A tough job ahead: State names new ferries chief

OLYMPIA -- Lynne Griffith, a former CEO of Pierce Transit, has been named the assistant secretary for the Washington State Ferries Division, the WSDOT announced Wednesday.

Griffith was appointed to her new spot by the Secretary of the Washington State Department of Transportation, Lynn Peterson. The move comes as the state faces mounting pressure to fix real and perceived problems with the state ferry system, which operates 163,000 scheduled sailings annually.

Griffith will take over next month and will be responsible for guiding the ferries management team and all ferries employees to meet safety, operational and budgetary goals; and collaborating effectively with community and labor partners and other WSDOT divisions, officials said in a release.

She is the first woman to hold the position.

“I am excited to work with the 1,700 men and women who are responsible for providing such an important transportation connection to Washingtonians,” said Griffith in a release. “It is no small task to operate service reliably and safely on such a large scale, and I am looking forward to this opportunity.”

A 35-year transportation veteran, Griffith also spent time managing specialized transportation for people with disabilities.

The move comes at the end of a summer that saw increasing ferry lines, and a few missed sailings. The M/V Tacoma underwent repairs after a highly publicized break down between Edmonds-Kingston.