INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana’s state highway commissioner is resigning and will be replaced by the executive director of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.

Indiana Department of Transportation Commissioner Karl Browning will step down at the end of February to return to the private sector. Gov. Mitch Daniels said in a statement he did all he could to keep Browning in the position because he did a spectacular job.

Filling Browning’s spot will be utility commission director Michael Reed. He will join the Department of Transportation in mid-February and work with Browning for two weeks in a transition period.