Seattle traffic issues fell under the jurisdiction of the Department of Streets and Sewers during the first three decades of the 20th Century. With the recognition of growing traffic engineering needs, the Office of Traffic Engineer was established within the Department in 1930. The Department of Streets and Sewers was abolished by City Charter Amendment in 1936 and most of its functions absorbed by the Engineering Department. The Office of the Traffic Engineer became a division within the Department. When the functions of the Engineering Department were reorganized in 1997, the traffic engineering and transportation functions were consolidated in the newly formed Seattle Transportation Department.