The Seattle City Council just unanimously passed the Seattle Transportation Plan—a 20-year vision for the future of Seattle’s streets, sidewalks, and public spaces.

The legislation is sponsored by Councilmember Rob Saka (District 1), Chair of the Transportation Committee. It is the culmination of a two-year collaborative process between the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), the Mayor’s Office, and the Council.

“Seattleites deserve safe, reliable, and accessible transportation. Over the past few months, I’ve been out with SDOT crews filling potholes, inspecting bridges, and assessing sidewalks. They are some of the most hardworking, dedicated public servants we have. It’s time we commit to our transportation goals and give them the resources they need to succeed. That’s what this plan is all about,” said Councilmember Saka.

“It’s time for us to prioritize the bold basics of local government. From filling potholes to expanding access to public transit, this 20-year vision for the future of Seattle’s roads does just that. Local government can’t solve every problem on its own, but when we put our mind to it, we can build world-class transportation infrastructure,” said Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth (District 3), Vice Chair of the Transportation Committee.

What will the Seattle Transportation Plan will do?

The Seattle Transportation Plan’s goals are safety, equity, sustainability, mobility and economic vitality, livability, and maintenance and modernization. To achieve these goals, among other things, the plan intends to:

• Preserve, modernize and maintain our aging bridges, roads, sidewalks, and other critical infrastructure;
• Increase access to sidewalks—particularly by constructing NEW sidewalks, improving bike lanes, and enhancing public transit opportunities;
• Reduce the number of traffic deaths and serious injuries; and
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make our roads more efficient.

The plan includes an expansive and aspirational list of more 81 projects that could be pursued to achieve these goals over the next 20 years.

While the Seattle Transportation Plan does not include specific funding, it is intended to guide future funding decisions. That includes the proposed Transportation Levy renewal.

Learn more via SDOT’s Seattle Transportation Plan webpage.

What’s next?

The Seattle Transportation Plan calls for SDOT to create an implementation strategy by September 2025. That implementation strategy will take into account all the funding available for the transportation projects. Much of that will depend on the potential renewal of the Transportation Levy.

The Mayor is expected to formally transmit his proposal for the Transportation Levy renewal in the next few weeks. It will then be considered by the Council’s Select Committee on the 2024 Transportation Levy, which is scheduled to meet for the first time on May 7 at 10:30 AM.