King County Council unanimously approved Rick Brater’s appointment as the director of Road Services Division. Brater has served on an interim basis since October 2018.

The Road Services Division operates as part of the county’s new Department of Local Services. Brater will continue to lead an agency that maintains 1,500 miles of roadway and 182 bridges in unincorporated King County. Road services has nearly 400 employees and six maintenance divisions.

“Rick has served the county with excellence for many years. He was instrumental in coordinating and leading the Road Services Division in the recent snow events and is a trusted professional with an outstanding reputation,” Department of Local Services director John Taylor said in a press release. “I thank the council today for confirming him in the role of director, and look forward to working with him to address the challenges ahead in maintaining our roads network.”

Brater has worked for King County for more than 17 years. He served as Engineering Services section manager, then county road engineer before being named interim director.

He has managed nearly $900 million worth of road infrastructure projects, including construction of the new South Park Bridge, emergency repairs to the Baring Bridge, and remedying design defects on the Tolt Hill Bridge.

Before joining King County, Brater spent nearly a decade with Washington State Ferries, most recently as terminal engineering program and design manager.

“I thank the executive and council for their vote of confidence, and look forward to serving in this position to my utmost abilities,” Brater said in a press release. “Working with the council, I hope to find innovative strategies to address the challenges in our unincorporated roads network and meeting the growing needs of this region.”