Aidan Lewis // Transportation Engineer, NYC Department of Transportation
Over the last few years especially, I’ve come to understand how central transportation is to our day to day experience of life.
I proudly work on the Transportation Engineering and Planning team at NYCDOT. I grew up in Brooklyn and graduated with a BS in Civil Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines in 2023. At Mines I served as Student Body President. The previous 3 years I spent in Atlanta working with Kimley-Horn and volunteering as a gardener for Trees Atlanta. It matters to me that my career makes a positive difference in the world and that I give back outside work as well. I love and am indebted to my family and friends. I was a lego kid. I love national parks, hiking, and bike riding. Recently I’ve been making a lot of smoothies.
Why transportation?
Transportation has been a lifelong passion for me and I would love working in this field pretty much no matter what. But over the last few years especially, I’ve come to understand how central transportation is to our day to day experience of life. Getting transportation right is not only key to saving people time, but also to efficient use of land, to whether or not our surroundings are green or quiet, to how and whether we interact with our neighbors each day, to preventing pollution and global warming, to our physical and mental health, to the price of housing, and to the cost of living. I feel privileged to play a small part in addressing some of humanity’s most important issues through my work.
What’s your favorite way to get around the YPT-NYC region?
I’m tempted to say the Subway because I use it most often and think it’s the most important, but I have to go with CitiBike. I’m almost always happy when I’m on a bike and CitiBike makes it so convenient.
If you could snap your fingers and make one change to regional transportation, what would it be?
I would price all parking at the market rate. I’m directly inspired by the late UCLA economist Donald Shoup, who elegantly and fervently made the case for this policy. (For those interested I recommend his 700+ page book The High Cost of Free Parking.) In summary, the argument is that building and maintaining parking spaces is not free and that providing them for free subsidizes the negative effects of driving by hiding the cost of parking in the cost of everything else. Charging the appropriate price for parking would reduce the cost of everything from groceries to housing. It would reduce driving and congestion by shifting mode share and would allow drivers to spend less time looking for parking and to experience shorter and more consistent trip times. It would reduce noise and air pollution. It would free up curbside space for pick up and drop off, deliveries, outdoor dining, trash containerization, bike lanes, bus lanes, vehicle travel lanes, greenery, and even small playgrounds. And it would raise revenue which could be put to beneficial public use or be used to cut taxes.
Who inspires you?
Recently I’ve been inspired by former FTC Chair and current NYC EDC Chair Lina Khan. She is a fearless advocate for consumer rights and economic justice. She searches creatively and relentlessly for solutions to hard problems. And she is unafraid to forcefully advocate against the interests of the rich and powerful.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Don’t get Instagram
What are you working on currently that you’re most excited about?
I’m excited to be working on traffic analysis for the redesign of Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn!
Do you have a favorite transportation book, blog, newsletter, podcast, or YouTube channel?
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