A former mayor of Durham has been named acting secretary of the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Tony Tata resigned Tuesday from his position as secretary of the North Carolina DOT. Tata says he plans to focus on his career as an author of military thriller novels.

While the governor searches for a permanent replacement, Tata’s Chief Deputy Secretary Nick Tennyson will take his place. Chapel Hill Town Councilman Ed Harrison has a long history with Tennyson.

“I’ve known Nick since we were teenagers,” Harrison said. “We came to college together and met the first day way back in the ’60s.”

Harrison says Tennyson’s appointment is a good sign for continued progress on getting a light rail system to the Triangle.

“We’re different parties, but he’s been engaged in transportation very favorably in my viewpoint for a long time—for 20 years or so,” Harrison said. “He was mayor of Durham for four years and was always positive about getting a rail system going, at least through that city, and always supported transit growth there.”

Tennyson served as Durham’s mayor from 1997-2001. He’s been at the DOT since 2013.

Related Stories
‹
Chapel Hill Granted $1 Million for Everywhere to Everywhere Greenway Study
The Town of Chapel Hill picked up $1 million in federal grants on Thursday evening, which will go toward feasibility studies for its plan to vastly expand its greenway system. The U.S. Department of Transportation announced seven different North Carolina-based projects are being given funding from its 2023 RAISE grants (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability […]
New Chapel Hill Stop Added to NCDOT Intercity Bus Service
The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s intercity bus service is adding a new stop in Chapel Hill. Buses will pick up passengers at the Eubanks Park and Ride Lot in Chapel Hill four times a day. The lot is located at 2000 Eubanks Road in the Carraway Village mixed-use development. The intercity service is operated […]
Overnight Closures Set for Orange County I-40 Ramp; Crews Prepare for Traffic Shift
Ahead of a traffic shift in the heart of the I-40 widening project in Orange County, construction and road crews are set to close an on-ramp.
North Carolina DMV Audit Recommends Reforms To Reverse Customer Wait Times, Worker Morale
State Auditor Dave Boliek on Monday released two audits totaling nearly 600 pages that scrutinize the North Carolina DMV and offer changes.
Work on I-40 Widening Project Set to Close Lanes, Exit Ramps Overnight in Hillsborough
The ongoing work to widen I-40 in Orange County is set to disrupt overnight traffic patterns for the rest of the week, according to NCDOT.
Carrboro Hears Update on Reimagining E. Weaver Street, Redesigning Traffic Patterns
At its last meeting before the summer break, the Carrboro Town Council heard an update on the reimagining of East Weaver Street.
NCDOT Closes Pittsboro Road as Part of Ongoing Chatham Park Development
The North Carolina Department of Transportation will close Suttles Road in Pittsboro to thru-traffic beginning Tuesday, June 3. The closure will allow for the final stages of the road’s realignment and connection to the new Chatham Parkway, which will service the Chatham Park development. According to the NCDOT and the Town of Pittsboro, the closure […]
NCDOT: I-40 Widening Project to Shut Down Highway Connector
The long-term I-40 widening project in Orange County will shut down an on-ramp for approximately three months.
NCDOT: Overnight Bridge Demolition for I-40 Widening Project Will Close Old NC 86
A old bridge of I-40 in Hillsborough is set to be demolished as the state Department of Transportation continues widening in Orange County.
NCDOT: Bridge Work on I-40, Old NC 86 Means Overnight Closures in Orange County
The latest batch of overnight closures for Interstate 40 and Old N.C. 86 in Orange County are set to happen this week, according to an alert from the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
›