Should A Traffic Engineer Be In Charge Of NYC's DOT?

As New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg nears selection of New York City's next transportation commissioner, residents call for a candidate who is interested in moving people, not cars.

1 minute read

March 20, 2007, 2:00 PM PDT

By naparstek

With DOT Commissioner Iris Weinshall set to depart city government in three weeks, sources say that Mayor Michael Bloomberg is close to announcing her replacement. The Mayor's choice will have a profound impact on day-to-day neighborhood life as well as the City of New York's long-term future. This may very well be one of the most important decisions of the last 1,000 days of the Bloomberg Administration.

Last week, Annie Karni of the New York Sun reported that Janette Sadik-Khan and Michael Horodniceanu are the top two candidates for the job. Sadik-Khan has professional transportation experience on the federal, state and local levels and a law degree from Columbia University. But her biggest and most important qualification for the DOT Commissioner's job is what is not on her resume. Sadik-Khan is not a traffic engineer. Horodniceanu, on the other hand, is. And that is why many New Yorkers hope that Mayor Bloomberg does not give him the job.

Thanks to Aaron Naparstek

FULL STORY: Mayor Bloomberg at the Crossroads: Who Will Run DOT?

Tuesday, March 20, 2007 in Streetsblog

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