Seattle Department of Transportation
| Department overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | November 18, 1996 |
| Preceding department |
|
| Type | Department of transportation |
| Jurisdiction | Seattle, Washington |
| Headquarters | Seattle Municipal Tower 700 Fifth Avenue, Suite 3800 Seattle, Washington 47°36′18″N 122°19′47″W / 47.605°N 122.32972°W |
| Employees | 758 |
| Annual budget | $450 million (2017)[1] |
| Department executive |
|
| Child department | |
| Website | seattle.gov/transportation |
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is a municipal government agency in Seattle, Washington that is responsible for the maintenance of the city's transportation systems, including roads, bridges, and public transportation. The agency is funded primarily by taxes that are supplemented by voter-approved levies from other sources; its budget in 2017 was $450 million.[1]
History
The Seattle Transportation Department was formed in 1996, as part of the re-organization and eventual dissolution of the Seattle Engineering Department.[2][3] The division was renamed to the "Seattle Department of Transportation" in 2004.[4]
Administration and management
Director
The department is managed by the Director of Transportation, a position appointed by the Mayor of Seattle and confirmed by a majority vote from the Seattle City Council. The position is subject to re-appointment and re-confirmation every four years.[5]
Since 1997, nine people have held the office of Director of Transportation.[6] Greg Spotts was nominated in 2022 for the position.[7]
| Name | Tenure | Mayor(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Daryl Grigsby | 1997–2002 | Norm Rice, Paul Schell |
| Grace Crunican | 2002–2009 | Greg Nickels |
| Peter Hahn | 2010–2013 | Michael McGinn |
| Goran Sparrman (acting) | 2014 | Ed Murray |
| Scott Kubly | 2014-2018 | |
| Goran Sparrman (acting) | 2018 | Jenny Durkan |
| Linea Laird (acting) | 2018–2019 | |
| Sam Zimbabwe | 2019–2021 | |
| Kristen Simpson | 2022 | Bruce Harrell |
| Greg Spotts | 2022– |
Funding
In 2015, SDOT had an adopted budget of $429 million. The largest portion of the budget, approximately $186 million, is allocated to major capital projects, including collaborations with regional and state agencies.[8]
Transportation levies
Much of SDOT's long-term funding comes from voter-approved funding levies and other taxes. In 2006, the $365 million "Bridging the Gap" levy was approved by Seattle voters, using property taxes and parking fees to fund nine years of transportation improvements.[9][10] The levy was replaced in 2015 by the voter-approved "Move Seattle" levy, funded by a new property tax, that will provide $930 million over a nine-year period.[11]
Programs
Seattle Streetcar
SDOT maintains the citywide streetcar network, which consists of two lines, as of 2016: the South Lake Union Streetcar, opened in 2007; and the First Hill Streetcar, opened in 2016.
Transit funding
In addition to road funding, SDOT also provides funding for public transit improvements through partner agencies. The 2015 "Move Seattle" levy includes funding for expansion of King County Metro's RapidRide system into Seattle, replacing existing bus routes.
Cycling infrastructure
Since the passage of "Bridging the Gap" levy in 2006, SDOT has funded $36 million in bicycle infrastructure, including 129 miles (208 km) of bicycle lanes and sharrows, 98 miles (158 km) of signed bicycle routes, and 2,230 bicycle parking spaces.[12]
Facilities
As of 2015, SDOT has an estimated $20 billion in transportation assets within the city of Seattle. It maintains 3,954 miles (6,363 km) of streets, 122 bridges, 609 stairways, 158 traffic cameras, 1,061 signalized intersections, and 29,073 curb ramps. The Urban Forestry division maintains over 41,000 street trees, as well as 110 acres (45 ha) of managed landscape areas.[8][13]
References
- ^ a b "Funding - Transportation". www.seattle.gov. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ Seattle City Council (November 18, 1996). "City of Seattle Ordinance 118409". City of Seattle Legislative Information Service. Office of the City Clerk. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
- ^ Lewis, Peter (November 19, 1996). "Council OKs $3.7 billion budget". The Seattle Times. p. B3. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
- ^ Seattle City Council (March 19, 2004). "City of Seattle Ordinance 121420". City of Seattle Legislative Information Service. Office of the City Clerk. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
- ^ "Seattle Municipal Code Chapter 3.12: Seattle Department of Transportation". City of Seattle. Retrieved September 2, 2017 – via MuniCode.
- ^ "Facts About Seattle: City Officials". Seattle Municipal Archives. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
- ^ de Luna, Ruby (July 28, 2022). "Meet Seattle's new transportation director: Greg Spotts". KUOW. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
- ^ a b "Seattle Department of Transportation". City of Seattle 2015 Adopted Budget and 2016 Endorsed Budget (PDF) (Report). Seattle City Budget Office. February 17, 2015. p. 426. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
- ^ "Bridging the Gap — Building a foundation that lasts - Transportation". www.seattle.gov. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ Lindblom, Mike (October 25, 2006). "Transportation levy would be biggest ever". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
- ^ Lindblom, Mike (November 8, 2015). "Move Seattle passage means $930M to hit the streets; repaving, school zones first". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
- ^ "Bicycle Program". Seattle Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
- ^ "SDOT Transportation Infrastructure Inventory". Seattle Department of Transportation. December 9, 2015. Retrieved September 2, 2017.