Neighborhood Street Fund Program

Updated: April 17, 2024

The Neighborhood Street Fund (NSF) is a City program that enables the community to propose and prioritize transportation projects that are built by the Seattle Department of Transportation. 

What types of projects are built? 

Any transportation project in the City’s public right-of-way that costs between $100,000 and $1 million is eligible for consideration. Past projects have included new sidewalks, crosswalks, protected bike lanes, bus stop upgrades, intersection safety improvements, stormwater improvements, and public art. 

Images above show examples of Neighborhood Street Fund projects built since 2016 under the Levy to Move Seattle. 

How are projects selected? 

The NSF program runs on 3-year cycles. During the first year of each cycle, community can propose and vote on project ideas. The top voted projects are shared with the Levy to Move Seattle Oversight Committee for final review and selection. Selected projects then advance to design and construction in the second and third year of each cycle. 

Neighborhood Street Fund typical program cycle schedule. 

In recent years we have worked to make the project selection process more equitable and ensure we are serving areas of the city with the highest need. Starting in 2019 we worked with the Department of Neighborhoods and BIPOC community organizations to host in-person and in-language workshops to collect project ideas and provide opportunities for community to vote. And in 2022, we reconsidered previously unselected project ideas in defined geographic equity areas based on the City’s Race and Social Equity Index, Displacement Risk Index, and COVID-19 cases to further prioritize projects in areas of the city with the highest need. 

Photos of community participating in project idea collection and voting. 

How can I submit an idea? 

We are working to design and build previously selected Neighborhood Street Fund projects. We are not collecting new project ideas at this time, but we’ll post additional opportunities on this page as we learn about them. 

How are projects funded? 

Current funding comes from the 2015 voter-approved, 9-year Levy to Move Seattle, which enhances safety for all travelers, maintains streets and bridges, and invests in reliable, affordable travel options for a growing city. The levy includes $24 million to fund three, 3-year Neighborhood Street Fund program cycles over the 9 years. To date we have completed 26 community-initiated projects and are on track to exceed our Levy to Move Seattle goals for the Neighborhood Street Fund.