Greg Spotts says he’s stepping down as head of SDOT

Seattle’s top transportation official, Greg Spotts, is stepping down as head of the Department of Transportation early next year, he told Mayor Bruce Harrell Tuesday morning.

His exit comes slightly more than two years after he took over the position on the promise of reviewing Seattle’s safety policies, streamlining the department’s projects and passing a new property tax.

On several fronts, he was successful: Voters approved a $1.55 billion levy this fall, the largest in the city’s history, even when accounting for inflation.

He also helped consolidate the department’s various visions for each mode of transportation — for bikes, freight and more — into one centralized plan intended to inform the city’s decision-making for years to come.

His review of the city’s safety policies offered limited new insight into what causes traffic deaths, but did result in his appointing the city’s first chief transportation safety officer. In his messaging to the public, he often said what past directors viewed as verboten: Making the streets safer and more accessible to pedestrians and bicyclists might require slowing down car traffic. That included banning right turns on red at intersections around the city.

In prioritizing construction projects through the city, Spotts emphasized those that would be “fast and flavorful” — perhaps not the largest tasks, but ones that could be completed quickly and make a noticeable difference in people’s lives.

At times, Spotts’ ambitions exceeded what the city could or was willing to do. Early in his tenure he made it a passion project to resurrect and complete the much-discussed First Avenue streetcar. As downtown Seattle continued to struggle with its pandemic rebound, he viewed it as a means to reinvigorate the city’s core, comparing the project to New York City’s High Line.

But those dreams quickly ran into the reality of the project’s steep price tag and uncertain constituency. The new City Council, focused on public safety and closing a more than $250 million budget hole, showed little appetite for taking on the new line. It’s now all but dead.

Spotts came to Seattle from Los Angeles, where he had lived for decades and worked for StreetsLA. His reputation was for being hands-on with every project. He tried to bring that approach to Seattle, insisting that meetings take place while walking the city’s streets.

In his letter to Harrell, Spotts said moving to the Pacific Northwest had been rewarding but difficult. Separation from family was particularly challenging.

“Early 2025 seems like a good moment to pass the baton to the next leader of SDOT, an agency which now has the plans and the resources to maintain and modernize Seattle’s streets and bridges,” Spotts said in the letter. “Throughout my time as Director, I’ve been thrilled by pursuing SDOT’s goals, but I’ve been yearning for more time with family and friends.”

Transportation director is among the highest turnover positions in Seattle government. Along with police chief, each new mayor tends to want their own appointee. With so many one-term mayors in Seattle’s recent past, the city has also seen a churn of transportation chiefs.

When Harrell won election in 2021, among his first decisions was to dismiss former director Sam Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe, who was former Mayor Jenny Durkan’s choice for the department, also had taken over the position after a change in administrations.

In a statement, Harrell praised Spotts. “His intentional work to build relationships across all corners of the transportation community has been a boon to the department, to my administration, and to the entire city – demonstrating our commitment to serving every person in Seattle no matter how they get around,” Harrell said.

Harrell announced this week that he’s running for reelection. Spotts’ last day will be Feb. 12 of next year. With Spotts’ exit, Harrell has vacancies in the two highest profile departments — police and transportation.