The New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) announced the release of the 15th episode of the agency's Curb Enthusiasm podcast featuring Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. The commissioner discusses the agency’s accomplishments over the past four years and the future of NYC DOT. He also reflects on his own personal story of immigrating to New York City at 18 years old, working as a taxi driver during college, and how one of his first jobs was as a cafeteria worker in the same office building that is now the headquarters for NYC DOT.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve the people of New York City as DOT commissioner, a city council member, and as a teacher,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “As I reflect on the past four years and the challenges that lie ahead, I am immensely proud of the 6,000 employees at this agency who deliver for their fellow New Yorkers every single day.”
In a conversation about celebrating accomplishments, Commissioner Rodriguez stresses the importance of taking time to celebrate moments of success because there will always be moments of defeat, both as an institution and as an individual. The discussion also touches upon the high retention rate of employees at NYC DOT, the agency’s leadership being over 50% people of color for the first time ever, and the growth of M/WBE contracting from 11% to 37% since Commissioner Rodriguez took charge.
Commissioner Rodriguez was asked to list his proudest accomplishments as commissioner, and he highlighted reductions in traffic fatalities, record protected bike lane miles, bike lane widenings, more bus lanes, legislative approval for the expansion of the use of Weigh-In-Motion technology to combat overweight trucks on bridges, major bus lane projects on Hillside Avenue and Flatbush Avenue, and the Broadway Vision project to make Broadway more welcoming for pedestrians and cyclists from Columbus Circle to Union Square.
The Curb Enthusiasm podcast focuses on issues at the local, national, and international levels and features guests who discuss the most consequential transportation work happening all over the globe.
