OTA Dispatch Issue 4 2019

15 www.ortrucking.org Issue 4 | 2019 I’VE BEEN INVOLVED in transportation my entire career, both in the public sector and working for private engineering firms. After graduating from Washington State University (Go Cougs!) in 1998 with an engineering degree, I went to work for the Washington State Department of Transportation in design and construction. I had the privilege of working in construction of major sections of I-5 through Vancouver and other areas across the region. I eventually moved over to the I-5 Columbia River Crossing (CRC), which sought to replace the Interstate Bridge and extend light rail into Vancouver. I was there in 2004 at the start of that effort and saw it through to the very end, serving as deputy director and director as I worked for both WSDOT and ODOT. During that time, I was engaged in just about every aspect of the undertaking, including project development, stakeholder outreach and community engagement, and leading state legislative efforts to secure funding and approval. After all the work I did on that project, it’s gratifying to see it being re-engaged by the governors and legislators of both states. After we closed the doors on the first iteration of CRC, I transitioned to the private sector before landing back at WSDOT as South West Regional Administrator. When the opportunity to serve as Highway Division Administrator came up in 2018, I made the leap back over to ODOT. In addition to my near decade-long involvement with the CRC, I’ve recently become deeply engaged in our congestion relief projects in the Portland metro region. Anyone traveling through Portland-area transportation corridors, especially during peak times, has experienced an unprecedented level of gridlock. With a comprehensive congestion relief program for the metro region, we can begin to address the major bottlenecks in the Portland region, potentially shortening travel times for everyone—especially freight haulers. I laid out four priorities when I was appointed by the Oregon Transportation Commission: ` Diversity, equity, and workforce development. We need to invest in our people, be inclusive, foster relationships, attract diverse talent and opinions, and create deliberative succession plans. ` Safety, operations, and technology. We need to support technology and operate underutilized capacity and implement one multimodal system. Our customers don’t focus on whose facility they use, they care about having choices in getting where they need to go reliably. We should set the example and prioritize safety for all modes and users. ` Sustainable funding and revenue. We need to embrace change early and be bold and equitable. We need to maintain the investments we have made in our communities and recognize that keeping our facilities in a state of good repair requires intent and investment. ` Address congestion needs. We need to address congestion, using innovative approaches that recognize urgency and efficiency, and we need to deliver community focused, multimodal practical solutions for our customers. In doing so, we want to be a national leader for environmental stewardship, and continue to support the economic goals of this great state. New Director of ODOT Kris Strickler INTRODUCING