Welcome This New Caltrans Chief

From the beginning of the Gray Davis administration, Davis’ selection of San Francisco Supervisor Jose Medina as director of the state Department of Transportation stood out as curious and weak. Medina had no special experience in the subject, and the appointment smacked of a political favor to San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown. Not surprisingly, Medina had a rocky road as Caltrans chief. His administrative bungles included his recent approval of the botched sale of a private toll road in Orange and Riverside counties.

“He did a fine job under difficult circumstances,” Davis said last week, reaching for faint praise as he replaced Medina as Caltrans chief with Jeff Morales, the executive vice president of the Chicago Transit Authority, where he was credited with halting a slide in ridership and drafting a capital construction plan for the future.

Morales’ appointment was not greeted with enthusiasm by California’s highway establishment, which too often has given Caltrans a tilt toward pouring more lanes of concrete.

Public transit proponents, however, were ecstatic. The important point is not whether Morales has shown any leaning toward public transit, but the sort of job he does with the 22,000-employee agency and its $7.5-billion annual budget. Morales, in fact, is far more than just a public transit man. He has a broad background in transportation issues in Washington, D.C., in both legislative and administrative roles.

The state Senate should welcome Morales to California with quick confirmation so the state can begin developing a transportation system for the 2000s. And who knows? Perhaps Morales can offer Los Angeles’ Metropolitan Transportation Authority some tips on how to structure a modern, efficient agency. That would be a double bonus.