will be inducted as president of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials at the group's annual meeting in Minneapolis on Tuesday.

The 42-year-old Njord again follows in the footsteps of Tom Warne, whom he succeeded as UDOT chief. Warne was president of AASHTO, in 1999-2000.

AASHTO, founded in 1914, when most of the country's roads were made of dirt, is the professional organization of the nation's 50 state transportation departments.

Njord's selection assures a continued high profile for Utah in the politically volatile world of federal transportation funding. Njord will be leading the states' charge for increased — or at least level — spending for future transportation projects.

This fall, Congress will consider re-authorization of the federal transportation funding act, which expires at the end of this month. Without a new one, or with a funding bill that fails to keep up with the states' perceived needs, Njord and 49 other DOT executives will be scrambling to pay for road, airport, transit and other vital transportation projects.

"We're talking about a funding bill that represents over $200 million per year in highway funding, plus transit funding on top of that, that will be re-authorized during my tenure as AASHTO president," Njord said. "So our ability to influence what that looks like is really important, not just for our state but for the whole system."

Njord, who has previously testified before Congress as chairman of AASHTO's environmental committee, likely will be back in front of Congress more than once in coming months. And AASHTO executives say they have full confidence in him.

"He has always been a very active person in AASHTO, very easy to work with," AASHTO spokeswoman Jennifer Gavin said of Njord. "He's a real gentleman, very personally liked by people in this organization, as was Tom Warne."

Prior to Warne, a Utahn had not served as president of the organization since the mid-1930s.

The presidency is rotated every year among AASHTO's four regions. And since Warne was elected president the last time it was the Western region's turn to pick, it seemed unlikely Njord would have the same opportunity.

The chief of the Alaska Department of Transportation was originally picked for the 2003-2004 presidency and was serving as vice president when his governor made a cabinet change. The vice presidency then fell to Nevada's transportation chief, who later retired.