Sound Transit’s new CEO isn’t any stranger to King County or the transit board.
Dow Constantine, who has served as county govt for 16 years and can also be a Sound Transit board member, was chosen as the brand new CEO by the transit board out of a area of 60 candidates.
Not like Constantine, lots of the candidates for the job have direct expertise operating transit techniques, together with the 4 different finalists who misplaced out to the profession politician. Sound Transit insists the general public shouldn’t know who the finalists had been as a result of “the company maintains confidentiality of all candidates.” Secrecy earlier than, throughout and after the hiring of a high public official ought to concern the elected officials on the board and the individuals who elected them.
As govt, Constantine appointed a lot of the members of the Sound Transit board. These board members in flip voted to rent Constantine. In every other sector, public or personal, that could possibly be thought of a battle of curiosity. The plain battle evaded these members of the board, although, as a board member Constantine eliminated himself from the method.
As a board member Constantine has been a part of Sound Transit’s successes and failures. The company’s choice to construct 4 miles of monitor on the bottom floor versus elevated rails has contributed to dozens of accidents, together with a minimum of eight fatalities.
The company has skilled a number of expensive delays in increasing the 1 Line and years of delays in beginning service to the Eastside. Newer system breakdowns have inconvenienced passengers’ journey simply as many are returning to make use of the service because the pandemic.
But, Constantine has been a part of some successes.
The $4 billion system is present process its biggest enlargement because of assist Constantine and others garnered from voters. The choice to construct two stations close to the College of Washington has made journey for college students, college and hospital workers, and sports activities followers extra environment friendly. And the return of fare ambassadors ought to assist generate extra earnings via fare enforcement.
As CEO, the buck stops with Constantine. He must shepherd the expansions to the Eastside and north and south; repair the issues with breakdowns and delays; and put together the system for when Seattle hosts six World Cup matches subsequent yr.
As Constantine leads the company, passenger security aboard and out of doors the trains ought to at all times be within the forefront, together with nice stewardship and accountability of the individuals’s tax {dollars}.
