NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- New York City has tapped senior Department of Transportation official Margaret Forgione to lead the agency following Polly Trottenberg's departure, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday.
Forgione, the department's chief operations officer, was appointed acting commissioner on Friday, de Blasio said in a press release.
Trottenberg stepped down from the position in November after accepting a voluntary role advising President-elect Joe Biden's transition team on transportation-related issues. Forgione has served as a senior DOT official since 1994, the release said.
"Margaret Forgione has the experience and vision to build on the agency's extraordinary reimagining of public space throughout our fight against COVID-19," de Blasio said in a statement. "I look forward to working with her on Vision Zero street safety, accessibility, and the continued expansion of cycling and bus access."
In her own statement, Forgione thanked the mayor for "this opportunity to lead DOT in these challenging times."
"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," she 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," she added.
