By Timothy Cama, Staff Reporter
This story appears in the July 2 print edition of Transport Topics.
President Obama has nominated Polly Trottenberg to serve as the Department of Transportation’s undersecretary for policy, the White House announced.
Trottenberg has been the department’s assistant secretary for policy since July 2009, and currently acts as undersecretary for policy, DOT said.
The undersecretary position is responsible for coordinating policy for different transportation modes, each of which is served by its own agency within DOT.
If approved by the Senate, she will replace Roy Kienitz, who left the post in November to start his own consulting firm.
Obama complimented Trottenberg’s qualifications as part of an announcement that included several other nominations.
“Our nation will be greatly served by the talent and expertise these individuals bring to their new roles,” Obama said in a June 20 statement. “I am grateful they have agreed to serve in this administration, and I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”
Trottenberg has worked in a variety of transportation policy positions both in and out of the federal government.
In her time at DOT, she has focused on negotiating the surface transportation reauthorization on behalf of the Obama administration, the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant program, freight policy and high-speed rail, a department spokesman said.
Prior to joining DOT, Trottenberg was executive director of Building America’s Future, a group that advocates for federal investment in infrastructure.She previously worked in the Senate for 12 years as a legislative aide to various senators. Trottenberg also worked at both the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the Massachusetts Port Authority.
John Horsley, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, applauded Trottenberg’s nomination.
“Her experience in transportation policy matters and her time on Capitol Hill make her a real asset to all of us in the transportation community,” Horsley said in a statement. “We very much look forward to working with her in continuing to advance our nation’s transportation infrastructure goals through assisting our state transportation departments.”
A day after nominating Trottenberg, Obama accepted the resignation of Secretary of Commerce John Bryson. Deputy Secretary Rebecca Blank will lead the Department of Commerce until a new secretary is nominated, Commerce said.
