Dive Brief:
- President-elect Joe Biden is moving forward with his transition plans, including the appointment of a team focused on an area of special interest to many U.S. contractors: the Department of Transportation.
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Biden's newly selected DOT transition team includes leaders from urban and public transportation departments and labor groups. Phillip Washington, CEO of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, will lead the group of volunteers.
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The DOT team will also review the National Transportation Safety Board, the National Railroad Passenger Corp./Amtrak and the Federal Maritime Commission.
Dive Insight:
Agency transition teams are in charge of reviewing current projects and ongoing initiatives, meeting with career federal employees and preparing the members of the incoming cabinet for their roles and priorities, according to Federal News Network.
The rest of the DOT transition team is:
- Dave Barnett, United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters of the U.S. and Canada
- Austin Brown, Policy Institute at the University of California-Davis
- David Cameron, International Brotherhood of Teamsters
- Florence Chen, Generate
- Brendan Danaher, the Transport Workers Union of America/AFL-CIO
- Paul Kincaid, Association of Former Members of Congress
- Gabe Klein, Cityfi
- Jeff Marootian, District Department of Transportation, Washington, D.C.
- Therese McMillan, Metropolitan Transportation Commission of the San Francisco Bay Area
- Bradley Mims, Conference of Minority Transportation Officials
- Robert Molofsky, labor/employment law attorney and transit policy expert
- Patty Monahan, California Energy Commission
- Mario Rodriguez, Indianapolis Airport Authority
- Retired Rear Admiral Mike Rodriguez, Texas A&M Maritime Academy
- Nairi Tashjian Hourdajian, Figma
- Polly Trottenberg, New York City Department of Transportation
- Vinn White, senior transportation advisor to New Jersey
In other news regarding Biden's construction-related priorities, an adviser to the Biden-Harris campaign has expressed optimism about the incoming administration’s potential for advancing a major infrastructure package.
John Porcari, speaking at the annual meeting of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, last week said a Biden White House would aim to pursue a dynamic, transformative infrastructure agenda, according to Transport Topics.
Porcari, most recently president of U.S. Advisory Services at engineering and professional services firm WSP and former deputy secretary of transportation under President Obama, said he believes Biden’s team will seek to reinforce safety along freight and commuter roads and highways, adopt initiatives meant to assist regional economies and increase agencies’ focus on severe-weather resilience, Transport Topics reported.
“You can expect [resiliency] to basically trickle through the federal program across the board, he said.
Porcari is considered a possible Transportation Secretary in the Biden administration. Others mentioned include Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, according to Logistics Management.
