When he was Federal Transit Administration chief, Peter M. Rogoff in 2009 OK’d $813 million in federal grants to Seattle-area rail agency Sound Transit to boost construction of a regional light-rail line. Now the third-ranked U.S. Transportation Dept. honcho, the veteran transportation executive is leaving to lead Sound Transit itself, where his job will include persuading voters to fund, next November, more of that expansion. Named the agency’s CEO last month, he will replace, in January, Joni Earl, its longtime and much-touted chief who is retiring for health reasons.
“My goal is to build on the excellent reputation and execution Sound Transit has already delivered for the people of Puget Sound,” says Rogoff, terming it “a very high-functioning agency.” Among key tasks ahead for the former transportation under-secretary for policy is championing a revenue issue on the state’s 2016 ballot to fund the expansion up to $20 billion. Dow Constantine, Sound Transit board chairman, said Rogoff’s track record— Rogoff served for 22 years on the Senate Appropriations Committee staff, for example—will “help us navigate what are, in the best conditions, choppy waters.”