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Paul Wiedefeld
Wiedefeld in January 2023
Maryland Secretary of Transportation
Incumbent
Assumed office
March 2, 2023
Acting: January 24, 2023 – March 2, 2023
GovernorWes Moore
Preceded byJames F. Ports Jr.
General Manager of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
In office
November 30, 2015 – May 16, 2022
Preceded byJack Requa (acting)
Succeeded byAndy Off (acting)
Executive Director of the Maryland Aviation Administration
In office
September 23, 2009 – July 10, 2015
GovernorMartin O'Malley
Larry Hogan
Preceded byTimothy L. Campbell
Succeeded byRicky D. Smith
In office
May 20, 2002 – July 20, 2005
GovernorParris Glendening
Bob Ehrlich
Preceded byDavid L. Blackshear
Succeeded byTimothy L. Campbell
Administrator of the Maryland Transit Administration
In office
January 17, 2007 – September 23, 2009
GovernorMartin O'Malley
Preceded byLisa Dickerson
Succeeded byRalign T. Wells
Personal details
Born (1955-08-19) August 19, 1955 (age 69)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Children3
Residence(s)Towson, Maryland, U.S.
EducationTowson University (BA)
Rutgers University (MA)
Signature

Paul J. Wiedefeld (born August 19, 1955) is an American politician serving as the Maryland Secretary of Transportation under Governor Wes Moore since 2023. He was previously the general manager of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority from 2015 to 2022, the chief executive officer of the Maryland Aviation Administration from 2002 to 2005 and from 2009 to 2015, and the administrator of the Maryland Transportation Administration from 2007 to 2009.[1]

Early life and education

[edit]

Wiedefeld grew up in the Govans neighborhood of Baltimore,[2] where he graduated from Mount Saint Joseph High School before attending Towson University, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in political science. Wiedefeld later graduated from Rutgers University in 1981 with a Master of Arts degree in city and regional planning.[3]

Career

[edit]

After graduating from Rutgers, Wiedefeld briefly worked as a planner in Morris County, New Jersey, before moving back to Baltimore. He began working for the Maryland Department of Transportation in 1986, where he played a leading role in managing dozens of transportation projects. From 1991 to 1994, he oversaw the department's Office of Systems Planning and Evaluation.[2]

In 1994, Wiedefeld left the Maryland Department of Transportation to become the vice president of engineering and design firm Parsons Brinckerhoff.[2] In April 2002, Governor Parris Glendening named Wiedefeld as the executive director of the Maryland Aviation Administration.[4][2] While CEO, Wiedefeld oversaw the $1.8 billion expansion of Baltimore/Washington International Airport, which was one of the fastest-growing airports in the country at the time.[5] In July 2005, Wiedefeld announced that he would be stepping down to work as the head of aviation consulting practice at Parsons Brinckerhoff.[6]

In 2007, Governor Martin O'Malley named Wiedefeld as the administrator of the Maryland Transit Administration.[5] In November 2008, he ordered the two-week shut down of the northern part of the Baltimore Light RailLink, citing a computerized braking system causing the trains' wheels to crack.[7] In September 2009, Wiedefeld was named as the chief executive officer of the Maryland Aviation Administration, succeeding Timothy L. Campbell.[8] In July 2015, Governor Larry Hogan announced that he would be replacing Wiedefeld with Ricky D. Smith, the head of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.[9]

WMATA General Manager

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On November 5, 2015, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced that it would hire Wiedefeld as its next general manager following a year-long search.[10][11] Wiedefeld took office on November 30, 2015.[12] During his tenure, Wiedefeld sought to prioritize transit safety over rail service, believing it would restore public confidence in the transit system.[13] He was also credited with overhauling the Metro's infrastructure while setting the stage for more-reliable and safer service in the future.[5]

Wiedefeld, Larry Hogan, and Ike Leggett all stand and hang onto railings while riding a train on the Metro's Red Line
Wiedefeld rides the Red Line with Governor Larry Hogan and Montgomery County executive Ike Leggett, April 2018

In March 2016, following a smoke incident near the McPherson Square station, Wiedefeld halted WMATA's operations for 24 hours to allow inspectors to search for dangerously deteriorated power cables. This was the first time that Metrorail had ordered a subway closure on a fair-weather workday.[14][15] This closure was announced with very little public notice, disrupting the commute of thousands of D.C. residents.[16] During the closure, Metro work crews found at least 26 power cables and connectors that required immediate repair.[17]

In May 2016, Wiedefeld unveiled his "SafeTrack" initiative, a nine-month maintenance blitz that saw the transit line endure a series of rolling shutdowns and slowdowns in an effort to condense three years worth of rail maintenance into roughly one year.[18][19][20] The "safety surges" ranged in duration, from seven days to 42 days, and included either around-the-clock single tracking or line-segment shutdowns.[21] These disruptions, combined with continued chronic breakdowns, contributed to a 12 percent decrease in Metro ridership and added to the agency's financial problems, creating a projected $125 million revenue shortfall during fiscal year 2018.[22] The SafeTrack program concluded in June 2017.[23][24]

In July 2016, Wiedefeld proposed a permanent end to late-night weekend subway services,[25] saying that the proposed cuts were "vital to the future health of the system".[26] The proposed service hours cut was criticized by Metro riders,[27] local legislators,[28] and members of the WMATA board.[29] In December 2016, the Metro Board voted to approve a two-year service cut to late-night train services.[30] Wiedefeld proposed bringing back some late-night services in his 2020 budget proposal,[31] but the proposed hour extensions were pushed back until 2021.[32]

In November 2016, Wiedefeld launched the "Back2Good" initiative, a $400,000 marketing campaign aimed at winning back consumer trust through rail-car maintenance and station improvements.[33] A Washington Post interview with WMATA riders a year following the initiative's launch found customers had mixed reactions on the state of the system, despite the improvements made to its trains.[34]

Also in November 2016, Wiedefeld announced that the Metro would be doubling the number of new cars in service by 2017 while replacing its older cars, the 1000- and 4000-series, with the new 7000-series cars.[35] In December 2021, following the derailing of a 7000-series car on the Blue Line, the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission ordered WMATA's 7000-series cars out of service.[36] Wiedefeld defended the transit agency's rail car problems in a United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability hearing on February 9, 2022.[37]

In April 2017, Wiedefeld proposed privatizing station operations and track maintenance on the western stretch of the Silver Line as a means of saving money by relying more on outside contractors.[38][39] This proposal was opposed by Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689, the Metro's largest union, which argued that privatization would be bad for riders and would cost the transit agency more in the long-run.[40][41] In September 2018, the Metro began requesting proposals from private companies to perform maintenance and operations on the Silver Line extension.[42] In December 2019, Wiedefeld announced a four-year labor contract with ATU Local 689 that would allow the transit agency to give up its strategy of privatization.[43] The four-year contract was approved by the Metro Board on December 20.[44]

On January 18, 2022, Wiedefeld announced that he would retire as the general manager of WMATA, effective July 18.[45][46] On May 16, 2022, after WMATA announced that half of its train operators had lacked retraining and testing required for recertification, Wiedefeld announced that he would resign as general manager effective immediately, two months ahead of his scheduled retirement.[47][48] In October 2022, Wiedefield joined HDR, Inc. as the director of the firm's transportation practice in the northeast United States.[49]

Maryland Secretary of Transportation

[edit]

On January 24, 2023, Governor Wes Moore named Wiedefeld as the Maryland Secretary of Transportation.[5] His nomination was unanimously approved by the Maryland Senate on February 17.[50] As the Secretary of Transportation, Wiedefeld will oversee construction of the Purple Line and Red Line transit lines, and high-occupancy toll lane expansions to the Capital Beltway and Interstate 270.[51] The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse occurred during his tenure, and he was involved in press briefings in the immediate aftermath of the event.[52]

In December 2023, facing a long-term budget shortfall, Wiedefeld announced a six-year plan to cut the state's transportation budget by $3.3 billion, or eight percent, including a $1.6 billion cut to "all major highway expansion construction projects" and a $652 million cut to transit expansion projects. The proposed plan would reduce commuter bus services and lines, delay the state's transition to electric buses, and cancel plans to expand the Brunswick Line.[53][54] Although the legislature included provisions to raise fees on vehicle registration for electric vehicles and heavier cars to prevent drastic cuts to the state's transportation projects, Wiedefeld again proposed $1.3 billion in cuts to Maryland's transportation budget in September 2024, which would delay various infrastructure projects around the state, including the widening of the American Legion Memorial Bridge and the state's transition to electric buses.[55]

Personal life

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From right to left: Wiedefeld, his son, daughter-in-law, and wife
Wiedefeld and his wife with two of their children at his swearing in, 2023

Wiedefeld and his wife have three children and live in Towson, Maryland.[4][56]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Paul J. Wiedefeld, Maryland Secretary of Transportation". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d Adams, Paul (April 18, 2002). "New airport chief is hired". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  3. ^ "Paul J. Wiedefeld, Maryland Secretary of Transportation". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Parsons Brinckerhoff vp takes over BWI airport post". The Daily Record. April 17, 2002. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d George, Justin; Shaver, Katherine; Wiggins, Ovetta (January 24, 2023). "Moore picks former Metro chief as Maryland transportation secretary". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  6. ^ Cohn, Meredith (July 20, 2005). "State aviation chief Wiedefeld is departing". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  7. ^ Dresser, Michael (May 20, 2016). "Maryland's Paul Wiedefeld works to turn around Washington's Metro". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  8. ^ "Campbell To Retire As Executive Director Of MAA". Airport Experience News. September 23, 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  9. ^ Dresser, Michael (July 10, 2015). "Gov. Hogan fires Wiedefeld as head of BWI". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  10. ^ Duggan, Paul (November 5, 2015). "After a year-long search, Metro names new general manager". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  11. ^ Campbell, Colin (November 5, 2015). "Former BWI executive selected to lead Washington metro". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  12. ^ Aratani, Lori (November 30, 2015). "Everything you need to know about Metro's new boss, Paul Wiedefeld". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  13. ^ Siddiqui, Faiz (March 6, 2016). "Wiedefeld: 'Turning Metro around requires us to confront some hard truths.'". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  14. ^ Duggan, Paul; McCartney, Robert (March 19, 2016). "After subway shutdown, will drastic action become Metro's new normal?". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  15. ^ Hansen, Drew (March 15, 2016). "Metro to shut down entire system on Wednesday in unprecedented closure". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  16. ^ Hansen, Drew (December 27, 2016). "Year in Review 2016: Metro launches SafeTrack in its remarkable 40th year". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  17. ^ Repetski, Stephen (March 17, 2016). "Here's what Metro's work crews found during the closure". Greater Greater Washington. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  18. ^ Neibauer, Michael. "Metrorail 'surge' plan threatens yearlong commute turmoil". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  19. ^ Aratani, Lori; Duggan, Paul; McCartney, Robert (May 6, 2016). "Metro will shut down sections of lines for year-long subway repair work". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  20. ^ "First major shutdown of DC Metro maintenance blitz to begin". The Daily Record. June 17, 2016. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  21. ^ Hansen, Drew (May 6, 2016). "How Metro's yearlong repair plan will impact your commute". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  22. ^ Siddiqui, Faiz (February 21, 2017). "Ridership losses, exacerbated by SafeTrack, push Metro to financial tipping point". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  23. ^ Fandos, Nicholas (June 25, 2017). "Is Washington's Metro Improving? After $150 Million, Maybe". The New York Times. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  24. ^ Powers, Martine (June 17, 2017). "With SafeTrack Surge No. 16, it's finally time to say goodbye". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  25. ^ Aratani, Lori; Powers, Martine; Siddiqui, Faiz (July 26, 2016). "Metro general manager proposes permanent end to late-night service". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  26. ^ Powers, Martine (July 27, 2016). "Metro chief Wiedefeld defends proposed late-night service cuts". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  27. ^ Smith, Max (October 20, 2016). "Metro riders say service cuts will be 'disaster'". WTOP-FM. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  28. ^ Whitehead, David (December 13, 2018). "65 top Maryland officials to Wiedefeld: End the late night Metro cuts". Greater Greater Washington. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  29. ^ Kurzius, Rachel (October 6, 2016). "Metro GM And Board Chair Are At Odds Over Late Night Service". DCist. Archived from the original on December 12, 2018. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  30. ^ Kurzius, Rachel (December 15, 2016). "Metro Board Approves Two-Year Cuts To Late Night Train Service". DCist. Archived from the original on December 12, 2018. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  31. ^ Smith, Max (November 8, 2019). "Metro ready to bring back some late-night hours". WTOP-FM. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  32. ^ Pascale, Jordan (June 3, 2021). "Metro Board Approves More All-Day Service, Later Hours, And $2 Weekend Fares In Pitch To Bring Back Riders". DCist. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  33. ^ Powers, Martine; Siddiqui, Faiz (November 30, 2016). "After SafeTrack, Metro to shift focus to rail cars — the biggest cause of delays". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  34. ^ Siddiqui, Faiz (December 16, 2017). "Is Metro Back2Good? A year later, the answer seems to be: 'Stand by.'". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  35. ^ Pottiger, Maya (November 30, 2016). "Metro's chief promises fewer delays, nicer ride soon". Capital News Service. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  36. ^ Duncan, Ian (December 29, 2021). "Metro safety commission orders cars out of service, saying agency didn't follow terms of plan". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  37. ^ Barylick, Chris; Hahn, Emily; Motamedi, Ashkan (February 9, 2022). "Lawmakers grill Metro over its handling of defective rail cars". Capital News Service. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  38. ^ McCartney, Robert (April 19, 2017). "Metro GM proposes 'new business model' and $500 million a year in extra funding to save D.C.-area transit agency". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  39. ^ Neibauer, Michael (April 20, 2017). "Wiedefeld calls for dedicated Metro funding, possible outsourcing of Silver Line functions". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  40. ^ Di Caro, Martin (May 1, 2017). "Privatize Metro? Wiedefeld's Outsourcing Plan Provokes Union Wrath And May Not Save Money". WAMU. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  41. ^ Powers, Martine (January 9, 2018). "Metro gets serious about outsourcing Silver Line service". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  42. ^ Powers, Martine (September 18, 2018). "When phase 2 of the Silver Line opens in 2020, Metro employees probably won't be running it". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  43. ^ George, Justin; McCartney, Robert (December 10, 2019). "Metro and its largest union reach surprise labor agreement that would avoid privatization". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  44. ^ Smith, Max (December 20, 2019). "Metro, largest union approve 4-year contract". WTOP-FM. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  45. ^ Massimo, Rick (January 18, 2022). "Metro GM Wiedefeld to retire". WTOP-FM. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  46. ^ George, Justin (January 18, 2022). "Metro's general manager to retire after six years as top executive". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  47. ^ Hinton, Justin; Roussey, Tom; Parker, Don (May 16, 2022). "Metro GM/CEO Paul Wiedefeld retires effective immediately; COO Joe Leader resigns". WJLA-TV. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  48. ^ George, Justin (May 16, 2022). "Top Metro leaders step down one day after agency announces training lapses". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  49. ^ "Paul Wiedefeld Joins HDR as Northeast Region Transportation Director". Metropolitan Airport News. October 3, 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  50. ^ Janesch, Sam (February 17, 2023). "Final vote on Gov. Moore's pick to lead juvenile services agency delayed as other cabinet members approved". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  51. ^ Sears, Bryan P. (January 20, 2023). "Moore eyes Wiedefeld, former Washington metro chief, as transportation boss, sources say". Maryland Daily Record. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  52. ^ "Key Bridge collapses into Patapsco River in Baltimore after vessel hits support column; state of emergency declared". Baltimore Sun. 2024-03-26. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  53. ^ Duncan, Ian; Cox, Erin (December 2, 2023). "Moore administration targets $2 billion cut to Md. transportation projects". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  54. ^ Sears, Bryan P. (December 2, 2023). "State set to announce deep cuts to transportation agencies". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
  55. ^ Weiner, Rachel (September 3, 2024). "Md. plans to delay bridge expansion, electric buses in $1.3 billion cuts". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  56. ^ Giambrone, Andrew (December 7, 2015). "New Metro GM Paul Wiedefeld: I've Got 'a Load of Work to Do'". Washington City Paper. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
[edit]
Political offices
Preceded by Maryland Secretary of Transportation
2023–present 		Incumbent
Preceded by
Timothy L. Campbell
 Executive Director of the Maryland Aviation Administration
2009–2015
2002–2005 		Succeeded by
Ricky D. Smith
Preceded by
David L. Blackshear
 Succeeded by
Timothy L. Campbell
Preceded by
Lisa Dickerson
 Administrator of the Maryland Transit Administration
2007–2009 		Succeeded by
Ralign T. Wells
Civic offices
Preceded by
Jack Requa
Acting
 WMATA General Manager
2015–2022 		Succeeded by
Andy Off
Acting
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