New York City Department of Transportation

Department of Transportation
Department overview
Formed1977 (1977)
JurisdictionNew York City
Headquarters55 Water Street
Manhattan, New York, NY
Employees5,243 (FY 2026)
Annual budget$1.53 billion (FY 2026)[1]
Department executives
  • Mike Flynn, Commissioner of Transportation
  • Margaret Forgione[2], First Deputy Commissioner of Transportation
Key document
Websitewww.nyc.gov/dot

The New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) is the agency of the government of New York City[3] responsible for the management of much of New York City's transportation infrastructure. The NYCDOT established in 1977 under Mayor Abraham Beame through the consolidation of other city agencies, including the former Transportation Administration.[4][5][6] Mike Flynn is the Commissioner of the Department of Transportation, and was appointed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani on January 1, 2026. The agency has a training center in eastern Queens.

Responsibilities

The Department of Transportation's responsibilities include day-to-day maintenance of the city's streets, highways, bridges, sidewalks, street signs, traffic signals, and street lights. DOT supervises street resurfacing, pothole repair, parking meter installation and maintenance, and municipal parking facility management. DOT also operates the Staten Island Ferry. DOT is the exclusive provider of day-to-day operations and maintenance on state-maintained roads and highways in city limits, while major repairs and capital improvements on state-owned roads are performed by the State DOT (NYSDOT). Both DOT and NYSDOT reserve the right to install signage, signals, and other roadway features on state highways, which then become maintained on a daily basis by DOT. DOT sets the speed limit on all roads and highways in the city, including those owned by NYSDOT.

DOT is also responsible for oversight of transportation-related issues, such as authorizing jitney van services and permits for street construction. DOT also advocates for transportation safety issues, including promotion of pedestrian and bicycle safety.

Its regulations are compiled in title 34 of the New York City Rules.

Traffic and street lights

The first traffic lights in New York City originated from traffic towers installed along Fifth Avenue in Manhattan in the 1910s.[7] The first such towers were installed in 1920 and were replaced in 1929 by bronze traffic signals.[8] As of June 30, 2011, the DOT oversaw 12,460 intersections citywide with traffic lights.[9] By 2017, the DOT controlled nearly 13,000 signalized intersections, almost all of which had pedestrian signals; of these, over half (7,507) had countdown timers for pedestrians.[10] In addition, 635 signalized intersections under the DOT's control had exclusive pedestrian phases as of 2017.[11]

As of 2019, the DOT maintained 548 accessible pedestrian signals for blind and visually impaired pedestrians.[12] The first such signals were installed in 1957, but few accessible signals were added for the next half-century.[13][14] In 2021, a federal judge ruled that the DOT had to install accessible signals at 9,000 intersections;[14][15] the DOT plans to install these signals through 2031.[16][17] All remaining intersections are planned to have accessible signals by 2036.[17]

The DOT maintains 250,000 streetlamps as of 2019.[18] Most of them are LED lamps, installed between 2013 and 2018.[19]

One of the larger groups of traffic restrictions implemented by the DOT is in Midtown Manhattan, where the DOT maintains a system of "thru streets" and split traffic-signal phases to prevent congestion on west–east streets.[20]

Organization

DOT fleet of Toyota Prius hybrid electric vehicles
DOT fleet of Toyota Prius hybrids
Staten Island Ferry
Staten Island Ferry
The DOT's traffic light control center in Queens
28-11 Queens Plaza North, where the DOT's traffic light control center is housed

The agency is organized as follows:[2]

  • Commissioner
    • First Deputy Commissioner
      • Sidewalks & Inspection Management
      • Staten Island Ferry
      • Bridges
      • Roadway Repair & Maintenance
      • Transportation Planning & Management
      • Traffic Operations
      • Permit Management & Construction Control
      • Fleet Services
      • Borough Commissioners
        • Brooklyn Borough Commissioner
        • Manhattan Borough Commissioner
        • Bronx Borough Commissioner
        • Queens Borough Commissioner
        • Staten Island Borough Commissioner
    • Executive Deputy Commissioner
      • Human Resources & Facilities Management
      • Technology
      • Budget & Capital Program Management
      • Grants & Fiscal Management
    • Chief Strategy Officer
      • Communications
      • Policy
      • Intergovernmental & Community Affairs

Management and budget

As of 2017, DOT had the budget and staff as follows:[21]

Division Number of Employees Budget (millions)
Executive 598 $116.8
Highway Operations 1492 $277.8
Transit Operations 694 $91.8
Traffic Operations 1418 $353.3
Bureau of Bridges 858 $106.3
Total 5060 $943.3

Bridges

The DOT operates 794 roadway and pedestrian bridges throughout New York City, including 25 movable bridges.[22] The agency's portfolio includes most of the East River and Harlem River bridges, as well as smaller bridges throughout the city. DOT operates two retractable bridges (the Borden Avenue and Carroll Street bridges). Other agencies that operate road bridges in New York include the MTA, the PANYNJ, and the NYSDOT.

Commissioners

The current Commissioner Mike Flynn was appointed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani in January 2026.[23] Other former Commissioners include:

Commissioner Term Appointed by References
Anthony Ameruso 1978–1986 Ed Koch [24]
Ross Sandler 1986–1990 Ed Koch [25][26]
Lucius J. Riccio 1990–1993 David Dinkins [27][28]
Elliot G. Sander 1994–1996 Rudy Giuliani [29][30]
Christopher R. Lynn 1996–1997 Rudy Giuliani [31][32]
Wilbur L. Chapman 1998–2000 Rudy Giuliani [32][33]
Iris Weinshall 2000–2007 Rudy Giuliani
Michael Bloomberg 		[34]
Janette Sadik-Khan 2007–2013 Michael Bloomberg [35]
Polly Trottenberg 2014–2020 Bill de Blasio [36]
Margaret Forgione (Acting) 2020–2021 Bill de Blasio [37]
Hank Gutman 2021 Bill de Blasio [37]
Ydanis Rodríguez 2022–2025 Eric Adams [38]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Fiscal 2026-2029 November Plan" (PDF). council.nyc.gov. December 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Executive Organization Chart" (PDF). New York City Department of Transportation. January 12, 2026. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
  3. ^ New York City Charter § 2901; "There shall be a department of transportation, the head of which shall be the commissioner of transportation."
  4. ^ Gupte, Pranay (January 3, 1977). "Breakup of Four 'Superagencies' Urged by Beame to Spur Efficiency". The New York Times. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  5. ^ Myers, Steven Lee (January 30, 1996). "Mayor Plans To Eliminate Five Agencies". The New York Times. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  6. ^ "Transportation (DOT)". Green Book Online. City of New York. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  7. ^ Gray, Christopher (May 16, 2014). "A History of New York Traffic Lights". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  8. ^ Gray, Christopher (February 2, 1997). "Mystery of 104 Bronze Statues of Mercury". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  9. ^ "NYC DOT - Infrastructure - Traffic Signals". New York City Department of Transportation. January 1, 1980. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  10. ^ Hu, Winnie (November 24, 2017). "Giving Pedestrians a Head Start Crossing Streets". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  11. ^ "Walk This Way Exclusive Pedestrian Signal Phase Treatments Study" (PDF). New York City Department of Transportation. October 2017. p. 3. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  12. ^ "Accessible Pedestrian Signals Program Status Report" (PDF). New York City Department of Transportation. December 2019. p. 2. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  13. ^ "City Unveils State of the Art Pedestrian Signal for Visually Impaired Staten Islanders" (Press release). New York City Department of Transportation. January 19, 2006. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
  14. ^ a b Watkins, Ali (December 27, 2021). "Why New York City May Soon Be More Walkable for Blind People". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
  15. ^ Rivoli, Dan (December 29, 2021). "Judge to city: Install more crosswalk signals for visually impaired". Spectrum News NY1 New York City. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
  16. ^ Hernandez, Estefania (March 18, 2022). "DOT plans to install 900 accessible pedestrian signals". Spectrum News NY1 New York City. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
  17. ^ a b Chung, Jen (March 18, 2022). "DOT to install 500 accessible pedestrian signals at intersections next year". Gothamist. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
  18. ^ "NYC DOT - Street Lights". New York City Department of Transportation. January 1, 1980. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  19. ^ Pereira, Ivan (September 26, 2017). "LED streetlight conversion in NYC more than 70%". amNewYork. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  20. ^ Steinhauer, Jennifer (October 1, 2002). "Turns From Midtown Streets Will Be Banned on Weekdays". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  21. ^ FY 2017 City Budget, page 334E, New York City Office of Management and Budget
  22. ^ Annual Bridge and Tunnel Condition Report 2011. New York City: NYC DOT. 2011.
  23. ^ Chen, Stefanos; Rubinstein, Dana (January 1, 2026). "Mamdani Names Transportation Chief With Job of Making Buses Fast and Free". The New York Times. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  24. ^ Chan, Sewell (May 12, 2006). "Anthony R. Ameruso, 68; Led Transportation Agency". The New York Times. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
  25. ^ Daley, Suzanne (March 4, 1986). "New Transportation Chief for City Ousts 6 Top Aides". The New York Times. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
  26. ^ McGinty, Jo Craven; Blumenthal, Ralph (November 27, 2008). "Adding to the City's Coffers, One Ticket at a Time". The New York Times. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
  27. ^ Buder, Leonard (January 10, 1990). "Dinkins Appoints Transportation and Environment Commissioners". The New York Times. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
  28. ^ Kilgannon, Corey (January 17, 1999). "Decoding Parking-Sign Legalese". The New York Times. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
  29. ^ "The New Mayor; Assembling an Administration: Old Friends, Seasoned Hands". The New York Times. January 2, 1994. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
  30. ^ Finder, Alan (June 8, 1996). "City Transportation Commissioner Announces Resignation". The New York Times. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
  31. ^ Myers, Steven Lee (June 16, 1996). "Lynn, High-Profile Chairman Of Taxi Agency, Is Promoted". The New York Times. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
  32. ^ a b "Patrol Chief to Head Transportation Agency". The New York Times. June 20, 1998. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
  33. ^ Kennedy, Randy (July 27, 2000). "New York Transport Chief Leaving to Take Bridgeport Police Post". The New York Times. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
  34. ^ Lueck, Thomas J. (September 9, 2000). "Mayor Announces New Transportation Commissioner". The New York Times. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
  35. ^ Neuman, William (April 28, 2007). "New Transportation Commissioner Is Named". The New York Times. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
  36. ^ Taylor, Kate; Flegenheimer, Matt (December 31, 2013). "De Blasio Picks Two Koch Veterans to Help Negotiate City Union Contracts". The New York Times. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
  37. ^ a b Garcia, Kristine (February 3, 2021). "Hank Gutman appointed as NYC Transportation Commissioner, pledges 10K new bike parking racks by 2022". PIX11. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
  38. ^ Mays, Jeffery C. (December 20, 2021). "Eric Adams Names 5 Women to Top City Hall Posts". The New York Times. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NYCDOT