Jackie DeWolfe has been appointed to the newly created position of Director of Sustainable Mobility for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).
DeWolfe will be responsible for coordinating activities throughout MassDOT which enhance multi-modal transportation across the Commonwealth and for piloting new ideas. A key responsibility of this position is convening multi-disciplinary teams from across MassDOT, and coordinating with municipal partners, other state agencies, and nonprofit partners to drive change that will help the state meet its healthy transportation goals.
DeWolfe will be closely involved with the newly launched and already successful Complete Streets program which provides municipalities with funding to design and construct projects to make streets safer and more welcoming for pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, and users of public transit. Over the next year, $12.5 million will be awarded to cities and towns with plans to increase funding over the coming years. Working with MassDOT colleagues, DeWolfe will help to build the Complete Streets concept so it becomes an integral part of road design across the Commonwealth.
“We believe Jackie’s experience promoting bicycling, walking, and public transit across the Commonwealth will be valuable to MassDOT as we work to integrate new designs into traditional road projects and strengthen our communities by providing transportation options,” said MassDOT Secretary Stephanie Pollack. “There is a growing demand for ‘complete streets’ – roads that facilitate all modes of travel – and Jackie will help ensure that MassDOT is thinking broadly and inclusively about all users of our transportation system.”
“It is an exciting time to join MassDOT,” said DeWolfe. “There is great work happening, from the Complete Streets Funding Program to the newly released Separated Bike Lane Planning and Design Guide, statewide bike and pedestrian plans, and Healthy Transportation Compact. It is also a pivotal moment as the Commonwealth and communities all across the country are grappling with how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and traffic, and improve safety, mobility and sustainability. I look forward to working with diverse teams to tackle these important issues and pilot new ideas.”
Prior to joining MassDOT, DeWolfe was the Executive Director of LivableStreets Alliance, a non-profit that advocates for more complete street designs. She has also served as an independent consultant providing strategic planning, public engagement facilitation, and transportation trainings to public, private, and civic organizations across the U.S. DeWolfe lives in a Boston suburb where she often travels to destinations by commuter rail, MBTA Green Line, bus, bike, foot, ride share, and sometimes by car.