SYED RAZA
INTERIM DISTRICT DIRECTOR
California Department of Transportation

Syed Raza is the Interim District Director of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for District 8 encompassing Riverside and San Bernardino counties.  It is the largest geographically of the 12 statewide Caltrans districts, with four interstates and 32 routes totaling over 7,000 lane miles within its boundaries.

The region is facing continuing growth.  As more people, businesses and vehicles, including trucks, come into the area, the challenges of providing a highway system to meet the region’s growing needs increase.

Prepared to meet those challenges, Interim Director Raza manages a staff of 1,280 and an operating budget of $181 million.  He oversees all facets of design, construction, operation and maintenance of the state highway system in the greater Inland Empire region.  Mr. Raza works in partnership with both regional transportation and local resource agencies to provide a safe and reliable highway network for the traveling public and is the liaison to the statewide Caltrans Director regarding local issues, achievements and opportunities.

Syed Raza has been with Caltrans since 1991.  He has held multiple management positions in the District including Deputy District Director for Operations, Acting Deputy District Director for Project Management and Right of Way, Corridor Director for the $1.3 billion State Route 91 Corridor Improvement Project and Office Chief in Traffic Operations. 

Mr. Raza graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from NED Engineering University in 1981 and a Master of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas in 1991. He has been a registered professional engineer in California since 1995. In 2011, he received the prestigious Karl Moskovitz Award in recognition of his services to the district.