Governor Christine Gregoire has announced the appointment of Jody Erickson and Michael Hughes of The Keystone Center as mediators for the State Route 520 bridge replacement project. The appointment of a mediator was called for in Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6099 which was signed into law in May 2007.
The Keystone Center is a Colorado based firm. Mr. Hughes is the vice president and director of the Center for Science and Public Policy at The Keystone Center and has 16 years of experience mediating transportation, land use, air quality and health policy matters. He was the lead mediator for the St. Croix River Crossing in Wisconsin which involved transportation, historic preservation and environmental concerns. Ms. Erickson is a specialist in neutral process design and mediation and facilitation services to resolve technical policy issues. She also participated in the St. Criox River Crossing project.
The SR 520 mediation process begins this week and a final report is due to the Governor and the state legislature in December 2008.