Rochester names new Director of Transit and Parking

(ABC 6 News) — The Rochester City Council approved naming Ia Xiong as the city’s director of the Transit and Parking Department on Monday.

“I am proud to announce the appointment of Ia Xiong as the Director of the Parking and Transit Department,” said Assistant City Administrator Ryan Yetzer. “During her time as interim director, Ia has demonstrated her ability to provide strategic leadership and direction for all activities that comprise the Transit and Parking Department.”

This decision comes following an announcement in March of Xiong as the interim leader of the new City department.

Xiong is a graduate of Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering and is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Minnesota.

Prior to joining the City of Rochester, Xiong worked at the Metropolitan Council and the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

Since 2019, Xiong has served as the Transit and Parking Systems Manager, and she is a leading member of the team responsible for designing and constructing LINK Rapid Transit, a $143 million bus rapid transit (BRT) system, which is scheduled to open by the end of 2026.

The Transit and Parking Department oversees the operations of Rochester Public Transit. With Xiong at the helm, the department manages and maintains Rochester’s six publicly owned parking ranks and surface lots.

“It is an honor to continue serving the City of Rochester and the community,” Xiong said. “There are many exciting initiatives in transit and parking and I look forward to this new role as director of the Transit and Parking Department. I am proud to be part of a hardworking fantastic team.”