#De Blasio picks Margaret Forgione to take over DOT

Longtime Department of Transportation official Margeret Forgione is taking over for outgoing Commissioner Polly Trottenberg, City Hall said Friday.

Forgione, a senior DOT leader since the Giuliani administration, will assume the role in an acting capacity on Dec. 11. She has served as the agency’s chief operating officer since 2016.

“Margaret Forgione is a polished manager with a deep understanding of DOT and the vision to build on the agency’s extraordinary response to the COVID-19 crisis,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement.

Forgione previously served 14 years as DOT’s Manhattan borough commissioner, where she oversaw controversial projects including the Times Square pedestrian plazas and the rollout of Citi Bike, City Hall said.

She takes the reins from Trottenberg, who recently took an unpaid role in President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team.

“Commissioner Trottenberg made historic strides in improving safety and mobility throughout her tenure and then guided us through the pandemic,” Forgione said in a statement.

“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.”