New transportation secretary has her work cut out for her
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SEATTLE -- Washington's new Secretary of Transportation inherited a truckload of problems, from bridges being built with cracked pontoons to an unprecedented level of disciplinary notices for employees.
Secretary Lynn Peterson shies away from calling herself a change agent or reformer, but she's clear that reform is what Gov. Jay Inslee had in mind when he appointed her.
"I think that we are working on building back some trust with the citizens of Washington," she said.
Peterson has already begun answering questions for the state Transportation Commission, traveled the state and made some big decisions. The biggest decision was spurred by construction defects and design flaws with the 520 Bridge pontoons, which are costing taxpayers millions of dollars.
"Yes, a mistake was made on 520 and we're working to correct that," she said.
Peterson hired Ron Paananen, a former Washington Department of Transportation manager, to put together an assessment of the state's three biggest projects: the 520 Bridge, the Alaska Way Viaduct and the Columbia River Crossing.
Together, the three projects will cost more than $10 billion. And design errors in the 520 Bridge and the Columbia River Crossing are already expected to cost more than $200 million to fix.
Paanenen is tasked with looking at all three projects for possible risks.
"We want to make sure that there's good processes in place so that some of those major decisions are well vetted before you get so far down the road that you're kind of locked in," he said.
Because Paanenen is a former insider, Peterson first big decision is already garnering criticism. In response, one of their second steps is to bring in true outsiders -- people who haven't worked for WSDOT -- to work on Paanenen's review team.
"There are a lot of folks in this field that have touched Wash-DOT in some way, so we're looking for folks that have not," he said.
Peterson didn't comment directly on the legislature's move to increase the gasoline tax, but she said her job in not to just "do business as usual," but to make sure taxpayers are getting the biggest bang for their buck.
See more from our 520 Bridge investigation >>>
Secretary Lynn Peterson shies away from calling herself a change agent or reformer, but she's clear that reform is what Gov. Jay Inslee had in mind when he appointed her.
"I think that we are working on building back some trust with the citizens of Washington," she said.
Peterson has already begun answering questions for the state Transportation Commission, traveled the state and made some big decisions. The biggest decision was spurred by construction defects and design flaws with the 520 Bridge pontoons, which are costing taxpayers millions of dollars.
"Yes, a mistake was made on 520 and we're working to correct that," she said.
Peterson hired Ron Paananen, a former Washington Department of Transportation manager, to put together an assessment of the state's three biggest projects: the 520 Bridge, the Alaska Way Viaduct and the Columbia River Crossing.
Together, the three projects will cost more than $10 billion. And design errors in the 520 Bridge and the Columbia River Crossing are already expected to cost more than $200 million to fix.
Paanenen is tasked with looking at all three projects for possible risks.
"We want to make sure that there's good processes in place so that some of those major decisions are well vetted before you get so far down the road that you're kind of locked in," he said.
Because Paanenen is a former insider, Peterson first big decision is already garnering criticism. In response, one of their second steps is to bring in true outsiders -- people who haven't worked for WSDOT -- to work on Paanenen's review team.
"There are a lot of folks in this field that have touched Wash-DOT in some way, so we're looking for folks that have not," he said.
Peterson didn't comment directly on the legislature's move to increase the gasoline tax, but she said her job in not to just "do business as usual," but to make sure taxpayers are getting the biggest bang for their buck.
See more from our 520 Bridge investigation >>>
How about she fires all those project leaders and managers and ends the project now and starts from scratch!... oh and changes the darn contract to get the stupid construction company to actually say NO to poorly spec'd jobs!
good luck Lynn!
Federal, state and local budgets have become another arm of governance. Â In turn this arm has become a maze of intrigue of unimaginable complexity. It has also becoming less accessible. Â Further, over time it will only become more complex and unmanageable. Â Â
We need enactment of sunshine laws with teeth.Â
First task ------ fire the contractor and make this a right to work state
 Second task--------Anyone in a senior management position FIRED.
Third task---------Give the job to the next subordinate. and so on down the line.
 Fourth task ------Arrest Paula Hammond and bring charges againsty her and her staff. Incompetance would be a good start point.
@wire rope Incompetence (or "incompetance" as you state with wonderful irony) is not a crime, but this melodramatic tough talk is kind of fun, huh?
Being the etenal optimist that I am WSDOT is a disaster and can't be fixed. Without hundreds of millions of dollars (which we do not have) the state is in deep doo, which means you and I are in deep doo having to pay for WSDOT's failings.  These 3 mega projects referenced will haunt us for decades. Â
"I think that we are working on building back some trust with the citizens of Washington," she said."
Yeah, well I think that train left the station at least a decade ago. Â
"New transportation secretary has her work cut out for her"
Uhhh, ya think?
You want someone to blame? Blame the politicians who made WSDOT a political agency. Blame the politicians who change the schedules and spend the money. Blame the politicians who decided Design/Build was a good idea, giving the Contractor disproportionate power over WSDOT jobs and your tax dollars. Blame Kiewit who has been robbing the taxpayers up and down the I5 corridor for years.
Oh, and Lynn Peterson is a politician. I hope she is not confirmed.
@gscott Yes, making the top spot a cabinet position appointed by the governor was a bad move. I'm guessing Doug McDonald is thanking his lucky stars he left when he did and avoided debasing himself by working for this new guy who apparently wants to prattle on about global warming and green BS.
disciplinary notices? I want to see heads roll!! Is it the unions they are scared of? Can't fire someone who is union? Jeeeess!
She has a lot to live down to
how much more would hurt her to think about when over half the transpo has been cut? oh what a neat person  got my hands up anyone one want to tell me whats gone over my head?
@maggie112
I give up. What did you say?
@maggie112Â Â
 Speak English much?
She is politically correct in statement, Â "Yes, we made mistakes on the 520 and we are working to correct that/" Â Â Â Nice. Â But we are now looking at over 200 million to correct the "mistakes" and I have not heard of one person being fired? Â Why?????? Â And what about the contractor? Â Where are the answers?
@Joy Whitney Â
Geeze, i guess you don't care about due process.
@gscott @Joy WhitneyDue process for public employees is a joke.  They would have been fired immediately in the private sector. Someone who is competent would have replaced the incompetent.  Should happen in all government jobs as well, would save the taxpayer million if not billions in waste due to incompetent workers.  So I guess I only care that the "due process" procedure needs to be eliminated and stream lined like the private sector.  If you cant do your job, you're fired.  Save the taxpayer some more money without "due process"!
@Joy Whitney 200 million? That's old school Mafia..... $200 million up in smoke... Now you see it.... now you don't.
I am hoping Lynn is the anti Paula. Nobody in our state government disappointed me more that Paula. I think Lynn will be the breath of fresh air we need in this position.
Just a little piece of advice................DON'T ask Paula for some advice........