The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) has appointed new leaders for several key positions, including the District 5 Engineer and directors for Local Government, Maintenance, and Roadway Design divisions.
Will Snipes was named District 5 Engineer in July 2025. He will oversee maintenance and construction operations across 11 counties in western Oklahoma, leading engineering and field staff, coordinating major infrastructure projects, and ensuring the safety and reliability of state highways in the region. Snipes has spent most of his career with ODOT, serving as District 5 construction engineer from 2010 to 2025. He participated in ODOT’s summer engineering intern program during the 1990s before joining full time after earning a bachelor’s degree in construction management from Oklahoma State University in 2000. He is a licensed Professional Engineer and lives with his family in Elk City.
Jonathan Arps was appointed State Maintenance Engineer in July 2025. In this role, he will implement preventive maintenance strategies for highways, bridges, and facilities while overseeing snow and ice removal during winter weather. Arps brings over two decades of experience at ODOT, previously serving as district maintenance engineer at District 1 headquarters in Muskogee. Since joining ODOT in 2003, he has held roles including engineer-in-training, inspector, project manager, bridge and local programs engineer, and resident engineer. His work includes managing the I-235 interchange reconstruction at 36th St. in Oklahoma City as well as projects on SH-33 and US-177 over the Cimarron River. Arps holds a civil engineering degree from Oklahoma State University; he and his family are relocating from Broken Arrow to Oklahoma City.
Steven Gauthe became Local Government Division Engineer in May 2025. He started his career at a private consulting firm before completing an engineering intern rotation with ODOT from 2016 to 2017. After moving from Louisiana to Oklahoma in 2017, Gauthe joined ODOT as an engineer-in-training before serving as Bridge and Local Government engineer in District 4 (Perry), then assistant division engineer with Environmental Programs Division until returning to District 4 for another Bridge and Local Government position through November 2024 when he became state maintenance engineer. Gauthe earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Southern University and A&M College; he lives with his family in Oklahoma City.
Lauren January was named Roadway Design Engineer for ODOT in August 2025. She is responsible for overseeing highway project designs statewide to ensure compliance with safety and engineering standards. Since joining ODOT as an intern in 2013, January advanced through roles such as professional engineer, manager within Traffic Engineering Division, assistant state traffic engineer, state geometric engineer (focusing on geometric design/traffic analytics), then state traffic engineer since 2022. She holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Oklahoma (licensed Professional Engineer since 2013) and participates actively within professional organizations like the Oklahoma Traffic Engineering Association, WASHTO (Western Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials), AASHTO (American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials), and Safe Oklahoma Summit. January resides with her family in Edmond.
“Will Snipes was named Oklahoma Department of Transportation District 5 Engineer in July 2025”
“Jonathan Arps was named Oklahoma Department of Transportation State Maintenance Engineer in July 2025”
“Steven Gauthe was named Oklahoma Department of Transportation Local Government Division Engineer in May 2025”
“Lauren January was named Oklahoma Department of Transportation Roadway Design Engineer in Aug. 2025”
