The Council of the District of Columbia voted unanimously to confirm Acting Director Jeff Marootian as director for the District Department of Transportation. Director Marootian was nominated by Mayor Muriel Bowser in October 2017 to lead the agency.
“I’m proud to have the opportunity to serve the residents of the District of Columbia and to continue leading the DDOT team,” said Director Marootian. “I am grateful to Mayor Bowser for the confidence and trust she has shown me, and I am committed to promoting safety, quality customer service and the kind of innovation that builds on our position as a leader among the nation’s transportation agencies.”
Director Marootian's focus will include further advancing the Mayor's Vision Zero initiative, moving forward large-scale projects such as Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, the South Capitol Street Corridor Project and the Power Line Undergrounding Program, prioritizing infrastructure developments and increasing the District's multimodal transit options through focused improvements on the DC Circulator, DC Streetcar, and the city's bike lane network.
Director Marootian joined DDOT from the United States Department of Transportation where he served as Assistant Secretary for Administration from 2015-2017 and White House Liaison from 2013-2015. During his time there, he advised Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and collaborated with heads of federal transportation regulatory agencies to promote President Barack Obama’s transportation agenda.
Director Marootian began his career as a Capital City Fellow with the Government of the District of Columbia, holding legislative and community affairs roles with both the Metropolitan Police Department and DDOT. He served as DDOT’s head of customer service from 2007-2011. He has been a District resident for more than 20 years, serving as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner from 2000-2002. He holds a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Public Administration from George Washington University, where he now is an adjunct professor.
