Leadership Change at Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure
Amy Ford, the executive director of Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI), will step down from her position on December 4. Her departure comes during a period of intense scrutiny regarding the city’s approach to public safety and transit efficiency. Ford, who assumed the role in 2024 shortly after Mayor Mike Johnston took office, announced her resignation to pursue a new opportunity, though details regarding her next professional move remain undisclosed.
As the head of one of the city’s largest and most complex departments, Ford oversaw a broad portfolio that included road maintenance, snow removal, street sweeping, and waste management. However, her tenure was most defined by the ongoing struggle to curb rising traffic fatalities. According to reporting by Denverite, the city recorded a record-high 93 traffic deaths in 2025. This grim statistic intensified criticism from residents, transit advocates, and elected officials who argued that the city’s commitment to Vision Zero—a municipal mandate to eliminate traffic-related deaths and serious injuries by 2030—had failed to translate into effective, well-resourced policy.
The Pressure of Policy and Public Scrutiny
The friction between the department and the public became increasingly visible over specific infrastructure projects. One notable flashpoint occurred regarding plans for Alameda Avenue. Initially, the department proposed a “road diet” to improve safety, but later scaled back the project following meetings with a lobbyist representing local opposition. After months of sustained pushback from community members and safety advocates, the department eventually reversed course, installing a temporary redesign that more closely aligned with original safety goals.
This cycle of deliberation and reversal contributed to a broader sense of dissatisfaction. A coalition of advocacy groups recently issued a report card to the Johnston administration, assigning a grade of D- for transportation safety, access, and mobility. The critique centered not just on individual projects, but on the perceived lack of manpower and resources dedicated to the city’s stated safety priorities. Some members of the Denver City Council have recently suggested that the department’s sprawling responsibilities have compromised its efficacy, leading to calls for a potential structural reorganization of the agency.
I really hope this is an opportunity for (the mayor) to refocus attention on an issue that I think he’s been neglecting to the detriment of the daily lives of Denver residents. — Jill Locantore, executive director of the Denver Streets Partnership
Looking Ahead to the Transition
In a press release issued regarding her departure, Ford highlighted several initiatives completed during her time at the helm, including progress on the 16th Street and Colfax Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects, the expansion of automated speed cameras, and efforts to streamline solid waste programs. She characterized the transition as a moment of momentum for the department.
As the city begins its search for a permanent successor, Cindy Patton, the current chief operating officer for DOTI, will step in as the interim executive director. For Mayor Johnston, the appointment represents a critical juncture. With municipal elections approaching next year, the selection of new leadership for a department as central to daily life as DOTI will serve as a bellwether for how the administration intends to balance constituent feedback with the urgent, often conflicting demands of urban infrastructure and public safety.
The stakes for Denver residents remain high. Every decision regarding road design, speed enforcement, and public transit connectivity directly influences the daily commute and safety of thousands. Whether the upcoming leadership transition leads to a recalibration of Vision Zero goals or maintains the current trajectory of the department is a question that will likely dominate local civic discourse in the coming months.
