Here's what you need to know about soon to be new MnDOT Commissioner Tom Sorel: He comes from outside of MnDOT and he has a technical background as a civil engineer. Both of those facts are politically important, especially after a bridge collapse. Interesting that the governor's office went to Sorel instead of the other way around. Sorel sounds like he'll be pro-transit and light rail. He was the USDOT liaison to the Salt Lake City Olympic games and led the effort to build "infrastructure" including mass transit. I asked him if he'd advocate to get Central Corridor back on track and he wasn't ready to commit to that. He did drop the pro-transit term "multi-modal" several times.
Frequent MnDOT critic Senate Transportation Chair Steve Murphy was satisfied with the pick. Murph said he was "very impressed" with Sorel's comments about transit and he thought Sorel "left the door open" to Central Corridor. Murphy spoke with federal Transportation Chair Jim Oberstar who is also "confident" with this selection. Murphy will hold confirmation hearings, but it won't be anytime soon. Pawlenty and Murphy gave great praise to acting commissioner Bob McFarlin who attended the press conference in "support" of the appointment. McFarlin was one of three people interviewed for the job. Sen. Murphy said he would have been "comfortable" with McFarlin as well.