Mary E. Peters (born December 4, 1948) is an American government official who served as the 15th U.S. Secretary of Transportation from 2006 to 2009. Nominated by President George W. Bush, Peters led the federal department that oversees highways, aviation, public transit, rail and safety regulation. Her appointment made her the second woman and the first person from Arizona to hold the post. Observers often note that she brought practical state transportation management experience to national leadership. U.S. Secretary of Transportation

Early career and state service

Peters joined the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) in 1985 and worked in the agency through a period of rapid population and travel growth. In 1998 Governor Jane Dee Hull appointed her director of ADOT. In that role she oversaw state highways, transit programs, planning and capital delivery, giving her first‑hand experience with project management, multimodal planning, and coordination across local and federal partners.

Federal leadership and priorities

As Secretary of Transportation, Peters emphasized accelerating project delivery, strengthening safety programs, and improving the efficiency of federal grants and permitting. She promoted the use of performance measures, encouraged partnerships with state and local agencies, and supported approaches to financing and project management that sought to reduce delays and cost overruns. Her leadership spanned multiple modal administrations and sought practical reforms to connect federal policy with state implementation.

Commission work and national studies

In 2006 Peters served as Co‑Vice Chairwoman of the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, a congressionally created body charged with evaluating long‑term funding and policy options for the nation’s surface transportation network. The commission examined revenue, investment priorities and institutional arrangements to help inform future reauthorization and finance strategies.

Later roles and recognition

After leaving federal office in 2009, Peters remained active in transportation policy through advisory roles, board memberships and consulting, applying experience from both state and federal levels. She has been cited in discussions about the value of aligning federal programs with state project delivery needs and continues to be referenced in analyses of early 21st‑century U.S. transportation policy.

Significance and legacy

  • Noted as the first Arizonan and the second woman to lead the U.S. Department of Transportation.
  • Emphasized coordination between federal programs and state agencies to speed project delivery and improve outcomes.
  • Advocated performance measurement, safety improvements, and consideration of innovative financing and management techniques.

Mary Peters’ tenure is often discussed in studies of federal infrastructure policy for its practical focus on delivering projects efficiently and strengthening ties between federal policy and state‑level implementation. For official records and department materials relating to her term, see the department’s archival and policy releases. Transportation Department