2026 Seattle Transit Measure Renewal
Mayor Wilson is proposing a renewal for the Seattle Transit Measure. This proposal renews the Seattle Transit Measure in 2026 for 10 years as a 0.3% sales tax to improve transit service at all times of day and increase transit access, connecting people to opportunities and meeting their daily travel needs.
Questions? Email us at STM@seattle.gov
On this page:
- 2026 Seattle Transit Measure Renewal Proposal
- What will this renewal cost Seattle taxpayers?
- 2026 STM Renewal Process
- 2026 STM Renewal Components
2026 Seattle Transit Measure Renewal Proposal
The 2026 Seattle Transit Measure Renewal Proposal is a 0.3% sales tax for 10 years, to improve transit service at all times of day and increase transit access, connecting people to opportunities and meeting their daily travel needs.
This proposal aligns with and supports the Seattle Transportation Plan, a 20-year vision for the future of our transportation system. Seattleites told us they want to be able to use transit as a more affordable and reliable way to get around, especially as the cost of owning and maintaining a car continues to rise.
If approved by Seattle voters, the 2026 Seattle Transit Measure Renewal would replace the expiring 2020 Seattle Transit Measure. The 2020 Seattle Transit Measure (STM) is a 6-year, voter-approved measure funded by a 0.15% sales tax. The expiring STM generates over $50 million annually until April 2027 to fund transit investments. View the Seattle Transit Measure webpage to learn more about the investments made by the current Seattle Transit Measure.
The 2026 STM Renewal Proposal seeks to fund:
- 280,000 bus trips in Seattle each year, 100,000 more trips than today
- Better bus service 24/7. That means more trips on Saturdays and Sundays, and more trips midday and overnight outside traditional commuter peaks
- Continued focus on service for populations who depend on transit most
- Free ORCA cards for 22,000 people to lower the barrier to riding transit for low-income people, older adults, and families with young children
- The two Seattle Streetcar lines, providing access to local destinations, jobs, schools, and the regional light rail network
- Targeted construction projects where buses get delayed, decreasing travel times and increasing reliability
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Expedite permits and construction oversight to build light rail quickly and safely, while improving access to future stations including Graham Street and along Sound Transit's West Seattle and Ballard Link Extension projects.
The 2026 STM Renewal would generate approximately $138 million annually. 86.5% would fund transit service, along with:
The proposed measure would raise about $138 million per year on average. It directs 86.5% of funding to transit service ($96.1 million for Bus Service; $23.4 million for Seattle Streetcar operations), and the remainder supports transit access programs and education ($9 million), City support for Sound Transit 3 projects ($6.1 million), and targeted transit infrastructure ($3.5 million).
What will this proposal cost Seattle taxpayers?
This is a proposed replacement for the expiring 2020 Seattle Transit Measure. Since 2020, costs have increased and needs and transit ridership have grown. Under Washington State law, sales tax is one of the few revenue tools cities can use to fund transit service. The 10 –year 2026 Seattle Transit Measure Renewal provides the longest timeframe allowed under state law and gives the City more stability to plan and deliver service.
The annual cost for the median two-person Seattle household, making $124,000 per year, is expected to be approximately $58. This is $29 more per year than the median Seattle household pays today towards the Seattle Transit Measure.
2026 Seattle Transit Measure Renewal process
The 2026 Seattle Transit Measure Renewal was developed through community input on programs and services, including:
- Public surveys
- Engagement at community events and meetings
- Conversations with program partners and participants
- Regular discussions with the Transit Advisory Board and Transportation Equity Workgroup
- Results from in-depth engagement as part of the Seattle Transportation Plan development process
This input told us that people in Seattle want to see us invest in:
- More frequent bus service at all times of day, particularly during the midday, evenings, nights and weekends
- Improving mobility for low-income riders by expanding free fare programs for those who rely on transit most
- Making buses more reliable and improving travel times
- Creating a safe environment for bus riders and drivers
- Connections to the expanding light rail network
- Expanding programs and services that ensure revenue from the sales tax directly benefits those most impacted by it
In alignment with the City of Seattle’s Race and Social Justice Ordinance, we also completed a Racial Equity Toolkit as part of developing the Seattle Transit Measure Renewal proposal to ensure the renewal supports Seattle’s long-term goal of eliminating racial disparities in access to affordable, reliable transit.
Mayor Wilson announced the proposal on June 2, 2026.
The proposal will now be reviewed by the Seattle City Council. City Council will hear public comment, deliberate on, and finalize the legislation authorizing the Seattle Transit Measure Renewal for referral to voters.
Upcoming Seattle City Council public comment opportunities:
- June 4, 2026 at 9:30 AM, select committee hearing
- June 18, 2026 at 9:30 AM, select committee hearing
- July 6, 2026 at 2:00 PM, select committee hearing
- July 13, 2026 at 9:30 AM, public hearing (remote only)
- July 13, 2026 at 5:00 PM, public hearing
- July 16, 2026 at 9:30 AM, select committee hearing
2026 STM Renewal Components
Transit Service to Keep People Moving (average of $119.5M per year)
Continues funding for:
- Approximately 180,000 bus trips per year to add more frequent bus service beyond what King County Metro already provides
- Buses arriving more often in the evenings, nights, weekends, and mid-day
- Supporting non-traditional commutes and travel to events, nightlife, and errands
- Both Seattle Streetcar lines:
- The First Hill line, which connects the diverse and vibrant residential neighborhoods and business districts of Capitol Hill, First Hill, Yesler Terrace, Central Area, Chinatown-International District, and Pioneer Square. It serves some of the city’s highest equity priority areas, major medical centers, and local colleges and universities.
- The South Lake Union line, which provides connections to iconic Seattle destinations like local parks and museums, medical and research institutions, and major employers.
- Metro’s safety and security investments through our transit service purchases, investing in everything from trained personnel like behavioral health specialists and transit security officers to driver partitions and other investments that will stem from Metro’s Regional Transit Safety Task Force.
Adds funding for:
- 100,000 more bus trips a year to help 50,000+ more people travel by bus every week
Seattle Transit Measure Funds Bus Service Across Seattle
The Seattle Transit Measure Renewal Proposal adds 100,000 more bus trips a year, on top of the 180,000 trips STM funds today. These maps show where STM currently supports more frequent bus service and an example of where additional trips could improve the transit network. A key priority will be to create frequent transit service throughout the entire day including during the mid-day, evenings, nights, and weekends.
The graphic on the right is just an example and does not reflect exact planned investments under the STM Renewal Proposal.
Transit Access Programs (average of $9M per year)
Continues funding for:
- Fully subsidized transit passes for 10,000 people, including:
- Seattle Housing Authority residents,
- Seattle Promise Scholars, and
- Seattle Preschool Program families who attend tuition free
- Transit education programs for youth to expand awareness of transportation related careers
- Transit education programs for older adults to increase familiarity and comfort with the regional transit system
- Research to understand residents’ needs and barriers to accessing transit
- Easy Loop shuttle serving low-income riders accessing social services
Adds funding for:
- Expanding Seattle Housing Authority partnership to serve 12,000 Housing Choice Voucher participants, reaching the majority of Seattle residents living in low-income subsidized housing
Transit Infrastructure (average of $3.5M per year)
Continues funding for:
- Investing in projects to help keep transit on schedule and improve travel times for riders, building on a $27M investment through the Seattle Transportation Levy to improve bus reliability, access, equity, and safety with a focus on performance “pinch points” affecting multiple routes.
- Investments support different types of projects such as reliability improvements like bus lanes and signal enhancements and access features such as bus stops and lighting.
City Support for Sound Transit 3 (average of $6.1M per year)
Continues funding for:
- City staff who will expedite permits and construction oversight to build light rail quickly and safely, while improving access to future stations including Graham Street and along Sound Transit's West Seattle and Ballard Link Extension projects.
- Up to 10 full-time dedicated staff for project management, planning, engineering, permitting, and environmental review, allowing the City to leverage Sound Transit partnership dollars
- Planning and design of capital projects to improve access to the expanded light rail network for Seattle’s transit riders, such as sidewalks, improved crossings, pedestrian scale lighting, bike lanes and corrals, and improved bus stops
- Coordination with Sound Transit to advance City and community priorities, including key racial equity outcomes to avoid disproportionate impacts and create benefit to all