Anthony Foxx, mayor of Charlotte, NC, named as U.S. Secretary of Transportation

President Obama has named Anthony Foxx, Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina, as U.S. Secretary of Transportation.

Foxx replaces outgoing Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, who has been probably the strongest supporter of biking and walking of any Secretary of Transportation in history.

So what will Secretary Foxx be like?  Will he be strong supporter of biking and walking initiatives, as Secretary LaHood was?  Streetsblog DC has the rundown: 

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx

Before we get into the details of Anthony Foxx’s résumé and policy positions, let’s just take a moment to appreciate this: The White House has nominated a mayor to be secretary of transportation.

There is often a wide gulf between states and cities when it comes to transportation policy — with cities preferring to invest in multiple modes while states mainly spend on highways. One way to interpret Obama’s nomination of a mayor to head U.S. DOT is that he’s casting his lot with cities. In Foxx, he’s selected the chief executive of a southern city that has made significant progress on transit and walkable development the last few years.

“I know every mayor is thrilled today because one of theirs will become transportation secretary,” outgoing Secretary Ray LaHood said at Foxx’s nomination today. He said the appointment sent a message that “mayors count” and “cities count.” . . . 

Foxx also seems to get the value of bicycling. Under his leadership, Charlotte has built out its bicycle network and begun a bike-share system. “During his tenure Mayor Foxx has been supportive of initiatives including an expansion the city’s bike route network, green bike lanes, bike boxes, sidewalk construction projects and other projects to meet bicycle and pedestrian needs,” Tobe Holmes, a board member at the Charlotte Area Bicycle Alliance, told the Alliance for Biking and Walking.

“He clearly understands the importance of biking and walking to creating a vibrant and economically successful community where businesses want to locate; where people want to live, raise a family and retire; and where people have a real choice of transportation modes,” said Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists, in a statement.

More about Foxx from Bike Portland, StreetsBlog, and Cyclelicious.