Two especially good stories, that link to so many other good stories about who should be the next secretary. Tanya Snyder on Streetsblog notes that the well-loved Ray LaHood, a Republican from Illinois, turned out to be — in the words of his under secretary for policy, Roy Kienitz — "a breath of fresh air in every way." And Emily Badger on the Atlantic Cities blog notes that LaHood was the first secretary to think that:

• transportation is about more than just highways,


• transportation is inseparable from housing, education, the environment and the economy,


• transportation requires bottom-up problem solving, and


• that technology is changing how we get around.

Emily Badger is keen on the idea of a mayor running the DOT. I think I agree.