New interim SDOT director announced by Mayor-elect Wilson, plus decision to keep two other department heads

Just in from Mayor-elect Katie Wilson – she’s chosen a new interim SDOT director, and decided to keep two other department heads. From the announcement:

My administration is committed to building a transportation network that allows every person in every neighborhood to safely and reliably get where they want to go, whether they use transit, walk, bike, roll, or drive. We have the opportunity to move quickly to shape Seattle’s transportation future in line with this vision. In just the next year, Sound Transit will make key decisions regarding West Seattle and Ballard Link, our Seattle (Transit) Measure will be up for renewal, and we’ll continue to deliver on projects across the city that were funded through the recent transportation levy.

Success on this quick timeline will require strong operational expertise, which is why I am excited to announce Angela Brady as Interim SDOT Director to lead on these critical issues in 2026. Angela comes to SDOT from the Office of the Waterfront, Civic Projects and Sound Transit, where she oversaw implementation of the new Waterfront Park, and where she currently serves as the City of Seattle’s Designated Representative to Sound Transit. Angela 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. I want to thank Adiam Emery for her dedicated service to the SDOT and the City of Seattle.

(Brady is quoted as saying:) “I am honored to be selected for this critical role with the new administration, particularly at such a pivotal and exciting time for our city. I have worked tirelessly through many years of community engagement, planning, design, and construction to successfully deliver on major investments that will forever shape Seattle’s waterfront and our city’s identity and I am thrilled to be able to offer my leadership and expertise toward delivering on SDOT’s commitments to the public as part of the Seattle Transportation Levy and so much more. 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.”

According to the city announcement of Brady’s promotion a year ago to the role she’s leaving, she “has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Washington, is a licensed Professional Engineer in Washington State, and is also a licensed Project Management Professional with the Project Management Institute.”

Wilson’s announcement also includes her decisions to keep Tanya Kim as head of the Human Services Department:

Reducing unsheltered homelessness will be a top priority for my administration. We particularly need to take quick action to open new emergency housing and shelter beds ahead of the World Cup in June 2026. Success will require close collaboration between my administration, the King County Regional Homelessness Authority, service providers, the business community, and many other stakeholders. To partner with my office in this work, I am retaining Seattle Human Services Department Director Tanya Kim. Together, I am confident that we can provide people the care they need, in dignified settings, and bring proven solutions to scale.

And she’s keeping Dr. Dwane Chappelle as head of the Department of Education and Early Learning.

Actualperson December 17, 2025 (4:52 pm)

Lots of aspirational goals for the new SDOT head. Will be interesting to see how (and who) will actually be paying.

North Admiral Cyclist December 17, 2025 (5:33 pm)

Great to see this. Angela Brady did a good job delivering the Waterfront Project. I’ve witnessed Angela’s capabilities going back more than 25 years, and the City has been lucky to benefit from her public service. Angela brings exceptional experience in a long line of the transportation projects and activities here in the Seattle area.

Richard Gave December 17, 2025 (6:03 pm)

I feel bad for SDOT staff. They’ve had such turnover in SDOT Directors there. Hoping that staff are getting the support they need to keep their projects moving

Azimuth December 17, 2025 (6:40 pm)

I love me some fancy infrastructure as much as the next guy but how about for next few years we spend more energy on the low hanging fruit and pave the roads and sidewalks. Fix all the annoying little things like bad utility patch jobs (all over), cracked/crumbling concrete (ex: Barton & 26th), the teeth-rattlers (ex: 61st), unfinished utilities (ex: Oregon & 38th), separating sidewalk panels (all over), safer intersections (ex: Charlestown & 45th) and, yes, build some sidewalks and curb cuts for good measure. I guarantee lots of happy taxpayers.

Seattlite December 17, 2025 (7:54 pm)

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I agree with your post. However, it won’t happen. The goal is to make driving miserable and unsafe to get you out of your car. The different routes I walk around WS have sidewalks that are raised from tree roots; cracked cement. Thank goodness some caring residents spray paint the raised areas and cracks with bright orange or yellow color that helps pedestrians from tripping or falling.
Jort December 17, 2025 (8:40 pm)

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I love this – this idea that “repaving the roads and sidewalks” is the low-hanging fruit. Do you know how expensive repaving is? It is most certainly not “low-hanging fruit.” It’s incredibly expensive and complex.
dmartin December 18, 2025 (5:40 am)

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If you think it’s bad here in West Seattle, go to Capitol Hill. I was amazed at the horrible condition of the roads there; they are beyond pot hole repair. Yes, I want us to be a more walkable and bikeable city, but fix the basic infrastructure first. Road diets and painted bike lanes on roads that are crumbling is just going to make cost even more in the future. to replace them. When family comes into town, the condition of our roads and sidewalks are one of the first things they notice.

K December 17, 2025 (7:25 pm)

Let’s be honest. The main qualification for an SDOT director for the next couple years is the ability to put up with Rob Saka. He feud with the traffic curb ran out the last guy. And now the supposed pothole king is neglecting the roads to build an idiotic turnaround because he can’t admit he was wrong. Best of luck to Ms. Brady! I hope she knows what she’s getting into.

22blades December 18, 2025 (4:23 am)

It’s 4 am, not a sole in sight & I’m sitting here waiting to turn right but I’m going to have my car realigned from the failed roadways. Good new/s is, we have three event stadiums & a massive concrete blob for a waterfront. Prioritization is just not a Seattle thing. I’m pretty skeptical of an engineer taking this on.

anonyme December 18, 2025 (6:19 am)

SDOT is lousy with engineers and with engineers who are lousy. I also find it interesting that Wilson wants to get the homeless out of sight before the World Cup. That says a lot about her priorities.

Confused December 18, 2025 (8:52 am)

Great, another new interim SDOT director who will probably do nothing. We have bridges that got “D-F” ratings almost 20 years ago and they still haven’t been fixed. We have moving bridges that constantly break down throughout the city, roads that should be condemned due to the extremely poor condition of the roadway. We have sidewalks that just end, or are in such disrepair that people are forced to walk in the street. We have bike paths that don’t keep our bicyclists safe from the often erratic drivers. Every time we get a new director for SDOT they never seem to fix what’s currently broken, and just start new projects that end up going into cost overruns or are such poor quality that they have to start over. Stop with the new projects, and finish/fix what we currently have.