I've long advocated WashDOT take over our commuter rail system while expanding its reach beyond the Sound Transit service area. Perhaps Olympia, Bellingham, Wenatchee and Bremerton?
A current reorganization in the Rail and Marine Office, which also oversees the passenger ferry system, gives me an opportunity to mention that idea again!
I am a fan of this organization - it's definitely big and has the typical resulting problems, but they also seem to get it right, innovating at about the right speed, etc. There are definitely the typical old school white boy engineers there but the culture is very functional. Paula Hammond, the current director, is trained as an engineer and is doing a great job at continuing to modernize the agency. She is the only Gregoire appointee I'm optomistic about.
WSDOT has also just awarded a contract towards the next phase of smart traffic management. If the technology upgrade path continues on this endeavor continues we may well end up with the world's best environmentally friendly road system.
