Introducing a New Transportation Secretary
Just yesterday I was talking with my assistant, Nick Lalla, about “super mayors.” Bloomberg, Daley, Newsom, etc. These men have transcended the cities they govern to become national figures on a number of policy issues. Then Wired suggests that the best person for a secretary of transportation should be another mayor, but one I’d never heard of:
R.T. Rybak of Minneapolis. Does that make me a provincial northeasterner?
Here’s what Wired’s Dave Demerjian had to say:
That said, the best guy for the job may well be R.T. Rybak, the forward-thinking mayor of Minneapolis. He’s made sensible and sustainable transportation policy a hallmark of his tenure. His Access Minneapolis transportation plan calls for bringing streetcars back to the city, building a robust pedestrian network, increasing transit access and capacity and making city streets more bike-friendly. When the Minneapolis bridge collapsed, he insisted that its replacement have the capacity to support light rail. His progressive transportation policies have nearly doubled the number of cyclists and, more impressive, made downtown Minneapolis one of the few urban areas to return to the population levels it saw before the flight to the suburbs that followed World War II.
I’m liking the sound of that. So I went and did a little research, first coming across this decidedly 1998 Web site. A stroll over to Wikipedia gave me some more information. Rybak’s serving his second term in Minneapolis, was on the longlist for the 2008 World Mayor Award (!), etc. But the main juicy piece of information that we should take note of is Rybak was apparently the first mayor to endorse Obama.
Curious to know if anyone else out there thinks Rybak’s the man for transportation — or not?
Diana Lind is editor in chief of Next American City magazine.
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Chris NYC on Fri, Dec 05, 2008 at 1:44pm
A transportation secretary that will stress mass transit, bicycle, and other alternative methods of travel (e.g. ferry service) would certainly shift thinking in the right direction. But this position also calls for someone who can develop an innovative funding structure for highways and bridges. Our current gas tax system, which has failed to be indexed for inflation and no longer sustains our roads network, is flawed. Potential candidates should have experience in both developing progressive modes of travel and non-traditional funding mechanisms for a vast transportation network.
Zack on Fri, Dec 05, 2008 at 1:57pm
What about that dude from Salt Lake? I don’t know that much about him but remember reading a feature on him a while back in Grist, and how he essentially turned that city around, green-wise, despite strong conservatism and business interests (whom he was able to convince). But why are we only thinking of mayors? Perhaps they have the most direct connection to the implementation of certain policies, seeing what works and what doesn’t - but are they the usual candidates, or of the past secretaries, are the former mayors the ones who stand out?
Nick on Fri, Dec 05, 2008 at 2:13pm
Rybak is famous for telling the people of Minneapolis to “get funky, but stay safe,” which is the subtext of everything of Obama says. I think it’s a perfect fit.
Diana Lind on Fri, Dec 05, 2008 at 3:20pm
I second Chris’s point about innovative funding ... also don’t quite know why mayors should be tapped as transportation secretary, but I like the idea of it.
Erik on Fri, Dec 05, 2008 at 9:22pm
I don’t know about provincial, but Rybak is worth knowing about. He’s focused on sustainability, transit and biking, and affordable housing - right up your magazine’s alley.
Nathaniel in St. Paul, Minnesota on Sun, Dec 07, 2008 at 2:18pm
I supported R.T. until I saw this YouTube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wIAPJD5s_w
Tim DuRoche in Portland, OR on Mon, Dec 08, 2008 at 12:34am
According to the Mpls. Strib:
“Spokesman Jeremy Hanson said that Rybak’s pleased to see the city’s transportation work recognized but is focused on being mayor, not on political speculation.”
http://www.startribune.com/local/35659324.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aU7EaDiaMDCiUZ
According to local news reports in Twin Cities:
“the mayor says he likes the job he has too much to make the jump to Washington D.C.
“I love living in Minnesota,” Rybak remarked, “So this isn’t good news for RT Rybak; this is good news for Minnesota because I’m going to blatantly use the relationships I developed in this campaign.”
In Rybak’s mind the job of leading the city will be even better with a friend and Democrat in the White House, especially when it comes to education and transportation initiatives.
“It’s really not just about who’s in the job,” he elaborated, “It’s about whether those of us who stay in our jobs here in Minnesota are able to deliver better because there’s a better president.”
The other MN figure in the transportation secretary-rumor mill is Jim Oberstar, who wants to stay put. Oregon congressman Blumenauer (also on the short-list) feigns disinterest—suggesting former transp. sec. Mort Downey as a possibility.
Hmmmm. . .how’s about OR’s Peter de Fazio?