Constantine after cutting the ribbon to open Capitol Hill Station in 2016

King County Executive Dow Constantine will deliver his final State of the County address Wednesday as he prepares to take a new job — leading Sound Transit.

Constantine has led the county since 2009 through years of unprecedented economic and population growth. Constantine also led King County as it struggled with the pandemic and the unrest of the Black Lives Matter movement. He announced late last year he would not seek reelection but pledged to continue “critical work of transit and transportation, climate action, behavioral health, affordable housing, arts and culture.”

King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay, with a growing roster of key endorsements, has been seen as the favorite in the race to replace him.

Constantine, who serves as chair of the Sound Transit board, has been tabbed as the next CEO to lead the $3.1 billion public transit agency.

“We are pleased to put forward Dow Constantine for a vote of the Board,” a statement from the group reads. “We are confident he has the knowledge, experience, and commitment to achieve Sound Transit’s goals and complete the ST3 package.”

Being CEO of Sound Transit is a tough job with many constituencies to serve, and Dow has proven over his career in public service that he can deliver large capital projects, successfully oversee a major transit agency, and foster partnerships across our region that are essential to make Sound Transit function at the highest possible level. We know this is a crucial time for the agency, and there are difficult and complex discussions on the near horizon, along with reforms that will require knowledge and commitment to continue forward. These include operational and maintenance challenges that need to be addressed immediately by an incoming CEO, increased accountability measures, as well as rising financial pressure from inflation and economic uncertainties. As Board leaders, our priority remains delivering on the voter-approved ST3 package, while operating a safe and dependable system.

If approved, Constantine will be at the forefront of Sound Transit’s hugely challenged push to reach Ballard and his home West Seattle neighborhood that has faced ongoing battles over alignment and timelines. Delays for the planned lines serving the city’s northwest and West Seattle have grown and will cost billions more than originally planned. Facing some $54 billion in expansion plans, Sound Transit added a Deputy CEO for Megaproject Delivery to help improve its results.

“The search for a new CEO was competitive,” the Sound Transit board statement on Constantine’s nomination reads. “The Board started with 60 applicants from around the world and narrowed the field from 15 to 5 to 3 and finally to 1. It was a thorough process with significant public input, vigorous discussions, and multiple panels that included transit riders, disability advocates, other regional transit agencies, and labor and economic development organizations.”

In the meantime, Constantine’s final State of the County speech is scheduled to begin at 1 PM Wednesday.

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