Transportation - Get Seattle Moving

A strong transportation system is essential to our economy, directly affecting our workers, the environment and the quality of life for Seattle residents.  The City will keep streets and bridges safe and in good condition.  With voter approval of the “Bridging the Gap” program, we are working to eliminate a backlog of paving and safety projects. 

We must provide robust alternatives to single-occupancy vehicles by increasing bike trails, pedestrian pathways and transit options.  In 2007, we opened the first modern streetcar route in our north downtown and look forward to extending that into a network.  We are working with Sound Transit to open light rail from downtown to the airport in 2009 and to extend the system to Northgate by 2020.  We must also take down the aging Alaskan Way Viaduct and replace it with a safe alternative that reconnects the city to the waterfront.

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  Keep Our Neighborhoods Safe

Public Safety is the paramount duty of the City.  Our police and fire personnel are first rate and should be recognized as such.  Through the voter approved Fire Facilities and Emergency Response Levy, the city has a state-of-the-art Emergency Operation Center, and will turn 32 fire stations throughout the city into modern, seismically secure facilities with expanded space for emergency response vehicles and equipment.  

From mid-2005 to 2012, the Police Department will add 154 officers, a 25% increase in the patrol force.  Our Neighborhood Policing Plan will allow for faster response times, regardless of the time of day, day of the week, or season of the year; a stronger police presence when responding; and a smarter use of patrol resources to focus on persistent problems that can affect quality of life in the city.  We are giving our first-responders the personnel, training and equipment to do these difficult jobs, to ensure accountability for actions taken, and to help us achieve our goal of being the most prepared city in the United States for natural or man-made disasters. 

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  Create Jobs and Opportunity For All

Economic Opportunity means creating jobs and opportunities for everyone, in every Seattle neighborhood.  We must have a diverse and thriving economy, and that means preserving of a solid manufacturing and maritime base, capturing new opportunities in clean technology and green building, and building our competitive advantage in life sciences and high tech.  We will work on providing workforce skills for our residents and bringing new investment to all of our neighborhoods.

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  Build Strong Families and Healthy Communities

Building our families and communities involves giving people the tools to make a better future.  A compassionate city reaches out to the people most in need, facing homelessness, fighting hunger or struggling to make ends meet.  We’re dedicated to giving our children a safe community to learn and grow.  And we have fostered a renewed commitment to our neighborhoods, investing in parks, open space, libraries and the amenities that make our diverse communities vibrant and livable.  Of course, we must also demand good stewardship of our water, trees and environment to combat global warming and to leave a healthy community for our children.

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