In eight years as director of the Michigan Department of Transportation (1982-1991), Pitz placed major emphasis on organizational development to enable the Department to undertake some of its biggest highway improvement programs with a reduced work force. He led successful efforts to complete the damaged Zilwaukee Bridge and won wide acclaim from the engineering fraternity and the motoring public for the Department's timely reconstruction of the John Lodge Freeway through Detroit. As president of the American Association of State highway and Transportation Officials, he provided strong input in the post-Interstate Freeway national transportation plan and helped position Michigan to take a prominent role in Intelligent Vehicle/highway Systems development. The American Public Works Association named him one of the nation's top ten public works leaders in 1990.