Cal Poly Pomona alumnus Danny Wu (urban and regional planning, 1995) was appointed as the executive director of Transportation & Planning in the division of Administrative Affairs on Jan. 6.
After his time at CPP, Wu went on to complete his master of arts in transportation, planning and policy at the University of California, Los Angeles.
“Being an alumnus gives me a unique perspective and greater appreciation for the transportation and parking challenges that the campus community faces,” Wu said. “I, too, have experienced the gridlock on campus.”
(Courtesy of Jillian Coovert)
Wu has more than 25 years of experience working with transportation planning, as he previously worked for cities and regional transportation agencies. Before being appointed as the executive director, Wu served as associate vice president and director of mobility planning for Iteris Incorporated, and he hopes to bring what he learned from this experience to his new role.
According to the Iteris Inc. website, “Iteris is leading the world in applied informatics – turning big data into smart insights for transportation and agriculture. By using machine learning to extract the information engineers and scientists need to solve complex problems, we’re making our roads safer and our farms smarter. Building better communities today means we’re creating a better world tomorrow.”
Now as the executive director of transportation and planning, Wu will be working to advance and implement innovative transportation solutions for students, faculty and staff. He will be responsible for traffic in and around campus in his position. Wu hopes with his new role he can give back to the institution that helped start his career.
According to the CPP administrative affairs website, “The mission of the Administrative Affairs Division is to provide quality fiscal, human and facility services in support of the university community through partnerships and innovative solutions. Our vision is to be recognized by the campus community as a valued resource and strategic partner.”
Wu has his work cut out for him regarding the future of CPP and transportation.
However, Wu admits that he faces some challenges with his plans to prioritize the needs of the department, such as where it should be focused with funding.
“We have many opportunities to provide reliable, cost-effective and sustainable transportation options,” Wu said. “I hope to advance and implement innovative parking management strategies, foster new partnerships with transit agencies and private mobility providers, develop more efficient campus shuttle connections, expand bicycle facilities/amenities and improve pedestrian walkways and accessible paths.”
