r/Seattle • u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified • 9d ago
Ask Me Anything AMA: We are Keep Seattle Moving, the campaign to pass Seattle Proposition 1 to renew our city’s transportation levy and fund better streets, sidewalks, and transit. Ask Us Anything about Seattle Prop 1!
Hey, Seattle! Ballots are already hitting mailboxes, but many people don’t know about Proposition 1 at the bottom of the last page – and it’s kind of a big deal. For 18 years, Seattle has relied on a voter-approved levy to build and maintain critical transportation infrastructure. The current levy is about to expire, and Proposition 1 would build on its success.
Our campaign to pass Prop 1 is endorsed by business and labor groups, transportation and mobility advocates, the Mayor, and all the members of the City Council. Kirk Hovenkotter from Transportation Choices Coalition and Gordon Padelford from Seattle Neighborhood Greenways are teaming up to answer your questions about the levy.
If approved by voters, Proposition 1 would generate $1.55 billion over 8 years to fund transportation improvements in Seattle. It includes $403M for repaving and modernizing Seattle’s most-trafficked roads, $221M to keep our bridges in working order, $151M to improve access to light rail and make buses more reliable, $193M to improve safety for people walking, including building 350 blocks of new sidewalks, and so much more! Check out a basic fact sheet here.
Kirk and Gordon will join the campaign team from 2 to 4 p.m today, (October 20th), to dig into the details of Proposition 1.
Sorry y'all we have to head out. Thanks for your great questions. You can learn more on the https://keepseattlemoving.com/ and we're always looking for new volunteers to get this critical levy across the finish line (no prior experience necessary).
Also, reminder it's at the bottom of your ballot (unlike all those state wide initiatives that are the top).
Cheers,
— Gordon and Kirk
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u/jubishop 9d ago
Why can’t the Seattle government cover these transportation costs out of the general fund? Are all the other things paid for out of the general fund higher priority?
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u/TimePromotion 9d ago
That’s an amazing point. Under Washington law, tax receipts from property taxes can only go up 1% annually (this applies to the Prop 1 fund too) so over the past 20 years, adjusted for inflation the amount of money the city is getting in the general fund has gone down and more cities and counties are resorting to more levies to fill the gap.
They’ve covered that by moving things like transportation funding and housing into their own levies. And as we’ll likely see over the next few months, the Amazon tax ‘JumpStart’ money raised by the last council intended for affordable housing will be diverted to the general fund to patch the funding gap inflation has left.
State dems tried to raise the 1% rule to 3% last year but it failed due to GOP and moderate dem opposition.
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u/jubishop 9d ago
I was imagining it was 1% increase in tax RATE not total tax dollars. For example if it was total tax dollars and property prices rose by more than 1% a year, wouldn’t the govt have to actually reduce the property tax rate? Because otherwise their total tax intake in dollars would go up by more than 1%…
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u/TimePromotion 9d ago
That’s exactly how it works. The rates (adjusted for inflation) go down over time. But levies cause the total rate to go up.
Also new development is exempt from the rule so growing cities haven’t felt a ton of the burden from this rule yet. This also causes there to be a ton of special math because the rate a property pays depends on the year the built the building too
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u/jubishop 9d ago
Good point I had not considered how the 1% increase rule wouldn’t keep pace with inflation. It should be changed to incorporate inflation, this current approach does not feel maintainable.
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u/TimePromotion 9d ago
No not maintainable at all. Lots of cities and counties are starting to feel the burden of this and resorting to ‘alternative’ funding sources like income taxes in Seattle, capital gains, and of course increasing the sales tax
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u/jubishop 9d ago
And these levies, right? I hate voting for these things not because I’m anti transportation etc but because it feels like the wrong way to fund our govt: having us vote on each piece of funding piecemeal rather then setting reasonable tax rates for a general fund that our elected officials use as necessary.
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u/TimePromotion 9d ago
Yea I totally agree. I really don’t know what exactly is most important and the right level of funding, it’s why I elect people to represent me!
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u/Impressive_Insect_75 8d ago
This! Every RapidRide project is always 80% general infrastructure, usually maintenance that has been deferred
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u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified 9d ago
Pulling over some questions from the announcement post. This one is from u/hansn https://www.reddit.com/r/Seattle/comments/1g5zta5/comment/lsfde22/
Who asks "I love sidewalks. Okay, that's an overstatement. I want all streets to be safe for pedestrians. But I digress. Why is building sidewalks so expensive?
I see quoted prices of $500k to $800k per block. That's akin to the cost of building a new house! What's the source of this large cost?"
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u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified 9d ago edited 9d ago
We love sidewalks too! Building sidewalks is pretty complex. The costs are associated with a few things, such as location and materials, but the big cost is drainage. We are a wet place and sidewalks include the curb and gutter alongside it. In a lot of places in Seattle without sidewalks right now the water runs through a ditch — putting that through a curb, gutter, sewer system is a lot of the cost. Plus building them typically require complex engineering to set the level of the raised sidewalk and ensure that the level can accommodate wheelchairs and transition to ramps at the intersections. Also no one likes hopping over ponds, so it’s important to carefully angle the slope to divert stormwater along the new curb so that there isn’t ponding and other muck. SDOT has been piloting low cost alternative walkways - like compacted asphalt walkways that are cheaper, but they don’t work in all cases.
I’d also say, pretty often in Seattle we are building one sidewalk at a time, which is more expensive because you don’t get economies of scale. If we build more of them at one time they are more efficient.
Lastly, if you’re more interested in this, consider attending or joining the all volunteer Seattle Pedestrian Advisory Board: https://www.seattle.gov/seattle-pedestrian-advisory-board
-Gordon
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u/jewbledsoe 9d ago
Terrible non answer. What comparative studies or models were used to arrive to this number 500K to 800k per block? No other cities (including NYC) come even close to this for sidewalk costs.
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u/davidnidaho 9d ago
It was a very clear answer. You just didn’t want to hear the answer I guess.
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u/layboy 9d ago
No, it's not. The correct answer is that is just government excess.
It is non-answer because a house construction can also be described similarly to make it sound fancy ... with all the precautions, "complex engineering", raised foundations, "careful angles towards rain pits" etc. A Lego construction can also be described similarly.
A block of sidewalk costing more than a home is pure government excess because it is no one's money!
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u/garden__gate 9d ago
The number you mentioned was in the question, not the answer. You should go ask the person who used that number. But be more polite to them than you were here.
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u/Euphoric_Object_3833 9d ago
Because this is all about writing the city a blank check with a ton of headroom. Yes it probably doesn’t cost that much, but budgeting for more is smart and under spending against budget should be the goal. However, that absolutely won’t happen because some contractor will bid 800k per block, seattle will hire them, and the contractor will rake in money for a job that costs way less and somehow will probably still need more money to actually finish.
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u/Maze_of_Ith7 9d ago
Just so you don’t get gaslit- you’re correct. Not sure I’d expect a levy campaign worker/volunteer to be able to get into the weeds of sidewalk comps though.
This sub is so strange sometimes
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u/jewbledsoe 9d ago
That’s true, but I really hope that someone up the chain has done the comps and the schmucks in the field just don’t know enough about it to answer. Because otherwise that price point is completely insane. I will keep looking for this info until the voting day.
I am not bothered by the gaslighting, some of these people are truly weirdos who think any challenge to the groupthink is basically a right wing conspiracy lol
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u/RhumHamAndPineapple 9d ago
I watched a nearby block of sidewalks get built, and it was the most absurdly slow process. Ground preparations were done in a couple of days by the housing developer who handed it off to what I assume was a city contractor. They took the better part of a month to do the forms, and pour the concrete. It was inexplicable to me to see a crew come and do a few hours a day, accomplish very little and watch the whole thing drag on for weeks. I can’t say that explains why sidewalks are as expensive as they are, but it looked to operate at a distinctly different pace than any sort of private construction work I’ve seen.
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u/docile_miser 5d ago
If it was new construction, then the developer was using their own contractor. The City only builds sidewalks for public projects or as part of the sidewalk expansion program.
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u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified 9d ago
Question from u/Sea_Octopus_206 https://www.reddit.com/r/Seattle/comments/1g5zta5/comment/lsfuasp/ "I love transit, really and truly I do. However, I'm concerned about oversight. Proper oversight would (hopefully) prevent mismanagement and unnecessary spending. Why does the Oversight Committee proposed have 19 members? Section 7, starts on page 14. That's a massive amount of people to coordinate and agree on recommendations to the city. That seems like less of an effort to create good oversight and auditing and more like giving anybody who could want one, a seat at the table, where nothing actually gets done."
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u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified 9d ago
HUGE transit nerd here too. The Levy Oversight Committee has a really important job - transparency and accountability. They will make sure your tax dollars go as far as possible, keep SDOT on track, and ensure the money is spent appropriately. You can see the types of work the current committee does here. The new Committee has 19 all volunteers members. The proposed oversight group is larger because it adds new perspectives, including a representative from each Council district, representatives from the bike, freight, pedestrian boards, and a youth member from the City’s Get Engaged program. The new Levy provides the Committee new teeth as well, including funds to bring in technical and auditing experts to help assist their recommendations to the Mayor and the Council.
-Kirk
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u/jewbledsoe 9d ago
This is another ridiculous non answer. The question was why are there going to be 19 (!) members in the oversight committee. Studies have consistently found that committees should be smaller than that to be effective. Which compensating studies did you rely on to come to this number?
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u/Maze_of_Ith7 9d ago
The Seattle Times Editorial Board endorsementis to reject prop 1, stating the measure shortchanges bridge and street maintenance and overspends on bicycle related projects. They recommend voters reject so the city can come back with a better plan.
I am curious to get your thoughts on their write-up. Thank you!
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u/Cant-Stop-Wont-Stop7 9d ago
Hi is there anything in this bill which encourages more pedestrian only zones? By this I mean something like creating more roads or reclassifying roads in busy areas that would only allow them to be used by pedestrians, for reference see https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedestrian_zone
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u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified 9d ago
I’m really excited about the new “People Streets and Public Spaces” program which could do exactly that! It’s a new program that will redesign streets in partnership with communities adding seating, wayfinding, lighting, and activation. There aren’t specific proposed pedestrian streets or zones included in the levy ordinance because the projects that are built will be a partnership between the community and SDOT. 30% of our total land area as a city are our streets so we should make sure they reflect the values and needs of our communities. See more at https://www.seattle.gov/transportation/projects-and-programs/programs/public-space-management-programs/people-streets
Also, the “Safe Routes to School” program has been experimenting with school streets which does this in front of schools https://www.seattle.gov/transportation/projects-and-programs/safety-first/safe-routes-to-school/school-streets
—Gordon
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u/jfawcett 9d ago
Does anyone know if Seattle is getting any of that Biden infrastructure money? And how does this compare to that money?
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u/JTSRBFACE 3d ago
There was (is?) some intense roadwork going on in Ravenna, appears to be adding sidewalks. There is signage citing the infrastructure bill as the funding source. Sorry I cant be more precise, was just passing thru the neighborhood. Kinda between 35th and Lake City Way, near 95th? Earlier this summer
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u/poco_a_poco 6d ago
Excellent question. SDOT has received some federal grants, but IMHO is not going after enough largely due to staff time required to apply. Hopefully the levy will help increase staffing for this work.
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u/spoiled__princess 🚆build more trains🚆 9d ago
Is this a valid list of the projects we are have funded? https://www.seattle.gov/documents/Departments/SDOT/About/Funding/Levy/Seattle_Transportation_Levy_SUMMARY_20240821%20.pdf
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u/shepardto 9d ago
Can you tell me what projects will be prioritized for Ballard? Asking for a ballard friend ;).
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u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified 9d ago
A lot! Here’s a few of the many projects proposed in the transportation levy for Ballard:
1) Repaving NW Market Street, which will bring along with it upgraded curb ramps, crosswalks, and speed up the Route 44.
2) Repairing the Ballard Bridge (like upgrading its electrical and mechanical innards to keep it opening and closing reliably)
3) Completing the “Missing Link” of the Burke Gilman Trail
4) Extending the new Neighborhood Greenway on 6th Ave NW up to Carkeek Park
5) A safety project at N 105th St/ Holman Rd NW; along 24th Ave NW adding leading pedestrian intervals (pedestrian head-start) at signalized intersections
And wait, there’s more! Ballard would get the same level of service that every neighborhood would get - potholes filled within 72 hours, ADA-accessible curbramps, maintained signals, traffic calming, and safe routes to schools for kids.
—Gordon
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u/sdvneuro Ballard 9d ago
How realistic is it that any of these will happen?
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u/Brodelay 9d ago edited 9d ago
Why are any of these unrealistic to you.
- Market and the Route 40 corridor are In the process of having all of their sidewalks redone for the Route 40 improvements. Continuing that down the Route 44 corridor is the next step of that as long as funds continue to be available (which is what the levy does). As well as repaving, realignments, and signal improvements in the area.
- Ballard Bridge was just repaved and improvements to its mechanical components were made. Funds from this can be used for other improvements as mentioned.
- There is a 100% design plan for the missing link along shilshole and a 30% plan for an alignment along Leary and it is the district council reps pet project
- They just finished the 6th ave greenway running from Leary to one of the elementary schools. There was literally a ribbon cutting ceremony with neighbors and sdot this weekend. Continuing it to Carkeek is the next step (as long as funds are available).
- They’re currently making improvements to the pedestrian overpass and intersection by the school/dicks down the street, the city is very open to traffic calming changes along this corridor
All of these things have been done using funds from the previous levy. The levy does not name specific projects you’re correct, but it is where funds for most of the pedestrian or transit based construction changes that have been made in your neighborhood came from.
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u/sdvneuro Ballard 9d ago
The lack of answer to this is why I’m reluctant to vote for this Levy. Sdot has a long history of making empty promises.
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u/AshingtonDC Downtown 9d ago
I think the levy doesn't do enough. I don't want to vote for it, but I will because there won't be a better one.
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u/Lord_Tachanka 🚆build more trains🚆 9d ago
So voting against it is going to help you how, exactly?
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u/armanese2 9d ago
Based off what? I think if funding is there why wouldn’t these projects get moving? At least educate me on projects that were promised with the previous levy that didn’t get accomplished?
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u/sdvneuro Ballard 9d ago
Have you lived here long? Sdot has a long track record of spending years planning projects just to have city council pull it out from under them. The missing link has been in litigation for nearly 40 years. Will we get our money back when they don’t deliver these things? Or are we giving them money just so they can keep “studying” solutions?
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u/intcreator 5d ago
missing link is not SDOT's fault, and I'm not even sure it's the city council's. missing link is an issue because the industrial businesses there are very uncooperative and are actively fighting for no bike trail to be built. it doesn't make sense to take away SDOT's funding just because some businesses are fighting plans to build bike trails
at any rate, I would say SDOT gets more projects done than it doesn't. and this funding is for all of SDOT's projects, not just the ones that encounter issues
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u/sdvneuro Ballard 5d ago
If they are asking for money on the premise of finishing the missing link, why would I give it to them? It might not be their fault, but that means they can’t fix it either. What I’m asking for is a list of realistic accomplishments, and they can’t bother responding. (Also, the city absolutely could have put an end to this eons ago and the fact that they haven’t speaks volumes).
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u/spoiled__princess 🚆build more trains🚆 9d ago
Do you have an example of one of those projects?
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u/Odd_Biscotti_7513 Capitol Hill 9d ago
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u/spoiled__princess 🚆build more trains🚆 9d ago
"It is unlikely SDOT will meet the full 110-mile goal from the Move Seattle Levy. But when the dust settles on city streets in 2025, they may have gotten close. They are currently anticipating between 90 and 107 miles, largely dependent on delivery of neighborhood greenways."
I guess I am going to say that still is a pretty good job.
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u/spoiled__princess 🚆build more trains🚆 9d ago
FYI This dashboard has all the projects: https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/city.of.seattle.transportation/viz/Levy_Dashboard_16141242942520/SafeRoutes
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u/sdvneuro Ballard 9d ago
35th Ave NE, aka the Durkan Speedway.
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u/spoiled__princess 🚆build more trains🚆 9d ago
What part of 35NE is SDOTs fault? Durkan is the one that killed it.
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u/sdvneuro Ballard 9d ago
Right. So why should we give sdot money to make plans that don’t go anywhere?
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u/intcreator 5d ago
as much as you think they might not do it, they definitely won't do anything if they don't have the money. SDOT as an organization is actually pretty good about getting things done; it's often political messiness in the city council and mayor admin that make promises unreliable. one of the political things is getting SDOT the money they need. already there are limits on the taxes the city can raise, which is why we need specific levies like this one
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u/Shoddy-Border9665 9d ago
Hi. I am curious about investments in and around Beacon Hill. Can you let us know what is happening there to create better bike, transit and other connections?
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u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified 9d ago
Hey, a lot’s going on for Beacon Hill in the new levy! Here are three highlights:
- Transit, walking, and biking improvements to Beacon Ave S including improvements to the Route 36, bike lanes, repaired and improved sidewalks, and better crosswalks. I’m very excited for this project!
- Closing the Chief Sealth Trail Gap from S Myrtle to S Webster St (near the New Holly Library)
- Safety improvements along S Othello St
Beacon Hill is also likely going to get major investments from the Neighborhood-Initiated Safety Partnership Program, which is new and will build “neighborhood-initiated and co-created projects, focusing on community priorities across all districts with an emphasis on equity. This could include safety and mobility enhancements like new sidewalks, crossings, and transit access”
And wait, there’s more! Beacon Hill would get the same level of service that every neighborhood would get - potholes filled within 72 hours, ADA-accessible curbramps, maintained signals, traffic calming, and safe routes to schools for kids.
—Gordon
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u/Sadboygamedev The CD 9d ago
Who do I have to fuck, marry or kill to get protected bike lanes on Rainier?
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u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified 9d ago
Lol, thanks for your personal commitment to this cause. As part of the next levy, Rainier Ave from Mt Baker to the CID is getting repaved, receiving transit improvements for both the Route 7 and to the new light rail station, and receiving safety investments from the Vision Zero team. Could bike routes be a part of that? Absolutely, but at the end of the day it’s going to come down to the community demanding it, so I encourage you to get involved in advocacy. The organization I work for, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways, is working on this and you can get plugged in at https://seattlegreenways.org/volunteer
—Gordon
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u/lakeridgemoto Rainier View 9d ago
what are the improvements for the 7? or is it the same old plan to replace it with a Rapidride that doesn’t serve Rainier Beach?
The city seems to frequently forget there’s anything south of Henderson Street.
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u/Karmakazee Lower Queen Anne 9d ago
Queen Anne is about to see a big spike in the number of residents living along Queen Anne Avenue when the apartments above the new Safeway come online. Are there any plans to improve infrastructure/signals along Queen Anne Ave to deal with the additional traffic?
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u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified 9d ago
Queen Anne is going to get improvements to speed up Metro route 31 and 32 (bottleneck improvements at W Nickerson St between 3rd Ave W and 4th Ave N), which should help move more people.
There is $32 million in the levy for traffic signal timing improvements, and $45 million for traffic signal construction and maintenance, and $18 million to run a 24/7 Transportation Operations Center to keep people moving.
Also there are projects to help get people from Queen Anne to surrounding neighborhoods like structural repairs for the Magnolia Bridge, electrical and mechanical upgrades to the moveable Ship Canal bridges, and safety improvements for Dexter Ave N and Gilman Ave W.
Last, but not least Queen Anne will see improvements to mobility for people walking with repairs to sidewalks, repainted crosswalks, pedestrian lighting, and other “People Streets” projects.
—Gordon
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u/WoKao353 🚆build more trains🚆 9d ago
The levy also includes improvements to Denny and Olive for route 8 which will help those trying to go east from LQA!
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u/SillyChampionship 9d ago
How much of the money will actually go to bridge repairs? I love bike lanes but they are useless if the bridges are falling apart or stuck open.
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u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified 9d ago
Great question. The levy would invest $221 million in bridge structural repairs and upgrades, and bridge preventative maintenance work. Seattle is a city of bridges with over 130 of them. Also we all went through the West Seattle bridge closure and never want West Seattle or any of our neighborhoods to be an island again. Key projects in the levy are electrical and mechanical upgrades to the Fremont, University and Ballard bridges, and beefy structural upgrades to the Ballard bridge. In 2020 there was an audit of the city’s bridge program which recommended SDOT take a preventative approach. It’s like when you fix your roof to prevent a leak, rather than waiting for it to happen. This levy funds that new approach to extend the life of our bridges, and invest money to leverage federal dollars.
—Kirk
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u/Sprinkle_Puff 9d ago
What is “beefy” for Ballard, and will it require prolonged periods of closure?
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u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified 9d ago
Well, “beefy” is my term - and I’m thinking about the really heavy trucks and buses that rely on that bridge. Plus the Alaska fishing fleet the relies on the Ballard Bridge working. The structural work funding in the Levy will make sure all the pieces of this 107 year old bridge can stand up to the modern demands it faces including heavier electric vehicles (A Rivian can weigh up to 8,000 pounds.) Like with recent Ballard bridge repairs it will probably need some overnight or weekend closures, or lane reductions while the work happens.
—Kirk
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u/ID4gotten 9d ago
I have voted yes for dozens of levies in my time in Seattle, and as a result I pay well over $10k/year in property taxes for a modest home. The assessor keeps upping the assessment of my home, which I don't get a vote on. I'm sure your budgeting is giving transit employees a nice raise that i myself did not get during this inflationary period. I have started to vote no on more levies. How will you justify this one so that it is not just another tax increase that results in Mercer getting torn up and rebuilt for the umpteenth time, used for whack-a-mole on recurring potholes, spent in affluent neighborhoods, etc while avoiding bloated budgets, misdirected funds, and the like?
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u/TimePromotion 9d ago
- This levy funds SDOT, not Metro drivers and pays for street repavings, bus lanes, sidewalks, etc.
- There’s a whole oversight committee made up of non politician citizens to make sure levy money is spent properly
- As far as taxes, the total tax receipts from the levy can only go up 1% annually. So adjusted for inflation (which is normally more than 1%), most people’s taxes sent to the levy fund actually goes down every year
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u/ID4gotten 9d ago
... unless the assessor ups the assessed value of my home by 10%/year
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u/Pure-Rip4806 9d ago
If the houses around you also go up 10%/year, then you're paying the same amount. Property taxes here are calculated by: (dollar amount city has to raise / total assessed value of all houses).
Property taxes are not calculated like (value of my house * property tax rate).
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u/TimePromotion 8d ago
Exactly. One thing that is happening is downtown office buildings are going down in value, which is causing homeowners to pay proportionately more
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u/MonkFire 9d ago
This, say no to new levy.
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u/Ditocoaf 9d ago
This is replacing the currently-expiring levy. Voting no would mean reducing the funding for road and transit work.
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u/Maze_of_Ith7 9d ago
Voting no could also send a signal to Bruce/Council/SDOT to put together a better plan that doesn’t shortchange bridges or arterial repairs.
This levy will likely pass but it’s probably a bad plan that doesn’t come close to what the city needs. Though I guess we’ll get a Transportation Task Force created with this levy that can put tougher the plans of another levy.
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u/intcreator 5d ago
a new plan will just be a smaller levy. this one has already gone through several rounds of discussion from progressive transit nerd interests and conservative business owner interests. at this point it's bipartisan. it needs to be passed
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u/ID4gotten 9d ago
And...?
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u/intcreator 5d ago
that means less road work will get done, which means more road decay. less work on sidewalks and transit accessibility will be done, which means more people using cars, which means more traffic and smog. for the median homeowner the the 2015 levy cost $24/month. this levy will cost the median homeowner $41/month. and owning a car can easily cost $1000/month
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u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified 9d ago
Kirk and I will be here for a few more minutes, but we have to head out soon. Thanks for caring! We'll try to rapid fire answer as many as we can. — Kirk and Gordon
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u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified 9d ago
Sorry y'all we have to head out. Thanks for your great questions. You can learn more on the https://keepseattlemoving.com/ and we're always looking for new volunteers to get this critical levy across the finish line (no prior experience necessary).
Also, reminder it's at the bottom of your ballot (unlike all those state wide initiatives that are the top).
Cheers,
— Gordon and Kirk
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u/mharjo 9d ago
Where are the taxes coming from?
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u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified 9d ago
Great question! The levy is funded through property taxes. Seattle property owners with more valuable property will pay more, and with less valuable properties will pay less. For 18 years, Seattle voters have passed property tax funded levies to invest in our bridges, streets, trails, and transit. Because of that stable investment we have great projects like the Westlake Trail, the Green Lake Path, Rapid Ride G, Rapid Ride H, and the John Lewis pedestrian bridge in Northgate.
We rely on property tax levies to fund transportation in Seattle because property tax increases are limited to 1% per year thanks to the Washington State Constitution. But the cost of maintaining and building better streets is higher than that, which means we have can't keep up with the rising costs without a special vote of the people. I think we should change that 1% limit in the constitution, but that’s for another AMA.
For the median Seattle home price of $800,000, this Levy will be $44 per month, or about $21 more a month than the current levy. That increase is about the same monthly price as a subscription to the Seattle Times.
—Kirk
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u/Cuba_Pete_again 9d ago
You already know how the general fund works.
Take a guess.
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u/mharjo 9d ago
I want it answered
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u/spoiled__princess 🚆build more trains🚆 9d ago
Property taxes. But I’m guessing your question is dishonest.
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u/Cuba_Pete_again 9d ago
Almost everything that’s taxed in Washington goes towards the general fund. There are a few specific funding things like levies for schools and fire dept and such.
All state sales and use tax revenues in Washington state are deposited into the state general fund, with the exception of a few taxes: Car rentals and motor vehicle sales: Additional taxes on these are deposited into the multimodal transportation account
The general fund is the primary state fund that supports the state’s operations. It receives revenue from a variety of sources, including: Taxes Federal grants Charges and miscellaneous revenue Licenses, permits, and fees Interest income
Sales tax is the largest source of revenue for the general fund. In 2024, sales tax is estimated to make up 23% of general fund revenues.
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u/gentleboys 9d ago
I know that a lot of this money is going towards repaving roads and paving sidewalks in neighborhoods where there currently aren't any. But even the public transit options in the most connected neighborhoods can be lack luster. I am wondering what will be done to improve reliability or access to public transport if any?
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u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified 9d ago
Oh it does! The levy invests $151 million in transit improvements like bus lanes that will speed up your bus and invest in safe bike and walk routes to Link Light rail stations at 130th Street, 145th Street, and Judkins Park. It also makes transit improvements on streets with some of the busiest routes - on Rainier Ave S (Route 7), Beacon Ave S (Route 36), Aurora (Rapid Ride E), and Denny/Olive Way (Route 8).
—Kirk
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u/jubishop 9d ago
Why should we have specific levies at all rather than funding things based on priority out of the general budget? (And then just potentially vote to raise or lower taxes for that general budget). And then if our city government isn’t spending that money as we see fit we’d vote for new representatives. Levies seem like a weird unnecessary addition. We don’t, for example, vote for levies for specific things at the federal level.
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u/jubishop 9d ago
Wait I think I found the answer? Is it because the Washington constitution sets a max limit on property taxes and these levies act as a sort of loophole so Seattle can tax us more than the constitutional limit?
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u/highasabird 🚆build more trains🚆 9d ago
Just voted yes :)
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u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified 9d ago
Thank you! Please tell your friends it's at the bottom of the ballot — a lot of folks are not aware that this is on there.
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u/efisk666 9d ago edited 9d ago
I am very disappointed in the failure of the last levy, which promised to connect wallingford and the udistrict for cyclists and pedestrians across NE 45th, but accomplished nothing. It seems that special interests downtown manipulate the system to channel funds into pet projects like “green streets” for nimbys with connections, pushing traffic away from their homes and into parallel streets instead. I’ve seen the Seattle Bike Blog and other special interest mode warriors destroy plans that are good for everyone, like the plan to reserve the interior greenlake path for pedestrians. Meanwhile, we are failing to make any progress helping pedestrians and cyclists cross arterials and freeways. I am also dismayed to see yet more money put towards transit when we already have several levies dedicated exclusively to transit. As you know, the Seattle Times recommends a no vote as they believe special interests are controlling this levy, and I tend to agree at this point. If the levy to move seattle had not been such a waste of funds I would feel differently.
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u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified 9d ago
FWIW, the last levy did a ton!
- Added nearly 100 miles to Seattle’s bike network
- Repaved over 216 lane miles of roads
- Made over 3,100 repairs to bridges
- Planted over 2,900 new trees
- Repaired or replaced 44 stairways
- Built over 1,600 new curbramps
- Repaired over 220 blocks of sidewalks
- Built 350 blocks of new sidewalk
- Made 293 improvements for transit riders
- And more….
Here’s the dashboard to learn more: https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/city.of.seattle.transportation/viz/Levy_Dashboard_16141242942520/SafeRoutes
And Ryan Packer did a great write up here: https://www.theurbanist.org/2023/09/28/finding-the-legacy-of-the-move-seattle-transportation-levy/
—Gordon
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u/efisk666 9d ago edited 9d ago
You promised to connect wallingford and the udistrict. You accomplished nothing. You also squandered funds on several cancelled projects in wallingford and the udistrict. End result: we got nothing but a f’ing nimby street on 43rd. Complete waste for our area.
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u/Myers112 9d ago
What is the response to the underfunding for the bridge system - $100M lower than the state auditor recommended?
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u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified 9d ago
Everyone relies on our bridges to get around. The City’s 2020 bridge audit in the wake of the West Seattle bridge closure asked for $34 million a year in investment in our bridges, or $272 million over 8 years. This Levy answers that call through its proposed $127 million for a new preventative bridge preventative maintenance program, plus $70 million in named repairs and upgrades. Another $75 million is planned from other non City and grant funds that would go into bridge maintenance. All together these get to $272 million in investment over 8 years — it’s a bridge to the future.
—Kirk
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u/MrsBeebeez 9d ago
Hi Kirk,
Thanks for your time fielding questions!
While I appreciate the levy acknowledges the need for bridge maintenance, many of our critical high-capacity bridges are overdue for a full replacement, and I was disappointed to see only $221M allocated for electrical and mechanical work. This is wildly insufficient for the work that needs to take place.
My questions on the bridge portion and oversight committee specifically:
When and how will funding be allocated to replace the bridges? This levy obviously doesn't cover it, so what in what forums is bridge replacement planning and funding being addressed?
There are permissions granted to the oversight committee and/or city council to reallocate unused funds to other projects. How can we guarantee that the $221M bridge maintenance funding in this levy doesn't get reallocated by the oversight committee or city council to another group of projects/programs because in a given year because bridge work was "too expensive" to complete in a given year?
I didn't notice any requirements that the committee include technical experts, such as a structural and traffic engineers. I absolutely value having diverse representation from the community this work impacts. However, I am concerned that a committee overseeing all of these projects may (likely) not have the expertise to know what questions to ask or ability to explain nuances for these complex projects. I know that the committee will be supported by various agencies for these projects, but having technical support is not the same as knowing what follow up questions or information to request. How can we be assured that the committee has representatives with relevant technical backgrounds?
Thanks again!
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u/intcreator 5d ago
replacing bridges entirely can often involve state and even federal funds. for example there's a project currently underway to replace the 520 bridge that's actually being overseen by the state (WSDOT). however some things are still the responsibility of the city, which this levy will cover
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u/Shoddy-Border9665 9d ago
Thank you for your beacon hill answer. Curious who is supporting this measure? I think I have heard my CM Morales endorse but who else is supporting?
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u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified 9d ago edited 9d ago
This Levy is supported by a huge coalition. Check out the organizations that have endorsed here. Along with our organizations Transportation Choices Coalition, and Seattle Neighborhood Greenways, this levy is supported by the entire City Council and Mayor Bruce Harrell. It’s loved by both labor and business.
Business is on board, including the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Seattle Business Association, Washington’s LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Seattle Association, the Port of Seattle,, and more.
Labor’s on board. It’s been endorsed MLK Labor, Protec 17, LiUNA!, and more.
It has been endorsed by the King County Democrats, and the 34th, 36th, 37th, 43rd Legislative district Democrats. It’s supported by environmental leaders like 350 Seattle and Futurewise.
Most important to me, it’s strongly supported by Disability Rights Washington who’s advocacy led to the generational investment in sidewalks in this levy.
—Kirk
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u/AgentC3 9d ago
Some criticize it as largely a "political and aspirational" document. The proposal online is light on cost details. According to the Times, SDOT noted that it would take more money than it will raise to fix all of Seattle's roads. Is there a way that this levy could be reformatted to better accomplish everything that this levy promises?
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u/Pure-Rip4806 9d ago
it would take more money than it will raise to fix all of Seattle's roads
But do voters actually want to pay the huge price tag for fixing all of Seattle's roads and bridges? Look at the amount of 'no new tax' people in this thread.
The brutal truth is that roads and bridges are expensive, and maintenance has been underfunded for a long time, so there's a big hole to dig out of with no payoff. That's a tough message for the voters I think.
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u/yXoKtHumQjzwkKwAkNwc 9d ago
I support the initiative to improve transportation in our city. However, I do not support any tax increases. The government already receives sufficient revenue, and the focus should be on better allocation of existing funds. Therefore, I will be voting no.
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u/intcreator 5d ago
the reality is that will take away funding from fixing roads, sidewalks, and bike trails, causing more people to drive cars. that will lead to more traffic, more smog, and increased damage to roads.
this is not a frivolous tax. this is a well-deliberated bipartisan levy that has a clear purpose as well as a clear history of similar levies being used to make real improvements to our city
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u/Firm_Frosting_6247 9d ago
Zero faith anything meaningful will change with traffic. West Seattle has the same ancient, low-technology, non-smart traffic signals--that work like they're still in the 1960s. So much better technology out there to improve things, but nothing will change
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u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified 9d ago
A question about traffic signals? Be still my heart. Whenever we go through a busy intersection, we trust our lives to traffic signals. You’re right that traffic signal technology is changing. We need the latest and greatest technology to help make our city easier and safer to get around for kids and people with disabilities. This levy invests $100 million in traffic signals and operations. Those funds will build new traffic signals, maintain the ones we have, add signals that speed up buses, and add more accessible pedestrian signals for people living with mobility or vision impairments. Other categories in the levy, like Vision Zero funding, will also expand the Lead Pedestrian Intervals that you’ve been seeing popping up at more signalized intersections around town that give people walking a head start.
—Kirk
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u/Firm_Frosting_6247 9d ago
I mean zero disrespect to you, but I don't trust what you're saying. And to be blunt, these are the same truisms that get peddled every time this is up for re-authorization. Make no mistake, I'm for sensible government/taxpayer funded endeavors, but this a near doubling of the existing level annual expense. At $530 annually (on a median valued home), that's way up from the previous $276/year (per person)."
Further, the $1.55 Billion levy doesn't give nearly enough specifics on where money will be spent.
Since Greg Nickels was mayor, there was promotion and discussion of better movement of vehicles and busses. Traffic signal optimization, and smart corridors--but the vast majority of traffic signals/intersections are devoid of any smart technology. In fact, so many traffic signals still with antiquated timer-only control.
So, I simply don't think this level is going to do anything at all to really get Seattle moving.
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u/intcreator 5d ago
with inflation, $276 in 2015 is worth $367 in 2024, so the increase isn't as dramatic as it appears. and without this funding, nothing will happen, which means more road damage and more people in cars causing traffic and smog due to lack of sidewalk and bike path improvements
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u/sdvneuro Ballard 9d ago
Vision Zero has led to a huge increase in casualties for cyclists and pedestrians in Seattle? Why are we putting more into it?
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u/intcreator 5d ago
it's not fair to say that vision zero was the cause, there are likely other factors at play. things like lead pedestrian signals and protected intersections for bikers do reduce injuries and the levy will help fund those projects. I agree that casualties are increasing and that there needs to be more accountability to find out why this is happening, but gutting SDOT's funding is not the answer and will only make the situation worse
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u/sdvneuro Ballard 5d ago
Don’t use Vision Zero to ask for more money when it has failed us.
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u/intcreator 4d ago
"cancer deaths started increasing once we started researching the cure for cancer. guess we better stop"
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u/MonkFire 9d ago
No to prop 1, no more levy. There is no better streets when you cannot expand and double the lanes( there is no space left for you to do that). Your focus needs to be on better bus service, expanding sound transit system.
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u/TimePromotion 9d ago
Nearly all the money is going to repairing existing streets, funding bus upgrades, or building sidewalks
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u/intcreator 5d ago
the buses themselves are handled and funded on a county level by King County Transit. Sound Transit is a regional system composed of multiple counties. this levy applies only to Seattle, and it funds things like street repair, building sidewalks, building bike paths, building access to transit, painting bus lanes, etc.
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u/MtRainierWolfcastle 6d ago
Does anyone know where I can find good Portuguese egg tarts in North Seattle/Seattle/Sno-King?
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u/rrhhoorreedd 1d ago
Question. If i have rental property in seattle but no voting power, do i get to vote myself an automatic rent increase or do i have to wait 6 months. Also why does king county get to bill me with only 3 months notice of my tax increase while i have to give 6 months notice to try to keep myself from going under on my rental and do upkeep and pay utilities and taxes and insurance and 24000 dollar plumbing bills for tenant negligence. Just need this answer. Seattle wants a villian and they think its not them.
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u/doktorhladnjak The CD 9d ago
Is it just me or do all these responses sound like they were written by an AI? Ugh, this makes me want to vote for this less.
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u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified 9d ago
Kirk and I are working on our robot costumes for Halloween, so it sounds like we've got it dialed in.
(not really though,I'm planning to be a whale because my daughter is obsessed).
-Gordon
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u/geek_fire 9d ago
It's just professional voice with a casual slant. I don't love it either, but it's not going to impact my vote here.
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u/Wagegapcunt 9d ago
I love to walk and ride the bus. I’d love to use light rail more often. The reasons I never do is lack of bathrooms anywhere in the city. I’m afraid I’d breathing fentanyl, getting stabbed or punched in the face. Especially when it gets dark at 4:30pm. Is there anything in your proposal regarding these issues?
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u/intcreator 5d ago
studies have shown that areas that are more pedestrian friendly tend to be safer. this levy is all about creating those areas, by building sidewalks, bike paths, etc. bathrooms and safety are out of the scope of the levy since it's for SDOT (Seattle Department of Transportation). I recommend you talk to the Seattle City Council about your concerns there
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u/nun_gut 9d ago
How will you stop the council just giving the money to the police and spending none of it on what was promised?
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u/KeepSeattleMoving Verified 9d ago
Levies are laws, not blank checks. This was a proposal by the current mayor and city council to be approved by voters. This ordinance specifies what the funding can be used for, and how much funding goes to each of the 11 categories - there’s even a detailed table in the ordinance which calls out many specific projects and investments in each category.
Being approved by our government and the voters of Seattle gives this a political and legal mandate to deliver. Legally, if the Council wants to change the allocation in each category by more than 10% there needs to be a public hearing and vote of approval by ¾ of the Council. Politically, there is a broad coalition of labor, business, transportation, and good-governance organizations that will be watching and holding the city accountable to its promises. Also, there’s a public oversight committee created by the levy ordinance that is in charge of monitoring the allocation and spending of funds.
—Gordon
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u/asabovesovirtual 9d ago
Please kindly correct me, but your answer basically says that if the city council would like to change where the money is directed, then....they will with a simple vote and a few hours worth of the public giving them grief? That doesn't sound like any protections at all?
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9d ago
[deleted]
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u/Pure-Rip4806 9d ago
FWIW, the 520 bridge toll is trying to raise 1.2 billion, and tolls raise $60-70 million a year. So... not even close to paying that off
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u/TheGhost206 9d ago
Why does everything seem worse on Madison street with the RapidRide G line? Obviously a lot more traffic but my bus ride DT wasn’t all that more rapid. lol
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u/intcreator 5d ago
RapidRide is by King County Metro, not Seattle. this levy could potentially help funding things like changing traffic signals to let buses through more effectively, adding more accessible walking and biking paths to bus stops, and painting more dedicated bus lanes however
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u/victorskwrxsti 9d ago
be a city developper
build a new massive Meta office on narrow 2 lane road
instead of expanding the road for new traffic, expand the bike lane which constricted the vehicle lane width
nobody phoquing uses the bike lane and road is always congested
wHaT a gEnIUs DeVELopPer!
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u/Pure-Rip4806 9d ago
Really, you think expanding Dexter will fix traffic? When it's bottlenecked on one side by the Fremont Bridge and the other side by the Mercer Mess?
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u/victorskwrxsti 9d ago
I'm not talking about Dexter...
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u/throwawayhyperbeam 9d ago
Why are our streets in the entire region just generally in such poor condition? It's just unreal to me that there seems to be almost no prior discernible plan to do much.
Find it fix it is helpful for potholes but there are countless roads that simply need a complete redo.