Brian D. Buchanan
Chief Development Officer
VIA Metropolitan Transit
Brian Buchanan has spent the last 13 years of his working career developing and implementing community changing transit projects. From 2000 through 2010 Brian was involved in the planning, designing, construction and operations of one of the largest federal New Starts projects ever undertake n by the Federal Transit Administration: the Central Phoenix/East Valley Light Rail Project with Valley Metro. Buchanan’s career at Valley Metro began as part of the engineering design team and cumulated as the director of design and construction.
Buchanan later moved to San Antonio Texas as the vice president of bus and rail strategic planning for VIA Metropolitan Transit (VIA). Now as the chief development officer for VIA, Buchanan is responsible for the capital projects planning and implementation. Most importantly he is an executive leader in moving the agency and community to invest in multi-modal transportation including the development of San Antonio’s first rail transit infrastructure and the construction of Primo, San Antonio’s first bus rapid transit route.
Buchanan has also been honored to be a guest speaker at many conferences and engagements along with being a judge for the 2013 ACEC Engineering excellence awards. He enjoys engaging communities in conversations about providing transportation options and the value public transit brings to communities as a whole. He holds a degree in civil engineering from the University of Cincinnati and is a member of the 2013 class of the ENO Transit Executive Seminar, Design Build Institute of America and the Project Management Institute.
“I am a firm believer in the theory that transportation investments drive other investments and drive economic competiveness and vitality. Transportation options are key assets for great cities. … It is gratifying for me to work in a field that allows me to plan, design and construct infrastructure that leaves a legacy to the community.”
