Levy to Move Seattle

Updated: August 2023

We are delivering on our commitments to voters outlined in the 2015 Levy Ordinance and the 2018 Updated Workplan Report.

Thanks to the Levy, we are keeping you moving more safely and smoothly and giving you options to travel. Your Levy dollars have helped us transform major arterial streets to make them safer and more community-friendly, and install fresh pavement on our roads. Each year, Seattle’s bridges are stronger, crossing the street is safer, taking the bus is easier, and biking around town is more accessible.

You can continue to trust us to create an equitable transportation system that provides safe, dependable, affordable access to places and opportunities.

What’s happening now?

We are pleased to present the Q3 2023 Levy to Move Seattle Report. This report highlights our work in the third quarter of 2023 that was funded by your tax dollars through the voter-approved Levy to Move Seattle. Some of these achievements include: 

Safe Routes

  • Completed 1st Ave S Safety Improvements and continued work on projects on Rainier Ave S, Highland Park Way SW at SW Holden St, and 4th Ave S.

  • Completed projects to make it safer for students to walk, roll, and bike to 15 different schools.

  • Repainted 241 crosswalks and markings for 317 arterial lane-miles.

  • Continued construction on two Neighborhood Greenways.

  • Completed 2,886 sidewalk repairs across 288 different blocks.

  • Installed 82 new curb ramps, including 53 that were customer service requested.

  • Completed the N 130th St and Ashworth Ave N Safety Enhancements project, located at a busy intersection near Ingraham High School, and started construction on the Broadway and John Street Signal which aims to address a crash pattern with left turning drivers.

Maintenance and Repair

  • Continued paving work on E Madison St as part of the Madison RapidRide G Line project, which will result in over 11 lane-miles of repaved roads once complete.

  • Completed 41 paving spot improvements, totaling over 5 lane miles.

  • Made 48 bridge spot repairs.

  • Advertised for construction of the McGraw St Bridge seismic reinforcement.

  • Rebuilt two stairways.

  • Pruned over 1,100 trees and removed obstructions for safer travel in the right of way.

Congestion Relief

  • Completed work on the Route 44 project, continued construction on the Madison RapidRide G Line, began circulating Roosevelt RapidRide J Line 100% design plans for approval, progressed towards 100% design of the Route 40 project, completed 100% design and advertised for construction on the Route 48 project, and more.

  • Added just under two miles to our Intelligent Transportation Systems network by installing 9 new CCTV cameras across the city to monitor traffic conditions and respond to incidents faster.

  • Completed 21 transit spot improvements, including 14 new bus benches.

  • Procured additional funding, hired a contractor, and began construction in late September on near-term improvements as part of the MLK Safety Improvements project, which implements Accessible Mt Baker.

  • Built over three blocks of new sidewalks and made 10 crossing improvements, including five new marked crosswalks.

  • Completed four bicycle spot projects.

  • Completed a rail crossing delineation project on S Spokane St east of 2nd Ave S and West Marginal Way SW north of Chelan Ave SW. 

Background

Approved by voters in November 2015, the 9-year, $930 million Levy to Move Seattle provides funding to improve safety for all travelers, maintain our streets and bridges, and invest in reliable, affordable travel options for a growing city.

The levy provides roughly 30% of the City's transportation budget and replaces the 9-year, $365 million Bridging the Gap levy approved by voters in 2006.

The levy aims to take care of the basics, while also investing in the future with improvements to move more people and goods in and around a growing Seattle.

Thank you, Levy Oversight Committee

An oversight committee made up of Seattle residents, appointed by the Mayor and City Council monitors levy expenses and revenues, reviews program and project priorities, and makes recommendations to the Mayor and City Council on how to spend levy proceeds.

Our commitment to transparency and accountability includes working closely with the Levy Oversight Committee. SDOT appreciates the time and service the Committee’s volunteers dedicate to Levy oversight.

See materials from the Levy Oversight Committee meetings here.

Keeping track of Levy progress

We are committed to clear and transparent reporting on transportation projects funded by the Levy to Move Seattle.  Levy reports and the Levy dashboard are important tools for you to monitor Levy progress. Here are the reports we produce each year, which are also available on the Materials page.

Transportation

Greg Spotts, Director
Address: 700 5th Ave, Suite 3800, Seattle, WA, 98104
Mailing Address: PO Box 34996, Seattle, WA, 98124-4996
Phone: (206) 684-7623
684-Road@seattle.gov

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The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is on a mission to deliver a transportation system that provides safe and affordable access to places and opportunities for everyone as we work to achieve our vision of Seattle as a thriving, equitable community powered by dependable transportation.