Tacoma Voters Approve Connect Tacoma: Safe Streets and Sidewalks Levy (Proposition 1)

The latest round of election results released today indicate that Tacoma voters have approved the Connect Tacoma: Safe Streets and Sidewalks Levy (Proposition 1), a 10-year funding measure that will support investments in safer streets, neighborhood infrastructure, and transportation connections throughout Tacoma.

"It's not lost on me how big of a decision this was for our residents and local economy," said Mayor Anders Ibsen. "We are going to work tirelessly to ensure that we're putting this money to the most productive, responsible use as we continue to move the needle on making our neighborhoods safer, more attractive, and more productive."

"The passage of this measure will help make significant safety and connection improvements all across our community," said Deputy Mayor Joe Bushnell. "I'm especially happy that we'll continue to support Safe Routes to Schools and maximize the benefits of our taxpayer dollars with grants and partners. Additionally, I believe that the accountability measures we've set up will show the community how our dollars are being accounted for and demonstrate the good stewardship of our community's investments."

"This is a clear message from our community that transportation accessibility and safety are priorities," said At-Large Council Member Kristina Walker. "This funding, along with the grants and partnership commitments it will help the City secure, will drive the next 10 years of critical street maintenance and safety improvements across Tacoma. I am particularly pleased about the sidewalk repairs and ADA accessibility upgrades this funding will support, as well as the many multimodal projects that we'll be able to advance for our community. I want to thank all our voters for supporting this initiative and everyone who worked hard to ensure that the City understood what our community expects to see this funding achieve."

"I think the results show clearly that our community wants to continue investing in our infrastructure and continue transforming how we get around our city," said District 1 Council Member John Hines. "The work that our Environment and Public Works Department will continue to deliver over the next 10 years is going to further our generational investment in our streets and sidewalks. We have so many great projects in our Transportation Improvement Program that this funding, along with the support of grants and partnerships, will bring to life. The Safe Routes to School Program is especially important and I'm proud that we will be able to continue to make progress on street improvements and multimodal transportation safety that benefits our kids as they walk, bike, and roll to school. When we build the infrastructure for a safer, healthier, and more livable city, we are setting all of our residents up for success. Thank you to everyone who voted yes on this proposal and for your commitment to safety in our city."

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"I think this is a great example of local government listening to the feedback we received on the initial Streets Initiative, making adjustments, and revising to get to right place with the public," said District 3 Council Member Jamika Scott. "I'm proud of our Environment and Public Works team for their tremendous commitment to the safety of our streets and for putting together a package that our residents could support. I'm grateful to all the people who voted in favor of this important work and looking forward to many great projects in the years to come."

"This levy is about making sure every neighborhood has access to safe, reliable transportation," said District 4 Council Member Sandesh Sadalge. "Too many communities in East Tacoma, District 4 and the entire city have gone generations without adequate infrastructure investment. As we move forward, this dedicated funding gives us an opportunity to make meaningful progress toward closing those gaps and creating safer, stronger connections for residents."

The levy is expected to generate approximately $320 million in transportation investments over the next 10 years through a combination of voter-approved funding, grants, and partnership contributions.

"This vote reflects a strong, shared commitment to Tacoma's future," said City Manager Hyun Kim. "We are deeply grateful to our residents for trusting us with this investment. The City is fully prepared to steward these resources transparently and effectively as it builds on the foundation laid by the 2015 Streets Initiative—focusing on equity, fiscal accountability, and delivering clear results to every neighborhood over the next 10 years."

"We are ready to hit the ground running," said Environment and Public Works Director Ramiro Chavez. "This dedicated funding allows us to plan strategically and deliver meaningful improvements. We look forward to getting to work and keeping the community updated on our progress every step of the way."

As directed by the proposition, funding will be invested in three key transportation priorities:

Better Neighborhood Streets (Approximately $85 million | 26%)
Maintain and improve residential streets and neighborhood infrastructure through paving, pothole repair, traffic calming, greenways, and sidewalk improvements.

Safe Streets for Everyone (Approximately $159 million | 50%)

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Improve the City's busiest streets and arterial corridors by investing in projects that enhance safety, reliability, mobility, and economic connectivity.

Improved Connections (Approximately $76 million | 24%)
Expand access to transit, schools, neighborhood business districts, and other destinations by investing in sidewalks, ADA accessibility, greenways and trails, multimodal connections, traffic calming, and other safety improvements.

The funding authorized by Proposition 1 will take effect January 1, 2027. The City will use the Six-Year Comprehensive Transportation Program, Transportation and Mobility Plan, and the most recent pavement condition survey to prioritize transportation investments.

The measure will be funded through a combination of property and utility taxes, with certain exemptions available under state law.

For a home with an assessed value of approximately $507,708:

• Estimated monthly property tax: $8.46
• Estimated monthly utility tax: $1.97
• Estimated combined monthly cost: $10.43

This proposition builds on the success of the 2015 voter-approved Tacoma Streets Initiative, which has repaired more than 5,600 residential street blocks, secured more than $144 million in state and federal grants to support 77 capital projects, improved major streets and arterials, expanded pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, and added safety features such as crosswalks and traffic-calming measures.

To ensure transparency and accountability, the City will:

• Publish and provide annual reports on levy-funded investments to the City's Transportation Commission, City Council, and community.
• Provide project updates through the Connect Tacoma webpage and Tacoma Open Data.
• Track and share progress through official City of Tacoma channels.

More information will be available at tacoma.gov/connecttacoma.

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