(The Center Square) – Seattle plans to spend more than $175 million on transportation needs in 2025 via the largest tax levy in the history of the city.
In November, 66% of voters approved the eight-year, $1.55 billion levy to maintain and modernize the city’s transportation infrastructure, including building sidewalks, paving streets, repairing bridges, and improving transit connections. The new levy is expected to cost a median homeowner in Seattle an additional $530 a year.
In the levy’s first year, $176.8 million is being appropriated toward high-priority transportation needs.
The largest portion of funding from the 2025 appropriation is $43 million for street maintenance and modernization, which is expected to receive the most funding from the levy over the next eight years.
Maintenance and modernization funding for 2025 includes designing major corridor maintenance and modernization projects. There will be an early focus on corridors with secured grant funding in the Roosevelt, Northgate and Georgetown neighborhoods.
The second largest portion of funding is $28.9 million toward pedestrian safety projects. The city approved its Vision Zero program which aims to end traffic deaths and injuries in Seattle by 2030.
Pedestrian safety projects receiving funding in 2025 include expanding Vision Zero work across the city with a focus on high-injury network corridors and intersections, as well as crosswalks.
“The investments through the levy and projects in this plan mean real improvements for our residents from enhancing safety to strengthening critical infrastructure and the pedestrian experience,” Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said in a statement.
As for sidewalk repairs, planning will take up most of the year. According to the city, “community walks” will be held this year to identify and select sidewalk projects for the first four years of the levy.
The city has set out a goal to build 250 blocks of new sidewalks and sidewalk alternatives over the next four years with funding from the levy.
The Seattle Levy Oversight Committee published the 2025 Levy Delivery Plan on Jan. 31. There will be delivery plans delivered annually over the levy’s eight-year life span.
