Seattle spends more than $650 million each year to build, renew, and repair infrastructure. This money is divided up between departments, each with its own mission and priorities. An interdepartmental team at the City is suggesting that some portion of our capital spending might be more effective if it were directed at integrated, sustainable outcomes—outcomes that not only address expected levels of service, but also add value to the community, the environment, and the economy.
To test this idea, the City has launched the Sustainable Infrastructure Initiative, an experiment in which a more holistic approach will be applied to a handful of capital projects. In each of these projects, a wide range of alternatives will be considered, all of which address multiple objectives from multiple departments.
Who is involved?
To develop and implement the Sustainable Infrastructure Initiative, Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development is working with the Department of Finance, Office of Policy and Management , Department of Transportation, Department of Parks and Recreation, Seattle City Light, Seattle Center, and Seattle Public Utilities.
A grant from the Washington State Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development helped Seattle develop analytical tools and illustrative examples in support of the Sustainable Infrastructure initiative. This work is summarized in the 2009 Sustainable Infrastructure Initiative Report.
The City is in the middle of this experiment. It is likely that some percentage of the integrated alternatives evaluated will not pencil out. Yet for the alternatives that do, Seattle will gain value for each tax dollar spent. If this approach successfully becomes part of everyday capital processes, the Sustainable Infrastructure Initiative could lead to more efficient and sustainable projects throughout Seattle.
