The Oregon Department of Transportation has appointed long-time Columbia River Crossing insider Kris Strickler, as its senior representative on the project.
The hiring, announced internally Monday, completes a transition at the helm of the controversial bridge-freeway construction project. The Washington Department of Transportation named Nancy Boyd as its CRC leader on Sunday.
As part of the leadership change, the CRC will dump its somewhat clunky organizational structure in which both states appointed equal co-leaders. Going forward, Boyd will lead the project and Oregon’s representative, Strickler, will serve as her deputy.
The change comes at a crucial time for the $3.6 billion project, which has come under fire for its enormous price tag, slow progress and questionable decisions. For example, two review panels urged the CRC to dump the unusual and untested bridge type it had settled on.
Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber and Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire sided with the review panels, last week appearing jointly to announce the new bridge type for the Portland-Vancouver crossing.
Boyd is a 20-year veteran at WashDOT, most recently as a deputy state design engineer. At CRC, she replaces Don Wagner, who is returning to his former post as WashDOT’s regional administrator in Southwest Washington.
“There’s nothing I’d rather be doing than this project, helping deliver the CRC,” she said. “It’s very much what the region needs for its economy, mobility and livability.”
Strickler, Oregon’s new CRC chief, worked at the CRC from 2004 to 2010, ultimately serving as deputy director. He took a short sidetrip into the private sector, joining HDR Engineering in June 2010. HDR Engineering has worked as a contractor for CRC, billing more than $5.5 million.
Strickler replaces Richard Brandman as Oregon’s senior CRC executive. ODOT did not renew Brandman’s contract when it expired in February.
Matthew Garrett, ODOT director, said the leadership changes should not be viewed as a commentary on the performance of Wagner and Brandman. “We’re trying to bring in the best people to form a team,” he said. “This is not about looking back or casting aspersions.”
