Tom Warne Report, 2 March 2013
OLYMPIA – Gov. Jay Inslee has announced his appointments for department heads including the state department of transportation. Inslee appointed Lynn Peterson to serve as Secretary of the Washington State Department of Transportation. Peterson, a former highway engineer, currently serves as the Sustainable Communities and Transportation Advisor to Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber.
“We need an innovative approach to fixing a transportation network that is outdated and hampering our economic growth,” said Inslee. “Lynn has the experience, creativity and leadership skills to help Washington build a transportation system for the 21st century. And we’ll do that in a way that more efficiently moves people and goods and reduces carbon emissions.”
Peterson helped manage several of Oregon’s statewide transportation initiatives including the Willamette Valley Passenger Rail Plan, Kitzhaber’s 10-year Energy Action Plan including Oregon’s portion of the Electric Highway from B.C. to Baja and acceleration of commercial fleet turnover to alternative fuels, and more.
Paula Hammond, the current Secretary of WSDOT, is retiring after nearly six years as head of the department.
