Rob Johnson, TCC’s previous Executive Director, was elected to the Seattle City Council last year. Yesterday, he took his oath of office.

When I took the Policy Director job at Transportation Choices on August 1, 2004 I thought that I would be here for a few years before figuring out what I was going to do for the rest of my life. 

Now here we are 11+ years later and it’s starting to sink in that I only have a few days left at TCC. 

I’m proud of so many things we’ve accomplished in my time here. 

The transit ballot measures we’ve helped pass over the last decade have generated (at my count) nearly $30B dollars for transit, bike lanes, and sidewalks throughout Washington State. 

We’ve passed cutting edge transportation policies at the state and local level around parking, complete streets, VMT reduction, and progressive transportation funding. We’ve become a stronger organization, doubling in size and budget, establishing our first organizational reserve, and successfully recruiting and retaining excellent staffers.

As I look ahead, I believe 2016 will be Transportation Choices best year yet. Sound Transit will open its Capitol Hill and Husky Stadium light rail stations and put a plan in front of voters to expand high capacity transit in our region for the third time. Transit agencies across the state are contemplating ballot measures to keep and expand service to meet ever increasing demand. And TCC will working to ensure the new transportation funding measures passed in Olympia and Seattle will be spent wisely. 

Through it all, the organization will be led by the steady hand of our new Executive Director Shefali Ranganathan, who will be absolutely fantastic. 

I’d like to add just a few final thank you’s as I pack up my office. 

Thanks to the 50+ individuals who have served on the board since I joined TCC, it’s been a real pleasure. I worked for some incredible board presidents and would like to thank Kathy Huckabay, Barbara Wright, and Amy Grotefendt, for their patience, wisdom, and guidance. 

Matt Ferguson and Kyle Loring served on the board for the past decade in nearly every role on the TCC Executive Committee. For an Executive Director that consistency and institutional memory was invaluable, plus they’re just really fun to be around. 

The staff at TCC throughout my time has been incredible to work with. So thanks to Kari, Melissa, Jessyn, Dana (Blu), Shefali, Genesee, Rachel, Bill, Andrew, Viet, Carrie, Jasmine, Carla S., Hester, Carla C., Andrew (again), and Abigail for your friendship and dedication.

And finally, thank you – your consistent support of TCC gave us a solid foundation that was crucial for all of TCC’s successes. Every comment, petition, phone call to legislators, door knock, phone bank and financial gift brings us closer to our shared vision for transportation.

I hope that you’ll join me in renewing your support for Transportation Choices. We’ve got big plans for 2016 and beyond and we’ll need your time, energy, and financial support as we fight to put more buses, bike lanes, and sidewalks in every community in Washington State. (Gotta ask you for a contribution one last time!)

Thanks for all you do for Transportation Choices! 

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