Seattle Mayor appoints new director of SDOT, pending Council confirmation

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(Seattle Department of Transportation)

SEATTLE - Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell announced who he will appoint to be the next director of the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) on Wednesday.

According to a press release from the Mayor’s Office, Greg Spotts will become the next SDOT director once he is approved by the City Council. Spotts is currently the Executive Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer at the Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services, and once confirmed, will start in early September.

"Seattle deserves a transportation system that is safe, reliable, and equitable, and our SDOT Director is instrumental in implementing that vision," said Mayor Harrell. "Greg understands that we must embed safety across all projects, view every decision through a climate lens, and build a transportation system centered on equity, quality infrastructure, and multi-modal solutions."

In Spotts’ current role in Los Angeles, he oversees 1,500 staff positions, an annual budget of $230 million and a capital program of more than $350 million, according to Wednesday’s announcement. In addition, he has delivered more than $600 million in recovery, reinvestment projects that have made Los Angeles more walkable, bikeable, transit-friendly and sustainable.

If Seattle City Council confirms Spotts, he will step into his new role in early September, according to the Mayor’s Office. On Wednesday, Spotts will take a tour through Seattle, checking on major infrastructure projects and visiting the cities’ neighborhoods by riding various modes of transportation.

Mayor Harrell’s search process included a search committee of local transportation experts, each of them selected for their technical expertise and vision for the city.

"I’m grateful our search committee elevated Greg’s candidacy," said Harrell. "Community input has been integral to our search process, and, as a result, we are bringing on board a director who understands local priorities and recognizes how community voices can enhance and improve our transportation system."

SDOT is currently planning, designing and building more than 60 major capital projects, while also maintaining a variety of ongoing programs to keep people and goods moving safely.