Obama announces Foxx as transportation secretary nominee, thanks LaHood for service

As expected, President Obama yesterday nominated Anthony Foxx to become the next U.S. secretary of transportation.

If approved by the Senate, Foxx, who has served as mayor of Charlotte, N.C., since 2009, will succeed Ray LaHood, who announced earlier this year that he would not remain in the post for a second Obama term.

In his blog post today, LaHood said the president's nomination of Foxx to lead the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) should come as no surprise.

"From runway improvements at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport and the expanded LYNX light rail system, to freight and passenger-rail upgrades and redesigned intersections on Interstate 85, the city of Charlotte has been on the forefront of American transportation development," LaHood wrote. "Since 2009, the city made its largest-ever investments in transportation, including a new streetcar system."

In the nomination announcement yesterday, Obama credited Foxx for investing in transportation to help turn around Charlotte's economy.

"All of that [investment] has not only helped create new jobs, it's helped Charlotte become more attractive to business," Obama said.

Obama also thanked LaHood for his dedication to public service.

"Over the past four years, thanks to Ray's leadership, we've built or improved more than 350,000 miles of road," said Obama. "We've upgraded more than 6,000 miles of rail — enough to go coast to coast and back. We've repaired or replaced more than 20,000 bridges and helped put tens of thousands of construction workers back on the job."