The head of the city's transportation department, Grace Cruncican, was a hot topic during the mayoral election: Joe Mallahan came out in July and said he would fire her. And in response now-Mayor-Elect Mike McGinn—who was initially more circumspect about Crunican—was prodded by the Seattle Times to say he would replace her too.

With McGinn taking office next month, Crunican is in the final running for the county administrator position in Clackamas County Oregon, just south of Portland.

Crunican joined Mayor Greg Nickels administration as SDOT head in 2002. Before that, Crunican was head of the Oregon Department of Transportation.