City council approves mayor’s pick for new SDOT director

SEATTLE — It’s official — the city council unanimously approved Mayor Bruce Harrell’s pick, Greg Spotts, to lead the Seattle Department of Transportation on Tuesday.

Harrell announced Spotts as his pick last month but was awaiting the council’s confirmation.

Spotts had shared some of his goals and priorities for improving transportation in the city.

He began at the department on Sept. 7, but worked as acting director until he was confirmed.

As part of the confirmation process, Spotts submitted written answers to over a dozen questions from the City Council’s Transportation & Seattle Public Utilities committee, in which he shared his priorities for his first year in the role.

The priorities included conducting a review of the Vision Zero program — which aims to end traffic deaths and serious injuries on city streets in Seattle by 2030 — and accelerating the work being done to improve the city’s bridges.

During his initial time in Seattle, Spotts said he doesn’t plan to bring his personal car with him, which he believes will allow him to better understand how people get around the city’s many neighborhoods.

“This autumn, I will be relying on walking, biking, transit, taxis and rideshare to get around, occasionally riding in city fleet vehicles when necessary to fulfill my duties,” said Spotts.

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