Proposed Seattle Transportation Levy is a Good Start–Let’s Boost it!

On April 5, Mayor Bruce Harrell released a draft Seattle Transportation Levy that included $94 million to improve Seattle’s bike network. It’s a good start, but we believe the mayor should add $20 million to ensure safe biking in South Seattle as a core outcome of the Levy.

Seattle residents have until April 26 to provide feedback to the Mayor. Join us in telling him and the City Council to boost funding to correct the historical injustice of under-investment in South Seattle’s bike network.

Add your voice in support.

Below is a map we have created that shows the existing core bike network and its big gaps. The green lines show where bike infrastructure currently exists or is scheduled and funded for construction. The red lines show high need routes. A quick glance shows the discrepancy in bike networks in South Seattle versus other parts of the city.  

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The $94 million that Mayor Harrell proposes spending on Seattle’s bike network over eight years sounds like a lot of money, but in reality it falls short. That’s why Cascade is asking the mayor to add an additional $20 million for South Seattle bike infrastructure. With these additional dollars, the Transportation Levy can speed up completion of a citywide bike network that’s safe, connected, and accessible for everyone.

Completing the bike network in South Seattle will not only correct a historical injustice--it will also benefit everyone who bikes in the city by enabling more people to safely bike to their destinations and reach all Seattle neighborhoods by bike. Take action now to support a stronger bike network.

Here’s our vision for what the Levy can fund: 

• New protected bike routes, including an arterial route through the Rainier Valley and other important South Seattle corridors. 
• Gap-filling in the bike network across the city. 
• Concrete protection on existing painted bike lanes. 
• Regular sweeping and maintenance of the bike network.

The Transportation Levy Can Build On Current Investments 

Thanks to investments over the last decade that were funded by the expiring Move Seattle Levy, biking is an option for more Seattle residents. With an additional $20 million, this Levy could improve biking conditions citywide with smart investments. By hardening the protection on existing bike routes, and filling short but meaningful gaps in the network all across the city, we can improve safety for current users. We can also make biking a more realistic option for families and people who are concerned about safety (the number one barrier to biking for those who have transportation options). 

Tell the Mayor to fund basic bike infrastructure in South Seattle 

How to Read Our Map:

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• Green lines represent bike network routes that already exist, or are funded and moving forward toward construction. For example, the Burke Gilman Missing Link is green because dollars are not what’s stopping that being completed; Eastlake Ave bike lanes will be complete in 2026; the SODO route and Seattle Waterfront route will be built later this year.
• Orange lines represent bike projects that the Mayor has named in his Levy draft (130th bike lanes, Beacon Ave S Middle Segment, Alaska Junction Station bike route, and S Henderson St bike lanes); 
• Red lines represent our top priority bike routes that are named in the Seattle Transportation Plan but are not funded in this Levy proposal. 

Commitments made via the Transportation Levy, as the primary fund source for Seattle’s bike network, will shape the Seattle bike network for years to come. That’s why we must collectively push to fund bike safety projects in South Seattle and gaps across the network. Join us and please share with a friend or two!