Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott confirmed on Wednesday that Veronica Perry will step down as director of the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) on Oct. 1. The mayor did not provide a reason for her departure.
Interim leadership appointed
Attila Berke, currently director of the Department of General Services (DGS), will serve as interim DOT director while the city conducts a search for a permanent replacement. DGS deputy director Terrel Chessen will assume the role of interim director for the DGS.
Light Street redesign tied to Harborplace project
The leadership change comes as Baltimore officials prepare to reconfigure the Inner Harbor intersection of Pratt and Light streets. The redesign is part of a $900 million private redevelopment led by MCB Real Estate, which will add two residential towers, office space, retail, restaurants and open areas.
Under the plan, the five‑lane “sweep” that runs from Light Street to Calvert Street will be closed and the street right‑of‑way transferred to MCB. Light Street will be realigned so northbound traffic that currently uses the sweep will continue straight to Pratt Street, then turn right to reach Calvert Street or Pratt Street. North of Pratt, Light Street, presently one‑way southbound, would become two‑way between Pratt and Baltimore streets.
Impact on traffic and precedent
City planners say the change will significantly alter traffic flow at one of downtown’s busiest junctions, likening the project to New York City’s earlier effort to remove vehicles from Times Square. A city planner told the Baltimore Tourism Association in May that preparatory work could start as early as November, though officials later qualified that timeline.
MCB officials aim to begin site work on the first phase—including demolition of the Harborplace pavilions and the Light Street sweep—in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Public input and oversight
Some South Baltimore residents have asked whether the City Council will hold a public hearing on the lane closures. City officials indicated a hearing may not be required because the Planning Commission and council have already conducted public meetings and approved the broader Downtown Rise master plan, which includes the Light Street changes.
Mayor Scott announced at the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore’s annual meeting last fall that the city would launch a downtown traffic study covering the Harborplace area. Details on the study’s scope and leadership have not been released, though it is believed the planning and transportation departments will be the primary clients. Perry, before her departure, was expected to play a key role in overseeing the study.
Perry’s tenure and achievements
Veronica Perry joined the DOT in January 2025. During her time as director, she oversaw planning, design and construction of transportation infrastructure, maintaining 2,000 miles of roadway, seven miles of interstate highways, 298 bridges and culverts, 456 miles of alleys, 72,000 streetlights, 1,300 signalized intersections and 250,000 traffic signs.
She also launched the “Repave Baltimore” program, a comprehensive overhaul of the city’s road resurfacing efforts, developed a strategic departmental plan, and secured unanimous Board of Estimates support to bring repair and maintenance of Baltimore’s underground conduit system back under city control.
“I want to thank outgoing Director Perry for her service to the City of Baltimore and her leadership of DOT,” Mayor Scott said. “I am confident the department will continue the critical work of maintaining and strengthening our transportation infrastructure day in and day out, and I thank Interim Director Attila for stepping into this role as we search for our next DOT Director.”
Original reporting: Baltimore Fishbowl — read the source article.
