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Tom Carney to Step Down as Chicago Transportation Chief

This departure reflects Mayor Johnson’s ongoing reshuffle of senior staff aimed at reinforcing loyalty.

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Tom Carney, then First Deputy Commissioner at Chicago Department of Transportation, right, tours a site with then Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, where crews are repairing a cracked beam on the ramp to DuSable Lake Shore Drive on Feb. 12, 2019. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune)
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Overview

  • Tom Carney informed CDOT employees on June 20 that he will resign as commissioner effective July 3, citing family and personal obligations.
  • He was appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson in March 2024 after serving in multiple leadership roles within the Department of Transportation.
  • Carney’s exit follows the earlier departures of Aviation Commissioner Jamie Rhee, Chief Operating Officer John Roberson and other senior officials.
  • Mayor Johnson publicly pledged in February to remove staffers not fully aligned with his policy agenda, triggering a wave of high-level exits.
  • The Chicago Department of Transportation, which oversees over 4,000 miles of streets and 400 miles of bike lanes, has yet to name Carney’s successor.