Thruway Authority Board Names Interim Executive Director

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A former county public works commissioner for the Buffalo area has been named interim executive director of the New York State Thruway Authority.

Maria Lehman, Erie County public works commissioner from 2000-2005, was appointed to the state post Tuesday during a meeting of the Thruway Authority's board of directors. She also was named chief operating officer for agency, which operates the 570-mile Thruway system.

Lehman, an engineer who has been the authority's interim maintenance and operations director for the past year, will serve as executive director until Gov. Andrew Cuomo appoints a successor to Robert Megna.

Megna, Cuomo's former budget director, is joining Stony Brook University as senior vice president for finance and administration.

Last week, Cuomo said he plans to propose keeping Thruway tolls flat or lower until 2020.