This week, vacancies opened at the top of transportation departments in America's second and third largest cities. Meanwhile, one of the most influential and well respected transportation leaders may soon be out of a job. Let the courtship begin!
The ink had hardly dried on outgoing LADOT head Jaime De La Vega's resignation letter before the Los Angeles Times began asking if New York City Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan would be the right candidate to take his place. Sadik-Khan is presumed to be leaving her post when Mayor Bloomberg's tenure ends.
"If only there were a vacancy for her to fill in some other large U.S. city that badly needs her bold vision and drive to recover wasted street space and to enhance wider use and greater safety for cyclists and pedestrians and well as cars and buses," hints Robert Greene. "Some city like, say, Los Angeles – which just happens to have an opening for the position of general manager of the Department of Transportation. L.A.’s current transportation chief, Jaime De La Vega, is leaving the post."
But hold on Mr. Greene, Los Angeles may have some competition. On Friday, Gabe Klein announced that he was stepping down as Chicago's Transportation Commissioner to return to the private sector. How long will it be before the Chicago Tribune publishes its own Sadik-Khan love letter?
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Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research