Denver Transportation Chief to Exit December 4
Businesses on Denver streets should watch lane and curb decisions as interim leadership takes over the agency.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in People
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Amy Ford will leave her post as executive director of the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) on December 4, 2026, after serving since 2023. Cindy Patton will serve as interim director while the city seeks a permanent replacement, and the announcement did not cite a reason for Ford's departure.
Why it matters
Leadership turnover at the agency that controls street design, lane configurations and transit projects can shift timelines for businesses that depend on curb access, delivery routes and construction schedules. The departure follows a run of disputes and reported staff losses, so operators along major corridors should expect the agency's priorities to be reset under new leadership.
Ford's three-year tenure ended with a December 4, 2026 final day, 32 days after the departure became known. The Alameda Avenue plan that drew complaints involved a 10-block section between Pearl and Franklin streets.
The players
Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI)
The city agency that plans, builds and maintains Denver's streets, transit corridors and transportation infrastructure, setting the lane and curb rules that affect local businesses.
Amy Ford
DOTI executive director since 2023, who oversaw the Alameda Avenue changes and the agency's transit and street projects before her December 4, 2026 departure.
Cindy Patton
Named interim DOTI director to lead the agency while the city searches for a permanent executive.
Mayor Mike Johnston
Denver's mayor, who appointed Ford and whose administration cited the 16th Street mall renovation and East Colfax bus rapid transit phase as completed DOTI projects.
The details
DOTI originally planned to eliminate one lane on a 10-block stretch of Alameda Avenue, between Pearl and Franklin streets. After receiving complaints from Jill Anschutz, the agency backtracked and later said it would convert some lanes to turn pockets rather than remove a lane entirely. The controversy led to a resignation from the transportation advisory board and a formal protest letter from a majority of the City Council.
Timeline
2023: Ford became DOTI executive director.
March 2026: The Denver Post reported that DOTI had lost key employees.
November 2026: Ford's departure was announced.
December 4, 2026: Ford's last day as DOTI director.
Market Landscape
The Alameda Avenue reversal is a documented precedent in which a planned road diet on a 10-block section was softened after complaints, a pattern that has reshaped how the city approaches lane changes on busy corridors. Ford's exit, coming after reported staff losses, puts the agency's approach to contested street projects under new leadership.
Operators on Alameda Avenue and other corridors DOTI manages should watch whether the lane-change plans remain on schedule under interim leadership. Businesses that rely on loading zones, turn access or construction timing should monitor DOTI announcements in the months after Ford's exit.
The takeaway
Track whether DOTI keeps or revises the Alameda Avenue turn-pocket plan under Patton's interim leadership, since that decision will show how the agency handles contested projects without Ford. Businesses along affected corridors should record any new lane or curb changes as they are announced and review how they affect delivery and customer access.
What happens next
Cindy Patton begins serving as interim DOTI director, and the city will keep searching for a permanent director to succeed Ford after her December 4, 2026 final day.
Further reading
For the broader leadership picture at city agencies, see People coverage across Denver's business news.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Denver Post.
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