Binghamton University’s new executive director of Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS), Tanya Husick, has said she intends to prioritize transportation issues at the University’s Johnson City and Downtown Binghamton facilities.

Husick was picked to lead TAPS at the beginning of the semester after the sudden departure of Brian Favela in July 2017.

“My intent is to work collaboratively to implement sustainable projects and programs,” Husick wrote. “I am very interested in developing a comprehensive transportation plan that looks at both the infrastructure and programmatic transportation needs for the main campus, the new Johnson City campus, the University Downtown Center and the Innovative Technologies Complex.”

Husick, a Pennsylvania native, holds a bachelor’s degree in urban geography from University of Pittsburgh and a master’s of planning from the University of Southern California. She has more than 20 years of experience in the transportation industry, and most recently served as a transportation planner for University of Connecticut Transportation Services. Previously, she was also a senior transportation planner at Cornell University and a project manager for the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation.

Cornelia Mead, the assistant vice president for student affairs administration and auxiliaries and the interim executive director of TAPS following Favela’s departure, led the hiring process.

“What set her apart was her strength in transportation planning [and] an ability to understand all the pieces of the big picture,” Mead wrote in an email. “With the development of our health and science campus in Johnson City, her experience, which includes higher education institutions as well as municipalities, will be especially valuable to the University.”

Favela, who held the position for a little over a year, created several new programs to address growing student concerns about parking on campus, including developing new phone apps to track buses, placing more Zipcars on campus and creating new carpooling incentives. Husick said she intends to continue his work, as well as form new initiatives of her own.

“Mr. Favela developed a great foundation and instituted a number of beneficial programs,” Husick wrote in an email. “I plan to continue these programs and look to both increase the utilization of these alternative transportation options and implement new programs as well. My primary goal is to work collaboratively with the University leadership, faculty, staff and students to improve the transportation programs and infrastructure on and off campus.”

Susan Crane, the director of parking services, wrote in an email that the office is eager to have Husick working with them.

“Tanya brings a fresh perspective to the TAPS team,” Crane wrote. “We are looking forward to working with her utilizing her experiences in both transportation and parking.”

David Lynch contributed reporting to this story.