Santa Cruz transportation commission appoints new director

This Santa Cruz Regional Transportation Commission is the agency responsible for deciding how transportation funds are spent in Santa Cruz County, and is governed by a board composed of representatives from each of Santa Cruz County’s five districts, and each of its four incorporated cities. I’ve worked with Sarah Christensen for several years. She’s been the de facto voice and face of the SCCRTC for several years now. She knows how to navigate her way around in both local and state politics, and handles herself deftly when a certain RTC board member (*koff*ManuKoenig*koff*) try to trip her up. She really knows her stuff and I think the RTC board has made the correct choice. I’ll paste the news release from the RTC word for word now:

The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) is pleased to announce that, after an extensive search, RTC Senior Transportation Engineer Sarah Christensen has been hired as the agency’s new Executive Director.

Christensen has over 19 years of experience in organizational leadership, planning, and implementation of major capital projects along the Central Coast and in the Bay Area. As the RTC’s Senior Transportation Engineer since 2017, she has overseen engineering and capital project delivery for the agency. Her accomplishments with the RTC include managing the $350 million Highway 1 Auxiliary Lanes & Bus-on-Shoulder Program; leading the implementation of the first permanent bus-on-shoulder facility in the state of California; developing and delivering the equity-focused Watsonville to Santa Cruz Multimodal Corridor (WSCMC) Program of innovative and sustainable transportation projects along major transportation routes through Santa Cruz County; developing the funding strategy along with leading the grant application process to successfully secure $107.2 million of Senate Bill 1 funds and $30 million of Federal Mega funds for the WSCMC program; and managing the RTC’s Rail Program including development of Zero Emission Passenger Rail, storm damage repairs, and infrastructure preservation of the RTC-owned 32-mile Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line.

“I am excited to announce that Sarah Christensen will be the next executive director of the RTC,” said RTC Chair Kristen Brown. “Sarah is a proven leader who will bring her nearly two decades of experience managing and delivering transformative transportation projects across the region to her new role. I look forward to working with her in this new capacity as she continues the great work she has already begun to develop and deliver equitable and sustainable transportation solutions for our county.”

Prior to her position at the RTC, Christensen was a transportation project manager in private consulting where her work included delivery of multimodal projects across the state including highway, interchange, bicycle/pedestrian overcrossing, complete streets, trail, Bus Rapid Transit, tolling, and express lanes projects. She specialized in delivering and developing funding strategies for multijurisdictional and complex projects, including the $500 million Silicon Valley Express Lanes Program for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) along State Route 237, 85, and US 101.  

Christensen has a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from San Jose State University, a Master of Science degree in Transportation Management from the Mineta Transportation Institute, and is a licensed civil engineer. She will bring a wealth of experience in engineering, capital project delivery, project programming, construction management, and financing of multi-modal transportation projects to her new role leading the RTC.

“During my time with the RTC, I have enjoyed engaging with the community, fostering partnerships, and delivering results that will create a lasting positive impact on the quality of life for Santa Cruz County,” Christensen said. “In my new position as executive director, I look forward to continuing to provide high-quality transportation solutions for the community and leading the Commission into its next successful chapter.”

Christensen will enter into a three-year contract with the RTC and will report directly to the Board of Directors. She will start on Sept. 9.