Brady (Image: City of Seattle)
Mayor-elect Katie Wilson first made her name as a leader in Seattle as an advocate for public transit and safer streets. Her first major change in city leadership will come in the Seattle Department of Transportation.
Wilson this week announced that she is naming a new SDOT interim director, selecting the city’s leader on the project that created its new Waterfront Park and its relationship with Sound Transit for the role.
Angela Brady will step up from leading Waterfront Civic Projects and the Sound Transit representative role to lead SDOT.
Brady “is committed to addressing our maintenance backlog, and shares my vision of world-class transit, a citywide network of protected bike lanes, safe and accessible sidewalks, great pedestrian spaces, and housing-rich neighborhoods packed with amenities,” Wilson said.
Brady replaces Adiam Emery, the former deputy to Mayor Bruce Harrell he appointed as interim director earlier this year. Emery was tabbed after Greg Spotts left Seattle City Hall after two years that included completion of the $144 million RapidRide G line on Madison and shepherding a $1.45 billion transportation levy to approval with voters. The “15-minute city advocate” Spotts made the move from Southern California to the Pacific Northwest with a “Vision Zero” agenda and a philosophy around “self-enforcing” roads that was not a fit with the Harrell administration.
Brady, who will also serve in an interim capacity but should now have an inside track on the permanent role, said she hopes to build on her success guiding “major investments that will forever shape Seattle’s waterfront and our city’s identity.”
The new Waterfront Park was designed with many “pedestrian-first” features including the Overlook Walk, Union Street Pedestrian Bridge, and Park Promenade as well as a new 1.2-mile segment of protected bike lanes and a connection to the Elliott Bay trail (Image: City of Seattle)
“I want to thank Mayor-elect Wilson for trusting me with this important role, and I am truly looking forward to working in partnership with her, other city departments, communities, and key agency partners as we continue working to ensure efficient and safe access to all modes of travel in Seattle,” Brady said in the announcement.
Wilson’s administration is also taking shape with City Hall veterans staying on. In the announcement, Wilson said Tanya Kim will remain as Seattle Human Services Department director and Dwane Chappelle will stay on as director of the Department of Education and Early Learning.
Last week, Wilson made one of the biggest decisions in her re-shaping of Seattle City Hall as she announced Harrell’s newly installed chief of police would remain.
Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes, Seattle Fire Department Chief Harold Scoggins, Office of Emergency Management director Curry Mayer, and CARE Chief Amy Barden are all lined up to continue their leadership roles under Wilson.
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