Photo courtesy of Mayoral Photography Office
As his very first mayoral function, following his midnight official swearing in ceremony held in the old, abandoned City Hall subway station, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the appointment of Mike Flynn, described as a transportation leader, as commissioner of NYC Department of Transportation (DOT). The Mamdani administration said the appointment underscores its commitment “to delivering an affordability agenda through safer streets, faster buses, and transportation systems that work for working New Yorkers.”
They said Flynn brings more than two decades of experience across the public and private sectors, “helping cities envision and implement transportation systems that advance economic opportunity, social equity, and environmental sustainability.” They said his appointment reflects the Mamdani administration’s focus on pairing bold policy goals, including fast and free buses and safer streets, with deep operational expertise.
Mamdani said of Flynn’s appointment, “High-quality, reliable public transit and safe, well-designed streets allow New Yorkers to get to work without worry, travel on multiple modalities, receive the daily necessities they need, and explore new corners of the five boroughs.”
He added, “Our City deserves a Department of Transportation Commissioner that recognizes the critical role that street infrastructure, road design, and excellent public transportation play in making this city an affordable, safe and dignified home for millions. That is the leadership I see in Mike Flynn, who has spent decades improving the way we walk and ride through our city — and will continue this work in City Hall.”
According to Mamdani administration officials, most recently, Flynn led the New York office of TYLin City Solutions (formerly Sam Schwartz Engineering) where “he supported teams of engineers, planners, designers, and community outreach specialists working across disciplines to solve complex transportation, development, and infrastructure challenges throughout the New York City region.”
They said as vice president and sector manager for New York and the northeast, Flynn oversaw “major projects at the intersection of mobility, land use, and public space.”
Previously, they said Flynn spent nearly a decade at DOT, where they said he held senior leadership roles including director of capital planning and project initiation. They said in that role, he “guided the planning and delivery of major capital street improvement projects supporting traffic safety, bus priority, and new public spaces citywide.”
They said that earlier in his career at DOT, Flynn worked on pedestrian and bicycle programs and transportation planning initiatives “that helped reshape how New Yorkers move through the city, including leading the development of the City’s first Street Design Manual.”
Meanwhile, Flynn shared his reaction, saying, “I am honored by the trust Mayor Zohran Mamdani has placed in me to lead the Department of Transportation and work alongside this team to deliver for New Yorkers. Transportation is essential to affordability and quality of life, it determines how people get to work, school, and home safely. I look forward to building a DOT that moves faster, puts safety first, and delivers real wins for working New Yorkers.”
For her part, Kate Slevin, executive vice president of Regional Plan Association (RPA), said the organization applauded the Mamdani administration for Flynn’s appointment as DOT commissioner. “He is a well-respected expert and leader in city transportation policy and we are excited to help him carry out a vision for better bus service and safer streets,” Slevin said.
Meanwhile, former DOT commissioner, Janette Sadik-Khan, said, “Mike knows the agency, the city and its streets from the inside out. Mike will be a strong voice for Mayor Mamdani and for all New Yorkers in making transportation work for them, and for turning proposals into projects in the ground that will make the city’s streets safer, more accessible and affordable.”
In addition to his work in government and the private sector, City officials said Flynn served for nearly eight years as a visiting professor in the Pratt Institute’s Programs for Sustainable Planning and Development, where he taught courses focused on urban planning, transportation, and sustainable city design.
They said he holds a master of science degree in city and regional planning from the Pratt Institute and a Bachelor of Arts in computer science from the University of Vermont.
Part of the underground ceremony can be watched on Instagram here, courtesy of NY1.
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