Seattle City Council passes 20-year transportation plan

Seattle City Council unanimously passes Mayor's transportation levy

The Seattle City Council just voted unanimously to pass Mayor Harrel's $1.35 billion transportation improvement levy — greenlighting a controversial proposal to make Pike Place Market more walkable.

SEATTLE - The Seattle City Council has unanimously approved the Seattle Transportation Plan, a comprehensive 20-year vision for the city's streets, sidewalks, and public spaces.

Sponsored by Seattle City Council member Rob Saka of District 1, Chair of the Transportation Committee, the plan represents the culmination of a collaborative effort involving the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), the Mayor’s Office and the Council over the past two years.

"Seattleites deserve safe, reliable, and accessible transportation," said Saka in a news release Tuesday. "It's time we commit to our transportation goals and give our dedicated SDOT crews the resources they need to succeed. That’s what this plan is all about."

Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth of District 3, Vice Chair of the Transportation Committee, emphasized the importance of prioritizing fundamental aspects of local governance. "From filling potholes to expanding access to public transit, this 20-year vision for the future of Seattle’s roads does just that," she said.

A Nordstrom Rack sign and storefront in the busy Westlake section of downtown Seattle, Wash. (Getty Images)

What will the Seattle Transportation Plan do?

The Seattle Transportation Plan aims to address safety, equity, sustainability, mobility and economic vitality, livability and maintenance and modernization.

Key objectives include preserving and modernizing aging infrastructure, increasing sidewalk access, reducing traffic fatalities and injuries and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.

The plan outlines more than 81 projects to be pursued over the next two decades, with a focus on improving transportation infrastructure across the city.

While the plan does not include specific funding, it will guide future funding decisions, including those related to the proposed Transportation Levy renewal.

What's next?

SDOT is tasked with developing an implementation strategy by September 2025, considering available funding sources, including the potential renewal of the Transportation Levy.

Mayor Bruce Harrell's proposal for the Transportation Levy renewal is anticipated to be formally transmitted in the coming weeks. The Council’s Select Committee on the 2024 Transportation Levy is scheduled to convene for the first time on May 7 to consider the proposal.

For more information, visit SDOT’s Seattle Transportation Plan webpage.