Levy to Move Seattle
Updated: May 2024
Transportation Levy Proposal:
On May 3, 2024, Mayor Harrell unveiled an 8-year, $1.45 billion levy proposal to fund transportation safety and maintenance in Seattle. This proposal is shaped by community input and follows a period of public engagement on the draft proposal introduced in April. Responsive to community feedback, the Mayor added more funding for sidewalks, transit connections, bridge repair, maintenance and modernization.
This proposal reflects the City of Seattle’s commitment to the One Seattle vision for a safe, reliable, and connected transportation system and to ongoing efforts to improve transportation infrastructure and services citywide.
Seattle City Council will now review the proposal and consider referral to voters for the November 2024 ballot. Read more here.
About the Levy to Move Seattle
We are delivering on our commitments to voters outlined in the 2015 Levy Ordinance and the 2018 Updated Workplan Report.
Thanks to the Levy, we are keeping you moving more safely and smoothly and giving you options to travel. Your Levy dollars have helped us transform major arterial streets to make them safer and more community-friendly, and install fresh pavement on our roads. Each year, Seattle’s bridges are stronger, crossing the street is safer, taking the bus is easier, and biking around town is more accessible.
You can continue to trust us to create an equitable transportation system that provides safe, dependable, affordable access to places and opportunities.
What’s happening now?
We are pleased to present the 2023 Levy to Move Seattle Annual Report. This report highlights our work in 2023 that was funded by your tax dollars through the voter-approved Levy to Move Seattle.
Background
Approved by voters in November 2015, the 9-year, $930 million Levy to Move Seattle provides funding to improve safety for all travelers, maintain our streets and bridges, and invest in reliable, affordable travel options for a growing city.
The levy provides roughly 30% of the City's transportation budget and replaces the 9-year, $365 million Bridging the Gap levy approved by voters in 2006.
The levy aims to take care of the basics, while also investing in the future with improvements to move more people and goods in and around a growing Seattle.
Thank you, Levy Oversight Committee
An oversight committee made up of Seattle residents, appointed by the Mayor and City Council monitors levy expenses and revenues, reviews program and project priorities, and makes recommendations to the Mayor and City Council on how to spend levy proceeds.
Our commitment to transparency and accountability includes working closely with the Levy Oversight Committee. SDOT appreciates the time and service the Committee’s volunteers dedicate to Levy oversight.
See materials from the Levy Oversight Committee meetings here.
Keeping track of Levy progress
We are committed to clear and transparent reporting on transportation projects funded by the Levy to Move Seattle. Levy reports and the Levy dashboard are important tools for you to monitor Levy progress. Here are the reports we produce each year, which are also available on the Materials page.
- Planned Accomplishments and Spend Plan: Published in late Q1 of each year
- Quarterly Reports: Published on May 15, August 15, and November 15 each year
- Annual Reports: Published on March 30 of the following year
- Levy dashboard: Updated quarterly with data for all Levy programs. Below are three short video tutorials showing how to use the Levy dashboard.