In 2006, Seattle voters passed a nine-year levy program targeting transportation maintenance and improvement projects – Bridging the Gap (BTG). The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has worked hard every year to spend the levy dollars wisely and to hold to the promises made to voters. Once again in 2015, the work plan for the program sets aggressive goals and will push SDOT staff to be creative in their designs and delivery of projects.
One of the most visible programs of the BTG levy is the asphalt and concrete paving program; this year they will deliver 117 lane miles of new pavements along some of the city’s most traveled streets. Projects include paving work along Renton Avenue South – Phase I and along Roosevelt Way NE.
Additional work to be completed in 2015:
- SDOT will repair 25 blocks of sidewalk, rehabilitate seven stairways and make smaller repairs to 10 lane-miles of road through the Arterial Major Maintenance program.
- Seattle’s bridges will continue to receive much needed repair work. Crews will make 253 repairs to Seattle’s bridges, while construction will begin on – Yesler Way over 4th Ave.
- Construction will begin on the 23rd Avenue Corridor Improvement Project – Phase 1
- SDOT will plant 180 new street trees and prune more than 3,000 trees.
- Ten Neighborhood Street Fund (NSF) Large Projects will be constructed.
During the seven years of the levy, the city has delivered on the promises made by BTG. SDOT has paved more than 222 lane-miles of road, repaired 193 blocks of sidewalk, made 2,413 bridge repairs, rehabilitated 40 stairways, pruned more than 26,220 trees and planted 6,135 new street trees.
For more information about BTG’s goals and progress on meeting those targets, please visit the BTG web page.