Joe Mallahan, a T-Mobile executive running for mayor, today called for Seattle Department of Transportation Grace Crunican's resignation.

In a press release, he cited The Seattle Times' reports of management problems over the past several months.

"Director Crunican is simply not getting the job done. Mayor Greg Nickels should have asked for her resignation, but he's not getting the job accomplished either," said Mallahan.

In a press conference this afternoon, Nickels defended Crunican, saying although he is concerned about mistakes within SDOT, he thinks "our people have done a good job."

Here's what he said about Crunican:

"Our transportation director over the last five years has built a streetcar line from nothing, from simply an idea, and delivered it on time and on budget, has delivered a bicycle master plan that is one of the best in the United States, and has begun to deliver on more than 50 new miles of bike lanes and bike trails. Has created a pedestrian master plan that will allow us to become and remain one of the most walkable cities in America and has resurfaced more miles of streets in the last year than we have in any year in the past 20 ... So I think you need to put it into perspective, that our transportation system is better off today than it was four years ago or eight years ago. Mistakes have been made, those mistakes need to be corrected and they need not be repeated."