The Sound Transit Board unanimously appointed Redmond Mayor John Marchione as chair of the Sound Transit board of directors and Steilacoom Mayor Ron Lucas and Everett Councilmember Paul Roberts as vice chairs.

As Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers prepares to end his two-year term as chair at the close of 2018, board members praised his leadership and accomplishments.

“I am honored to serve our region as chair of the Sound Transit Board,” Marchione said in a release. “I plan to build on Executive Somers’ hard work and successes as we continue to push forward the largest transit investment program in the country. Over the next two years, Sound Transit will prepare to open the Northgate Link extension, continue work on East Link, break ground on both the Lynnwood and Federal Way extensions and shape our plans for expanding South Sounder service. We have our work cut out for us.”

The new officers’ terms extend through 2020.

“Sound Transit could not succeed in the challenging work ahead without the continuing strong leadership of the Sound Transit Board. Mayor Marchione, Mayor Lucas and Councilmember Roberts could not be better qualified to continue pushing forward the board and staff’s progress,” said Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff. “I cannot overstate the staff’s gratitude for chair Somers’ work over the past two years following passage of ST3. He has played a pivotal role in positioning the agency to succeed in delivering our ambitious program including updating the board’s rules and committee structure.”

The board also named members of each of its four committees for the next two years under the recently reconfigured committee structure to support the agency’s expanded work.

Joining the chairs and vice chairs on the 2019-20 Sound Transit board executive committee are King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci, King County Executive Dow Constantine, Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards and Somers.

See www.soundtransit.org for more.