Seattle hits 34% of promised sidewalk fixes in first year of $1.55B levy

(The Center Square) – In less than a year, Seattle has conducted 34% of spot repairs to city sidewalks that were promised over the next eight years.

In the first Seattle committee meeting in two weeks, the Seattle Department of Transportation briefed the city’s transportation committee on the work being done to improve sidewalks: a major goal of the eight-year, $1.55 billion Transportation levy.

According to Seattle Department of Transportation Supervising Civil Engineer Jinny Green, the department made 11,543 spot repairs and repaired 21.7 sidewalk blocks so far in 2025. This was done with an $8 million budget.

The Seattle Transportation Levy set a target of 4,250 sidewalk spot repairs per year, or 34,000 over the levy’s eight-year span. In other words, the 11,543 spot repairs over eight months represents 34% of the 34,000 promise.

Seattle voters showed support for solutions to the city’s transportation needs – including sidewalk repairs – as 66% of voters approved the $1.55 billion levy to maintain and modernize the city’s transportation infrastructure in the 2024 general election. In 2025 – the levy’s first year – $176.8 million is being appropriated broadly toward high-priority transportation needs.

The largest portion of funding from the 2025 appropriation is $43 million for street maintenance and modernization, which is expected to receive the most funding from the levy over the next eight years.

As for sidewalk repairs, planning is taking up most of the year, including community outreach. According to the city, eight “Neighborhood Walkshops” have been held this year to identify and select sidewalk projects for the first four years of the levy. Two more are planned for the upcoming fall.

The city set out a goal to build 250 blocks of new sidewalks and sidewalk alternatives over the next four years with funding from the levy.

The transportation department anticipates 40 to 50 blocks of new sidewalk to be constructed by the end of 2025. Additionally, there are nearly 70 more blocks in design for construction as soon as 2026.

If the city were to fully repair all backlogged sidewalks and obstacles, it is estimated to cost up to $1.3 billion. The total replacement value of all of the city’s sidewalks totals $5.9 billion.