By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
SDOT is out with the plan for what it’s going to do with funding from the first year of the $1.55 billion Transportation Levy that Seattle voters passed in November.
After releasing the plan (read it here) this afternoon, SDOT managers – including director Greg Spotts, on his second-to-last day on the job – hosted a media briefing online. They gave an overview you can peruse in this slide deck; we went through the plan itself for every West Seattle reference we could find.
First, you should note that what’s in the plan is NOT everything SDOT will be doing this year. There are many projects that use non-levy funding. For example, District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka‘s proposal to change the configuration of Delridge Way near a RapidRide H Line stop by the Refugee and Immigrant Family Center Preschool is not in it – but that doesn’t mean it’s not happening. We’ve been asking SDOT and Metro about that project’s status, and what they tell us is what SDOT managers said during today’s briefing – the two agencies are talking about what’s possible, although SDOT still believes that what’s there now – which includes a hardened raised median – is safe, because that’s what it was designed to be. Because they’re in early conversations, there’s no specific plan nor timeline yet, and they expect to consider “a universe of solutions.”
Now, back to what IS in the 2025 levy-spending plan for West Seattle – no details yet beyond these basic descriptions:
-The SW Brandon sidewalk, also something Councilmember Saka has mentioned repeatedly, from 26th to 30th, is mentioned as an “anticipated initial project”
-“Alki Traffic Calming,” described as planned for 60th, 61st, and 62nd between Admiral Way and Alki Avenue, with construction expected to start in 2025
-Two other “traffic calming” projects listed as expected to “start planning” in 2025 – 49th Ave SW and SW Graham St (scene of a deadly crash last year) and SW Henderson at Westcrest Park
-Sylvan Way SW (High Point Dr to Sylvan Heights Dr Mid-Block, noted as a “high-collision safety project”
-16th Ave SW–SW Brandon St (Trailhead) to SW Henderson St, noted as a “traffic-calming project”
-26th Ave SW–SW Barton St to SW Roxbury St, noted as a “traffic-calming project”
-SW Trenton St–35th Ave SW to Delridge Way SW, noted as a “traffic-calming project”
-“Safe Routes to School” projects for Highland Park, Lafayette, and West Seattle Elementaries, plus Madison Middle School and Pathfinder K-8
-Evaluation of potential paving projects (as previously reported) for 35th SW between SW Alaska and SW Morgan, Olson Pl SW/1st Ave S: 2nd Ave SW to SW Cloverdale, and/or Fauntleroy Way in The Triangle
-Asphalt spot paving for 35th Ave SW between SW 106th and SW 108th, SW Orchard between Delridge and Dumar
-Concrete spot paving for 16th SW between Myrtle and Holly, Delridge Way between Genesee and Dakota, SW Alaska between Fauntleroy Way and 38th
-“Transit spot improvements” including asphalt paving on SW Oregon between California and 44th (Routes 50 and 128)
-“Advance key connections to future Link light rail stations in coordination with partner agencies” on SW Alaska
-Start sidewalk design for SW Hudson St between Delridge and 26th
-Sidewalk repairs at California/Edmunds
-Curb ramps on 16th SW at South Seattle College, Brandon, Holden; at 36th/Andover; at 39th/Genesee; at 49th/Raymond; at 47th/Frontenac; at 55th/Manning; at 60th/Admiral
-Stairway repairs at 21st/Dakota
-Crossing improvements at Delridge/Alaska, 29th/Brandon, 9th/Henderson, 28th/Thistle; start designing improvements for Delridge/Cloverdale
-“Major signal maintenance” at 26th/Roxbury and California/Erskine/Edmunds (which is also slated for a pedestrian-accessibility improvement)
-Signal timing at 47th/Admiral (described as fiber-network expansion)
-Neighborhood greenway listed as “Alki Point Phase 2”
-Protected bike lane on Highland Park Way between West Marginal and Holden (“start design” this year – this is the “lane conversion” project that’s undergone much community discussion)
-Protected bike lane “upgrades” on Admiral Way between Spokane and Olga (the hill just north of the West Seattle Bridge) and on Andover between Delridge and Avalon
We asked about plans for communicating details of each project; SDOT says web info about projects will be available when they’re further along the path to construction. Meantime, this plan is scheduled to be discussed with the council’s Transportation Committee, which Councilmember Saka chairs, on February 18th. SDOT says it’ll have a spending plan to present at the start of each year of the levy’s eight-year life, and that an oversight committee will be appointed for this levy, as has been the case for others.
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