Oregon Public Broadcasting

The board of directors of TriMet voted unanimously Wednesday to promote the agency's Director for Capital Projects to general manager.

Over the last decade, Neil McFarlane has overseen the development, design and construction of TriMet's rail lines -- to the airport, along Interstate Avenue and next to I-205.

Before that he worked for Metro and helped manage the construction of the twin towers at the Oregon Convention Center.

Neil McFarlane: "It is a great honor, it's a great capstone to my career. I promise you I will come to work everyday and work as hard as I can to put out the best quality, safest and best service our customers deserve."

McFarlane will take over from Fred Hansen July 1st.

Hansen is retiring after 11 years at the helm.

The agency is in the second year of cuts. The board just voted to increase fares 5 cents; cut some bus lines completely; and reduce service at several others.

This week, it's also trying to discover why a Tri-Met bus hit a group of pedestrians, killing two.