Massachusetts State Secretary of Transportation Richard Davey is stepping down from his post at the end of the month.
Gov. Deval Patrick announced the departure of Davey on Friday, calling him one of the finest transportation leaders the state has ever had.
Patrick said highway administrator Frank DePaola will serve as acting secretary for the remainder of the governor's term, which ends in January.
In a statement released from the office of Gov. Patrick, the governor said, “I have the utmost confidence in Frank and am glad he has agreed to step up and fill this critical post”
Davey served as general manager of the MBTA before being appointed to the cabinet-level post in September 2011.
Last year he helped lead the push for a transportation financing law that could pave the way for several major projects including South Coast rail.
The statement from Patrick's office reads in part, "Davey oversaw an end to the 23-year practice at MassDOT of paying day-to day-expenses on the state capital budget, freeing up funds for more transportation infrastructure projects. He continued to deliver projects faster than ever before under the Accelerated Bridge Program and other innovative construction techniques that allowed bridges to be replaced in days instead of years."
He told The Boston Globe he plans to travel before looking for a new job in the private sector.
Davey said in the release from Gov. Patrick's office,"It has been the greatest joy and honor of my career serving as Transportation Secretary over the last three years. I am deeply appreciative of the Governor for giving me the opportunity to serve and for being so supportive of our work."
