New York City’s Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) manages the city’s streets and much of its transportation infrastructure. Its stated mission is to support the safe, equitable and sustainable movement of people and goods, while creating public spaces that strengthen communities.3
The department’s responsibilities span all five boroughs. A city performance report describes its work as covering 6,300 miles of streets and highways, 803 bridges and tunnels, and the Staten Island Ferry program; it also details its role in street maintenance, cycling infrastructure, bus rapid transit and bridge investment.10 The report reflects the department’s scale, though its figures are for fiscal year 2022.
Street safety and access are central to its work. NYC DOT’s Vision Zero programme includes street redesigns and measures such as protected bike lanes, pedestrian improvements and traffic-calming features.10 Current proposals include a seven-mile Harlem River Greenway in the Bronx and a redesign of Seventh and Eighth Avenues in Manhattan, with protected bike lanes and expanded pedestrian space.5
The department is led by Commissioner Mike Flynn, appointed on January 1, 2026.36 Its headquarters is listed at 55 Water Street in New York City.9 The available sources do not establish a founding year.