As NYC Department of Transportation commissioner Polly Trottenberg readies to leave the agency on Friday, Dec. 11, Mayor Bill de Blasio has named DOT chief operations officer Margaret Forgione to acting commissioner.
As COO, Forgione oversaw the agency’s operational divisions of roughly 5,000 employees, including those running the Staten Island Ferry, bridges, roadway repair and maintenance, sidewalks and inspection management, traffic operations, along with many other planning divisions since 2016.
The Columbia graduate served as Manhattan Borough Commissioner from 2002 to 2016, pushing succeeding to make Times Square a pedestrian sector as well as creating the city’s first on-street protected bike lane and rollout of the frequently used Citi Bike program.
“Margaret Forgione has the experience and vision to build on the agency’s extraordinary reimagining of public space throughout our fight against COVID-19,” said de Blasio. “I look forward to working with her on Vision Zero street safety, accessibility, and the continued expansion of cycling and bus access.”
The acting commissioner has served at DOT in senior roles since 1994, and also led the DOT’s arterial maintenance unit, directed the Adopt-A-Highway program, and served as a special Assistant to the first deputy commissioner.
She started her career in NYC government as a Senior Analyst in the Mayor’s Office of Operations.
“Commissioner Trottenberg made historic strides in improving safety and mobility throughout her tenure and then guided us through the pandemic, safeguarding our workforce while transforming our streets to meet critical space needs,” Forgione said.
“I look forward to continuing and building on this essential work to create a safe and livable street network to support the city in enduring through the pandemic and thriving beyond it.”
