Select Budget Committee lifts $89 million transportation levy proviso after SDOT presents 2025 delivery plan; vote 8-0

The Seattle City Council Select Budget Committee voted 8-0 on March 5 to recommend passage of Council Bill 120946, which lifts a budget proviso that had withheld $89,000,000 of 2025 transportation levy funds pending council authorization.

Chair Dan Strauss said the proviso had been placed in the 2025 budget to give the council additional budget oversight while SDOT developed a delivery plan. Calvin Chow of Council Central Staff summarized the legislative background: the levy includes an annual delivery plan requirement and an initial proviso that held roughly half of the 2025 levy appropriations until the council could review SDOT’s proposed spend plan.

SDOT staff presented the 2025 levy delivery plan and explained how projects were selected. SDOT officials said the plan contains more than 400 projects across 11 categories, including Vision Zero safety projects (corridor and spot safety work), Safe Routes to School, sidewalk construction and repairs, street maintenance and modernization, bridges and structures work, transit corridor improvements, signals and operations, bicycle network work, people streets and public spaces, climate resiliency including electrification, freight and goods movement, and governance and equitable implementation. Francisca Stephan (SDOT) said the plan…