Seismic worries fuel exodus from WA transportation agency’s headquarters

Published 8:10 am Thursday, August 13, 2026

About the role

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is relocating employees and scaling back access to its aging headquarters on the Capitol Campus in Olympia due to ongoing structural integrity concerns. The building, constructed between 1969 and 1970, has experienced maintenance issues and documented seismic safety concerns. Most employees previously working in the headquarters are being reassigned to other agency facilities throughout Thurston County to prioritize safety.

Originally housing the state’s highway department, the 183,000-square-foot building was later repurposed for WSDOT. It includes office space, storage, a resource library, laboratories, and a cafeteria. While the building remains open, employees have been directed to minimize time spent there by utilizing alternative meeting locations and maximizing telework options. There is no immediate deadline for vacating the site.

Responsibilities

• Relocate to assigned WSDOT facilities within Thurston County or transition to remote work as needed.
• Minimize in-person work at the Olympia headquarters, utilizing flexible work options such as telework.
• Collaborate with dispersed teams across multiple WSDOT locations, including the State Materials Lab, Mottman Environmental Office, and Olympic Region Maintenance and Administration Facility.
• Support consolidation efforts to optimize use of available state resources and office space.
• Participate in long-term planning for a potential new headquarters location in coordination with state agencies.

Requirements

• Ability to adapt to flexible work arrangements, including telework and relocation to alternative WSDOT facilities.
• Willingness to collaborate in a dispersed team environment with limited in-person interaction.
• Compliance with state budget directives and facility constraints.
• Commitment to prioritizing safety and adhering to building access restrictions at the Olympia headquarters.

About the organization

WSDOT manages a portfolio of 286 primary buildings, with 129 over 50 years old as of June 2022. The agency conducts biennial assessments of its facilities, categorizing them as good, fair, or poor to prioritize repairs and replacements. As of September 2021, only 28 of these buildings were deemed in good condition, while 132 were fair and 126 were poor.

The department is currently consolidating operations due to facility constraints, including the recent lease termination at the Edna Lucille Goodrich Building in Tumwater, which displaced 478 employees. WSDOT is working with the governor’s office, Department of Enterprise Services, and Office of Financial Management to develop a long-term plan for a potential new headquarters location.