Senate sacks WSDOT Secretary Lynn Peterson

OLYMPIA, Wash. — The head of the Washington State Department of Transportation was fired Friday due to a laundry list of concerns, including cost overruns, management failures and project delays.

A majority of the Washington State Senate voted to oust the transportation secretary, cutting her time at the helm of the state Department of Transportation short at three years.

“This is about having accountability at the highest levels in state agencies,” said Senate Majority Leader Mark Schoesler. “Secretary Peterson's inability to properly manage the DOT after three years...has undermined any confidence the people had in transportation projects and simply can't be trusted to manage the additional transportation funding approved last year."

Peterson's tenure as transportation secretary was fraught with failure, including the shutdown Seattle tunnel project and the as-of-yet ineffective I-405 high-occupancy toll lanes.

The Shutdown Seattle tunnel is anticipating $200 million in allegations and cost overages.

Though Peterson was appointed by Governor Jay Inslee in 2013, his appointments are subject to confirmation by the state senate.

Peterson could have served indefinitely without a confirmation -- but a vote against her confirmation meant that she could no longer serve.

Statement from Inslee’s office regarding Senate vote on Lynn Peterson confirmation was released.

"Gov. Jay Inslee, released the following statement following today’s vote by Senate Republicans to reject confirmation of WSDOT Secretary Lynn Peterson.

“Senate Republicans today took an action wholly unfitting of the expectations of the people of this state.

“They engaged in a politically-motivated attack on an imminently qualified woman.

“As disappointing as this display of partisan politics is to me, I am even more deeply and personally offended by Senator Schoesler’s unfounded, scurrilous and outrageous outburst that Secretary Peterson is a racist. This personal insult, uttered in the Senate chambers, is simply inexcusable and not worthy of his position as a leader in the Senate.

“Lynn Peterson has led the most successful effort in years to promote opportunities for women and minority-owned businesses by pushing hard to make sure that women- and minority-owned businesses get a fair chance to compete for transportation projects.

“We can only wonder what the Senate Republicans’ next politically motivated attack will be.”

Peterson's oust comes less than a year after legislators passed a transportation package that allocates $16 billion for road maintenance and construction, among other expenses.

This is the largest package passed in Washington State history.

Members of the Senate majority highlighted DOT's recent management failures before today's vote, speaking to a growing sense of doubt about Peterson's ability to lead new projects.

"We have gone from crisis to crisis with our transportation projects and today, the Senate made it clear we have no confidence in her ability to proceed as our state's transportation secretary," said Sen. Michael Baumgartner. "Taxpayers expect better results for their dollars."

Cox Media Group