Eric is the right person to tackle this critical job.”

Bob Wingenroth | Surprise City Manager

Surprise City Manager Bob Wingenroth has named Eric Fitzer as the director of the new Transportation Department, which the Surprise City Council approved at its Dec. 6 meeting.

Fitzer, the city’s current Strategic Planning and Growth Manager, has a bachelor’s degree in urban planning from Arizona State University and almost 20 years of experience in government, including in planning, community development, economic development and policy creation.

“Eric’s knowledge, connections, problem-solving ability, and experience collaborating with all levels of government through a wide range of issues has uniquely positioned him to lead our regional transportation coordination efforts as well as the city’s day-to day transportation operations,” Wingenroth said. “This is the right time to give more focus to our transportation needs, and Eric is the right person to tackle this critical job.”

Transportation has been a top priority for the city for several years. In 2019, the City Council identified transportation as a priority within its strategic plan.

The Transportation Department is comprised of existing positions and functions that have resided within the Public Works Department. These include street repair and maintenance, intelligent transportation systems/traffic control, and transportation planning and engineering.

“City leadership recognizes that a successful and sustainable growth strategy is tied to our current and future transportation systems,” Wingenroth said. “In order to increase support for our dedicated transportation groups, we have created a standalone Transportation Department to place more focus on meeting our city’s ever-expanding transportation needs.”

To learn about transportation in Surprise, visit surpriseaz.gov/transportation.