WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

SR 8681

Recognizing Patty Rubstello.

2023-2024 Regular Session Introduced by Marko Liias

Senate resolution honors Patty Rubstello for 33 years at WSDOT/WSF, recognizing her leadership in transportation policy, tolling, and her retirement.

Adopted.
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SR 8681

Summary of Senate Resolution 8681 (SR 8681) — Recognizing Patty Rubstello

Overall purpose

SR 8681 is a formal Senate resolution honoring and congratulating Patty Rubstello for more than three decades of service to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and Washington State Ferries (WSF), and for her leadership, dedication, and retirement after 33 years of public service.

What the resolution does

  • Expresses the Senate’s appreciation for Patty Rubstello’s career and achievements.
  • Officially recognizes her contributions to transportation policy, tolling programs, and the modernization of Washington’s transportation systems.
  • Provides a ceremonial acknowledgment of her retirement and leadership roles.

Key background and achievements highlighted

The resolution narrates a chronological record of Rubstello’s career, including:
- Began at WSDOT in 1990.
- Advocated for the I-405 corridor program as a traffic policy engineer (2002).
- Led marketing and outreach for the SR 167 HOT project and its Good-to-Go electronic tolling system (2008).
- Contributed to later “smarter highways” initiatives, including automated traffic management (2010).
- Implemented tolling on the SR 520 floating bridge (2011).
- Oversaw the I-405 express toll lanes project between Bellevue and Lynnwood (2015) and assumed toll division leadership (2015).
- Created the Office of Urban Mobility and Access (2017) and served as assistant secretary.
- Appointed as assistant secretary of WSDOT and head of WSF (2020), the largest ferry system in the United States.
- Demonstrated commitment to public service, including pursuing an engineering degree through night classes and, as head of WSF, obtaining hands-on insight by participating in ordinary sailor training to better understand expectations of ferry operators.
- Focused on workforce strengthening, ferry reliability, and community needs.

Provisions and legal effect

  • The resolution is ceremonial, not a statute or policy change. It acknowledges and honors Rubstello’s service and retirement.
  • Be It Resolved clause: The Senate honors and congratulates Patty Rubstello for over three decades of outstanding service at WSDOT.
  • Certification: The Secretary of the Senate is authorized to certify the resolution as adopted.
  • No appropriation or statute changes are involved.

Who is affected

  • Patty Rubstello (the honoree).
  • WSDOT and WSF employees and leadership, as well as the broader public who benefit from her contributions to transportation policy and operations.

Timeline and procedural details

  • Introduced: February 22, 2024.
  • Status: Adopted.
  • Action: Adopted by the Senate on February 22, 2024.
  • The resolution is attributed to Senator Liias (sponsorship reflected in the version content).

Significance

The resolution provides formal public recognition of a long and influential career in transportation policy, tolling, and ferry operations, highlighting leadership, professional development, and commitment to serving Washington residents.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.