DDOT Director Leif Dormsjo is leaving for a job at the engineering firm Louis Berger.
In an interview Tuesday night, Dormsjo said he informed Bowser of his decision last week, and though she tried to talk him out of it, he said, “I’d made up my mind.”
“I just decided that I wanted to begin the next stage of my career,” Dormsjo said. “It’s never a perfect time to transition, but we’ve accomplished a lot at DDOT over the last few years.”
He was mostly brought in to focus on transit, but he's been involved in biking issues as well.
Dormsjo was also instrumental in creating the city’s Vision Zero plan, which aims to eliminate traffic fatalities by 2024. As part of the initiative, the city has began (sic) to adopt new strategies for enforcement, public education and street engineering, and also is expected to expand the city’s sidewalk and bicycle network.
During his tenure, Dormsjo pushed for higher traffic fines, including a failed attempt to introduce a $1,000 ticket for “super speeders.” Though the plan was widely criticized, Dormsjo defended it, saying the higher penalties were intended to deter dangerous behaviors responsible for many of the city’s traffic fatalities. Upping traffic fines, Dormsjo said, was key to leveling the playing field in a region where the District’s “fine regime is the weakest.”
My take on Dormsjo was that he was a low-key guy who tried to balance the transportation needs of the various constituencies in the city. I saw him defend higher fines on drivers, but also the need to for on-street parking. If I were to give him high praise for anything from a biking perspective, it would be that he promoted people who were for better biking and put them in positions of power. On the downside, it feels to me like we could be moving forward a lot faster (when I look at other cities and other times here).
Still, time marches on and DC will need a new Transportation Director. Ideas?
Just like it was a great experience to give a street vending entrepreneur the reins, maybe it's time to try out a rocket scientist (Aeronautical Engineer).
Posted by: Will | July 26, 2017 at 07:53 AM
This guy's willing... :)
Posted by: Chris Slatt | July 26, 2017 at 08:24 AM
Hopefully someone that will not stripe another foot of bike lanes until the biking community is forced to reckon with their constant blatant disregard of the traffic laws in the city.
I like the infrastructure mind you, but the endless middle finger we give the rest of the residents of the district needs to stop.
Posted by: richardb | July 26, 2017 at 04:34 PM
@Richardb
Why not also comment on the 60,000 cars that ran red lights?
Because any car that goes more than 40 mph kills more than 90 % of the people while a cyclist only killed 1 person last year
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Bicyclists-Triggering-DC-Red-Light-Cameras-But-Wont-Get-Tickets-391955121.html
Posted by: Brett Young | July 26, 2017 at 05:37 PM
@Brett Young
When society says that it's ok to run me over with a car when I am biking because drivers drive 10 mph over the speed limit then I will care. For now the constant threats on the commute are because you and your ilk think it's your god given right to ignore traffic lights so you can get bent.
Posted by: richardb | July 26, 2017 at 07:20 PM
Oh richard, must you really make every post here about your personal, hypocritical hard on for yelling at cyclists for running stop signs? Must you?
Bike lanes save lives, so not building more means people will die. Is that your goal?
"When society says that it's ok to run me over with a car when I am biking because drivers drive 10 mph over the speed limit then I will care. "
Well guess what, we're already there and have been there for a long time. I could find you dozens of cases where a driver hit a cyclist from behind, killed them and got off with nothing but traffic fines - or less (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2014/07/30/judge-says-driver-didnt-look-when-she-fatally-struck-cyclist/) (https://pilotonline.com/news/no-charges-filed-in-crash-that-killed-virginia-beach-bicyclist/article_7d9ce98c-b16f-54a2-a67d-9b074bcf398c.html) (http://wjla.com/news/local/no-charges-in-fatal-bicycle-crash-that-claimed-the-life-of-retired-navy-seal), etc...
It's not other cyclists who are putting your life at risk, it's other drivers. (I'd be interested in even a single case of a driver hitting a cyclist because they were angry about other cyclists. One is all I ask).
Posted by: washcycle | July 26, 2017 at 09:50 PM
@richardb
Ilk or Elk ?
Because not many people know I have a pet Elk.
Posted by: Brett Young | July 26, 2017 at 11:26 PM
I look at this change from the perspective of a cyclist and a driver. I'm pleased at the bicycle infrastructure that has been implemented. But as a cyclist and a driver I am loathe to credit the person who couldn't pave the streets.
Our roads are a flipping mess. Mary Cheh asked DDOT what they needed to bring things up to par and got them that money two years ago. But I'd be hard pressed to show you where that money was spent, if it was.
My commute takes me down Mass Ave from the Naval Observatory to 13th Street. The section from Rock Creek Park to Sheridan Circle went from dangerous potholes to dangerous lumps of patching asphalt.
In my neighborhood they repaved a number of streets which were just as lumpy as before, but new asphalt. When was asked why we were told a slurry was used to save money.
So f this guy. Bring in someone that can do the complete job.
Posted by: David | July 27, 2017 at 09:37 AM
I remember Dormsjo being brought in to get the streetcar up and running. The one conversation I had with him was on Vision Zero and how important it was for city employees to be the example for safe driving. His response was that he didn't have any authority over the other city agencies which I thought was profoundly weak. I hope they get someone with more backbone.
Posted by: Zack Rules | July 28, 2017 at 11:07 AM
This guy was an empty suit. Good riddance.
Posted by: kkentium | July 31, 2017 at 08:43 PM