Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Cartoon

A Round and a Roundy: A Hot Take on the New DOT Commissioner

Cartoon: Bill Roundy

Editorial cartoon of Bill Roundy by editorial cartoonist Bill Roundy.
Editorial cartoon of Bill Roundy by editorial cartoonist Bill Roundy.
Editorial cartoon of Bill Roundy by editorial cartoonist Bill Roundy.

Click today's editorial cartoon by Bill Roundy with oven mitts on — it's that hot a take!

Like most of us, our national treasure penman was surprised when Mayor de Blasio chose intellectual property lawyer and loyal Democratic donor Hank Gutman to run the $1.3-billion Department of Transportation — especially given that the last three people who ran the agency (going backwards, Margaret Forgione, Polly Trottenberg and Janette Sadik-Khan) were esteemed transportation professionals.

Roundy's surprise led to this week's comic rapier thrust, but it's also a reminder of how professional the DOT has been run over the years. Yes, the agency has had some failures and it has made some decisions worthy of wider scrutiny, but Trottenberg, for example, never showed up at a hearing unprepared, never (like her NYPD counterparts) outright denied information to Councilmembers, never treated opponents as villains, and basically never dodged the press.

How will Gutman do at such times? Only time will tell.

All of Bill Roundy's cartoons are archived here.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Friday Video: Meet the Subway’s Straphanger-Free Trains

We've all seen them. Now, thanks to YouTube's "Half as Interesting," we can tell you the purpose of each one.

October 3, 2025

The MTA Is Headed To The Lab To Design The Ridgewood Busway

A filthy private road underneath the elevated M tracks could become a gleaming bus-first corridor.

October 3, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: Good News Edition

The Department of Transportation reports that traffic deaths are way down through the first three quarters of 2025. Plus other news.

October 3, 2025

‘Bean-Counting Street Safety’: Advocates Blast Gale Brewer’s Daylighting Flip-Flop

The Upper West Side pol's inconsistent safety record is getting a second look from activists who once supported her.

October 2, 2025

There’s Good Science Behind the Human Craving for Livable Streets

It's time to understand the science of pedestrian-friendly cities. Or, why streets should be designed like gardens.

October 2, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines: Mourning Becomes Enforcement Edition

Why were cops ticketing cyclists at the very intersection where a bike rider was killed by a driver on Saturday? Plus other news.

October 2, 2025
See all posts