The question invariably arises – voters passed a levy, so how’s the money being spent? SDOT has just released its “draft plan” for spending Seattle Transportation Levy dollars this year. You’ll recall that voters approved the eight-year, $1.55 billion levy in fall 2024, so this is its second year. The draft 2-026 plan – see it in its entirety here – will be presented Thursday morning (February 5) to the Transportation, Waterfront, and Seattle Center Committee chaired by District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka. It lists hundreds of projects/locations by name, though without specifics, so we went through it to get the West Seattle highlights, under the classifications used in the plan. Note that these are just the West Seattle mentions – and there are hundreds of projects listed from elsewhere in the city; projects are generally categorized in the plan as either being in design this year or starting construction:
VISION ZERO: Highland Park Way hill project, design
California/Oregon, construction
SW Barton between 26th and 29th, construction
West Seattle Bridge central eastbound span, construction
TRAFFIC CALMING: Harbor Ave from California to Spokane, construction
SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL: Projects for Denny IMS, Highland Park Elementary, Madison MS, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Roxhill Elementary zones
‘NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATED SAFETY PROJECTS’: Highland Park greenway/traffic calming, North Delridge all-way stop, South Delridge traffic calming and daylighting
‘NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE TRAFFIC SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS’: Planning will start for 26th between Brandon and Juneau. 63rd between Alki and Admiral, SW 100th between 35th and 44th, SW 106th between 35th and Marine View Drive, SSW Holden between 12th and 11th
SPOT PAVEMENT IMPROVEMENTS, ASPHALT: 35th SW, 108th to 111th; 106th, 32nd to 35th
SPOT PAVEMENT IMPROVEMENTS, CONCRETE: 30th/Genesee
TRANSIT SPOT IMPROVEMENTS: Barton/29th layover, construction; Fauntleroy/Rose, design
SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION: Barton, 21st-23rd; Brandon, Delridge-23rd and 25th-26th; Hudson, Delridge to 26th
SIDEWALK DESIGN: 21st, Dawson to Graham; 22nd, Henderson to Thistle; Brandon, 26th to 30th
CURB RAMPS: 30th/Dakota, 31st/Barton, 45th/Charlestown, 47th/Frontenac, California at Ida, Austin, Webster
CROSSING IMPROVEMENTS: SW Charlestown, 45th to 55th; Delridge at Cloverdale, design
NEW SIGNAL: California/Walker
SIGNAL MAINTENANCE AND CROSSING IMPROVEMENT: California/Erskine/Edmunds
SIGNAL TIMING: Design for 47th/Admiral improvement
ACCESSIBLE PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS: 26th/Barton, Fauntleroy/Dawson, design
NEW PROTECTED BIKE LANE: Highland Park Way hill project, design
PROTECTED BIKE LANE UPGRADE: Admiral Way, Spokane to Lander, design
‘PEOPLE STREETS’: Lander, 18th, in design
FREIGHT: SW Manning crossing improvement, “derelict rail removal” on West Marginal Way
Some categories promised such a high number of projects – like sidewalk repairs – that they weren’t called out by name/location. Also keep in mind that this is not the entirety of what SDOT is working on – just what the levy is funding; they have other non-levy work too. Many of these led us to wonder “what exactly will be done THERE?” and so we have followup questions out to SDOT. Meantime, you can watch their briefing for the council committee at 9:30 am Thursday, either in person or via Seattle Channel. The agenda explains how to comment, though also keep in mind, this isn’t something they’ll be voting on. One more note: As for how they spent levy dollars in Year 1, this new “dashboard” might answer some questions.