In memoriam: Adjunct Assistant Professor for Urban Planning William Wheeler

We note with great sadness the passing, on Oct. 27, of William Wheeler, who taught and inspired students at NYU Wagner as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Urban Planning. He was an engaging, enthusiastic, and illuminative colleague and friend.

Professor Wheeler served as a New York mass transit official for decades. At the MTA, he participated in strategic planning decisions on behalf of millions of bus, subway, and commuter-rail riders. Though little-known by the headline writers, his accomplishments touched on such innovations as the introduction of the MetroCard, the mapping of the modern route of the Second Avenue subway, and installation of countdown clocks for subway platforms. He also worked on the massive Atlantic Terminal and LIRR East Side Access projects.

In 2011, the Rudin Center for Transportation Policy & Management at Wagner awarded him its Public Service Leader Award, and, at the school’s invitation, he co-taught the Transportation, Land Use, and Urban Form course, drawing from his hands-on experience at the intersection of politics, policy, and planning in New York.

A memorial service is planned for Tuesday, November 6, at 10 a.m. at St. Patrick's Cathedral (Fifth Avenue between 50th and 51st Streets). NYU Wagner extends our deepest condolences to his children, Joanna and William, and the other members of his family.