Senate Transportation Committee hears Julie Meredith’s confirmation hearing for WSDOT secretary

Julie Meredith, Governor Jay Inslee’s nominee to serve as secretary of the Washington State Department of Transportation, appeared under oath before the Washington State Senate Transportation Committee on Feb. 25 for a confirmation hearing.

Meredith told the committee she has worked for 36 years in transportation and has spent the last 20 years managing “large scale multimodal infrastructure projects,” and emphasized a focus on delivering projects while improving communications with the public and other state leaders. “We have to walk and chew gum at the same time,” she said, describing the need to balance expansion with maintenance.

Meredith outlined the scale and condition of the state system: nearly 19,000 miles of highway, approximately 3,300 state-owned bridges, five toll facilities, 21 state ferries on 10 routes and coordination with 32 transit systems. She said WSDOT employs about 7,500 people and that her teams have delivered “more than $16,000,000,000 of infrastructure” over her career. She told senators the system “has expanded these past 20 years but we haven't been able to maintain it in a state of good repair,” pointing to declining revenues and rising construction costs.

The nominee said her priorities include clearer communication with the governor's office, the Office of Financial Management and the traveling public; a continued emphasis on operations, maintenance and preservation; and workforce development. She also said she will emphasize fish passage and ferry system investments and “lead WSDOT with transparency and accountability.”

Senators asked operational and policy questions. Ranking Member Senator King pressed whether Meredith would consider expanding roads, bridges and highways beyond preservation work; Meredith replied that “in order to keep our transportation system going, I think we need to look at the future,” but reiterated the need to maintain existing assets while pursuing potential expansion.

Senator McEwen raised concerns that required studies often stall projects. Meredith said she is “committed to making that happen” and to working with legislators to streamline the process. Senator Wilson invited Meredith to ride a small 21-car ferry in the 19th Legislative District; Meredith accepted.

Committee members praised Meredith’s emphasis on partnerships and staff experience and indicated they expect to report her confirmation “favorably” later in the week.

Meredith closed by saying she intends to visit all six WSDOT regions and ferry routes after the legislative session to meet employees and local legislators and to “be secretary of transportation for all of Washington.”

The committee did not take a recorded confirmation vote during the hearing; staff said the committee plans to act later in the week.