(Added: Seattle Channel video)
3:33 PM: Mayor Bruce Harrell has just debuted the first draft of his proposed transportation-levy renewal. The current Levy to Move Seattle is expiring after nine years and $930 million, covering 30 percent of the city’s transportation budget; the new levy would run for the next eight years, raising $1.35 billion. Harrell was clear that this is “the start of a discussion” – as with the expiring levy, this one will likely go through some changes before a final version is sent to the November ballot. The summary of the levy says, “The proposed levy would cost the median Seattle homeowner about $36 per month, approximately $12 more per month than the current levy.” (A current “median home” is considered to be valued at $866,000.)
Here’s the full draft proposal. It includes a few West Seattle specifics as example projects the levy could/would fund:
• Fauntleroy Way SW — Paving to keep roadway functional during light rail station construction and support future improvements.
• 35th Ave SW: SW Morgan St to SW Alaska St — Street reconstruction with a corridor safety analysis and evaluation of transit improvements. Includes sidewalk repair, crossing improvements, and evaluation of bike routes.
• Olson Pl SW / 1st Ave S: 2nd Ave SW to SW Cloverdale St — Street reconstruction with a widened sidewalk or trail and treatments to keep vehicles from skidding on wet pavement.
As mentioned in the Fauntleroy description above, some of this would synergize with the upcoming Sound Transit light-rail expansion to West Seattle (which is projected to open just as this new levy expires at the end of 2032), including “connections” for the West Seattle Junction station, and ST’s interim CEO Goran Sparrman (who is also a former SDOT director) spoke at the unveiling. (added) The 35th SW project is also notable, as the corridor went through rechannelization and other changes south of Morgan in the 2010s before the idea of an overhaul north of Morgan was shelved in 2018 (with some spot changes then made, such as the Graham crossing and the Camp Long light).
WHAT’S NEXT: You have three weeks – until April 26 – to offer feedback to shape the final levy proposal the mayor sends to the City Council in May; go here to do that. The final version of the levy is expected to go to voters this November.
ADDED 5:48 PM: District 1 Councilmember Rob Saka, who chairs the Transportation Committee and will lead the council review of the levy proposal, sent this statement:
This Transportation Levy is a once-in-a-decade chance to build a safer, better connected and more reliable Seattle.
Over my first 100 days in office, I have helped fill potholes with road maintenance crews, walked along city streets in desperate need of sidewalks, and surveyed the state of Seattle’s bridges. At every turn, I saw SDOT employees hard at work with limited resources doing everything they can with to keep our city safe. Now, it’s time for us elected leaders to step up and make sure they have everything they need to do their jobs better, faster, and more effectively.
I appreciate Mayor Harrell’s work on this framework for the levy and see we are in alignment on many key issues. The Council has a lot of hard work ahead of it to review and improve upon this proposal. I am ready and eager to lead that collaborative effort.
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