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courtesy of ‘dbking’
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that the popular Director of DDOT, Gabe Klein, is leaving. It appears that Vince Gray has asked the popular and effective director of the city’s transportation hub not to come back under his administration. Projects that Klein brought to the forefront during his four-year tenure include the DC Circulator, the beginnings of the Streetcar system, expanded bike lanes and counterflow lanes, and the new Capital Bikeshare system.
Klein was impressive in charge of DDOT, especially given that he had only a private sector background, coming from Zipcar. His projects were visionary, effective, and came to be talked about more than pretty much anything else that happened during the Fenty Administration, which was likely the cause of his departure. It’s also likely that Klein would have been stifled under a new Gray Administration with no money to spend on any urban transportation projects. That’s not a complete argument for him leaving, mind you, but it might suggest that we’re to look for a low-level functionary administrator instead of someone with actual ideas and plans.
Klein’s last day will be January 1st. If you’d like to thank Klein for the Circulator, or bike lanes, or the Bikeshare system, you’ve got until then.
Sorry to see you go, Mr. Klein.
I live and work in the District of Columbia. I write at We Love DC, a blog I helped start, I work at Technolutionary, a company I helped start, and I’m happy doing both. I enjoy watching baseball, cooking, and gardening. I grow a mean pepper, keep a clean scorebook, and wash the dishes when I’m done. Read Why I Love DC.
sad really. what exactly does the committee of 100 want? wider roads for suburban commuters inside dc? possibly discontinue the CaBi program?
lame. what the hell, vince gray!?
ABSURD!
the momentum of the city under the shadow of Fenty was fantastic…
Gabe Klein was awesome.
Why would Vince Gray want to remove people that would only make him look good?
Vince Gray is a fool. Gabe Klein is an amazaing director of the District Department of Transportation. His forward thinking and leadership has initiated multimodal transportation projects making DC a national leader in shifting to more sustainable and healthy options for getting around. I certainly plan to keep track of his next move and would love the opportunity to work for him at some point in the future.
gabe klein stunk.
the circulator and bike lanes were nice additions to the city, but streetcars on H street? seriously? that was such a waste of money. especially when there are so many other things that needed fixing. fenty and his people spent money on the wrong things!