Friday, February 22, 2013

UPDATED: Shakeup at NCDOT. Will it affect the Red Line?

In case you missed it, the shakeup at NCDOT has begun with Deputy Secretary for Transit, Paul Morris, being one of its first casualties.  Hat tip to the Daily Haymaker blog for picking up on this one.

As mentioned previously, Paul Morris's fate at NCDOT could be a harbinger of things to come with the Red Line project.  Mr Morris was brought onto the project by NCDOT as a consultant to get the project off of life support and then managed to work his way into a cabinet level appointment.  His experience working for well-connected outfits like Parsons Brinckerhoff and Cherokee Investment Partners certainly couldn't have hurt that meteoric rise, and I'm guessing having Deputy Secretary for Transit on his resume won't hurt either as he eases back into the private sector.

How his departure affects the project remains to be seen.  In light of events earlier this week with the introduction of pro-Red Line legislation at the General Assembly, the jury is still out on where this train ride is headed.

UPDATE: Other Links to story line...

Paul Morris will be replaced by Richard Walls per the Triangle Business Journal.  A quick review of Mr Walls previous employers shows that the new Dep Sec Transit may be no different than the old Dep Sec Transit - big-time consulting background, former employers involved in issues, more sure to come on this one...

NCDOT undergoes organizational changes - Railway Track & Structures

NCDOT leadership gets total makeover -Triangle Business Journal

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