Yesterday, Mayor-elect Katie Wilson announced Angela Brady will be the next Interim Director of the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT). Since 2022, Brady has served as Director of Seattle’s Office of the Waterfront, Civic Projects & Sound Transit. In the statement announcing the change, Wilson touted Brady’s “strong operational expertise” and said 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.”
Pier 57 and the new Waterfront Park during the Grand Opening in September.
Prior to her current role, Brady was the Deputy Director of Design and Delivery for the Waterfront Program. While not perfect (largely due to minimum lane requirements from WSDOT), the revamped waterfront is a significant improvement over the Alaskan Way Viaduct. Before working on the waterfront, Brady oversaw Seattle’s Mercer Corridor Project as a Supervising Program Manager at SDOT. The Mercer Corridor Project revamped Mercer St in South Lake Union and Lower Queen Anne to contain several lanes of eastbound and westbound vehicles. Other than a two-way protected bike lane under SR-99, the project had few transit, bike, or pedestrian focused improvements.
While the projects on Brady’s resume may not align with Wilson’s vision for a truly multi-modal city, her experience working with and for SDOT will ensure a smooth transition for the agency. During the next few months, Wilson’s team will continue the search for a permanent SDOT Director who will be more aligned with Wilson’s transportation priorities.
