SDOT told the Select Budget Committee that the voter-approved 2024 transportation levy accelerates sidewalk construction and repair by prioritizing crew-delivered work in the early years.

The department said lessons from the prior Move Seattle levy led SDOT to front-load crew-deliverable sidewalk blocks; SDOT staff said this approach allows faster, more affordable sidewalk construction and cited on-the-ground engagement with communities as part of project selection and delivery.

SDOT told the committee it had completed nearly 8,000 sidewalk repairs, roughly 90 preventative maintenance projects, planted about 130 trees and marked about 1,300 crosswalks during the year. It said the levy includes work on roughly 350 blocks of new sidewalks and that the department expects to maintain momentum as levy staff are onboarded.

Council members asked how the department handles constituent requests for infrastructure not in initial levy packaging; SDOT acknowledged the tension and committed to better communication on prioritization and to work with council offices to evaluate whether other city funding can address urgent needs outside the levy package.

Ending: SDOT said it will publish levy oversight reporting showing year-one delivery and will continue hiring remaining levy positions; no formal council action was taken at the presentation.