The Seattle Department of Transportation presented the mayor's proposed 2026 budget to the City Council's Select Budget Committee on Sept. 26, saying the plan restores some program funding after the levy's passage and shifts staffing to meet near-term delivery needs. Director Emery and SDOT finance staff told council members the package includes targeted staffing additions, downtown activation funding, and project funds timed for major events and closures.

SDOT framed the proposal around three priorities: good governance, safety, and community investments. The department said the mayor's budget reduces SDOT's general fund allocation from the 2026 endorsed level by about $4.4 million (roughly 8%) across multiple service areas, while also adding new general-fund allocations for prioritized programs such as graffiti abatement and a downtown activation team.

SDOT staff told the committee they are using the voter-approved Seattle transportation levy and the Seattle transit measure to carry preservation work and expand service hours. "We will continue to advance those preservation [projects] through the levy," Director Emery said.

The department said hiring to staff levy work is underway: the council previously granted 72 levy positions for 2025, and SDOT expects to have roughly 80% of its 2025 levy positions filled before January. SDOT also reported it will continue recruiting for roughly 60 remaining levy positions as it moves into 2026 and is realigning labor budgets to match anticipated hiring timelines.

Also highlighted: support for FIFA-related preparations, management of Revive I-5 impacts, and partnerships with WSDOT, King County Metro and Sound Transit to coordinate major projects. Committee members asked follow-up questions about sidewalk delivery, transit reliability, and how SDOT will respond when constituents raise issues that were not prioritized in levy planning.

SDOT emphasized a crew-delivered approach to accelerate sidewalk and small capital work and said it has already completed a number of pavement, sidewalk and safety projects in 2024 and 2025. The department also noted that some projects included in the levy will continue into 2027 and that it is sequencing hiring and construction to reflect realistic timelines.

Ending: Committee members signaled continued oversight and requested follow-up Q&A; SDOT and central staff agreed to post written responses to outstanding questions to the committee Q&A. No formal vote or action on the budget occurred at the presentation.