Community Ideas Hub

What does the future of Aurora Ave N look like for you?

Welcome to the Aurora Ave N. Community Ideas Hub! The ideas on this page are the result of conversations with people who live, work, and travel around the Aurora Ave Project area

We are sharing conceptual ideas to help envision potential future improvements along Aurora Ave N. These early sketches would require additional evaluation, outreach, design, and funding to further develop and implement. Please continue to scroll down to review our evaluation criteria.

View the Community Ideas

Aurora Ave Project Map

Map of the Aurora Corridor with segments labled Segment 1 to N 38th St, Segment 2 that ends Winona Ave N, Segment 3 that ends at N 85th St, Segment 4 that ends at N115th St, and Segment 5 that ends at N 145th St

  • Segment 1 - Harrison St to N 38th Street
  • Segment 2 - N 38th St. to Winona Ave N
  • Segment 3 - Winona Ave N to N 85th St. 
  • Segment 4 - N 85th St to N 115th St
  • Segment 5 - N 115th St to N 145th St

We value your opinion on our draft ideas for enhancing Aurora Ave N. As you review, here are some important things to keep in mind: 

  • These drawings are meant to illustrate the general features of each idea for comparison purposes only. Further analysis is required to understand if the idea is feasible and determine design details.  
  • The range of ideas is broad, covering different feedback we heard from the community. When we evaluate the ideas this will help us understand and balance the different needs and impacts. 
  • After we evaluate them, we may adjust some ideas. Some ideas may not progress, while others may change or be combined. 
  • We haven't considered transitions between segments in these draft ideas. We'll think about those details later when we start making alternatives for the entire project area. 

Segment 1 - Ideas

Provides wide sidewalks and safer crossings to improve pedestrian comfort, increase accessibility, and create opportunities for street activation

  1. Install or improve pedestrian crossings at all bus stop locations and additional intersections (exact locations to be determined).
  2. Vehicle access to and from Aurora from side streets would be restricted to stop controlled right in/right out.
  3. Provides at least one 11-foot general purpose lane to accommodate trucks.
  4. Upgrade street and pedestrian lighting to improve visibility and safety for everyone using Aurora Ave N.
  5. Potential to provide a wider shared-use path (12-15 feet) by reducing the width of other street elements (e.g. median, landscaping) to support local access for people walking, rolling, and biking to destinations along Aurora Ave.
  6. Potential to accommodate curbside needs (e.g. loading, parking, etc.) in limited locations where left-turn lane and/or planted median is not present.
  7. Bus lanes in both directions with right-turns at intersecting streets and driveways allowed.
  8. Potential to preserve and/or plant new street trees in landscaping zone and median.

For Segment 1 only: The Aurora Bridge is not included in the ideas for Segment 1 because it has unique constraints and challenges that are beyond the scope of the initial evaluation. The City will separately evaluate solutions for the Aurora Bridge during a future planning phase.

Installs protected bike lanes to improve access and safety for people biking.

  1. At bus stops, people biking may share the sidewalk with pedestrians and transit riders.
  2. Install or improve pedestrian and bike crossings at all bus stop locations and additional intersections (exact locations to be determined).
  3. Vehicle access to and from Aurora from side streets would be restricted to stop controlled right in/right out.
  4. Provides at least one 11-foot general purpose lane to accommodate trucks.
  5. Upgrade street and pedestrian lighting to improve visibility and safety for everyone using Aurora Ave N.
  6. Potential to preserve and/or plant new street trees in bike lane buffers and landscape.

For Segment 1 only: The Aurora Bridge is not included in the ideas for Segment 1 because it has unique constraints and challenges that are beyond the scope of the initial evaluation. The City will separately evaluate solutions for the Aurora Bridge during a future planning phase.

Includes center-running bus lanes to provide highest level of transit service and limit conflict between buses and other vehicular traffic

  1. Install or improve pedestrian crossings at all bus stop locations and additional intersections (exact locations to be determined).
  2. Vehicle access to and from Aurora from side streets would be restricted to stop controlled right in/right out.
  3. Provides at least one 11-foot general purpose lane to accommodate trucks.
  4. Upgrade street and pedestrian lighting to improve visibility and safety for everyone using Aurora Ave N.
  5. Potential to preserve and/or plant new street trees in landscaping zone and median.

For Segment 1 only: The Aurora Bridge is not included in the ideas for Segment 1 because it has unique constraints and challenges that are beyond the scope of the initial evaluation. The City will separately evaluate solutions for the Aurora Bridge during a future planning phase.

Diagram of what the street looks like now, and a photo of the street view.

    Segment 2 - Ideas

    Provides wide sidewalks and safer crossings to improve pedestrian comfort, increase accessibility, and create opportunities for street activation

    1. Install or improve pedestrian crossings at all bus stop locations and additional intersections (exact locations to be determined).
    2. Vehicle access to and from Aurora from side streets would be restricted to stop controlled right in/right out.
    3. Provides at least one 11-foot general purpose lane to accommodate trucks.
    4. Upgrade street and pedestrian lighting to improve visibility and safety for everyone using Aurora Ave N.
    5. Potential to provide a wider shared-use path (12-15 feet) by reducing the width of other street elements (e.g. median, landscaping) to support local access for people walking, rolling, and biking to destinations along Aurora Ave.
    6. Potential to accommodate curbside needs (e.g. loading, parking, etc.) in limited locations where left-turn lane and/or planted median is not present.
    7. Bus lanes in both directions with right-turns at intersecting streets and driveways allowed.
    8. Potential to preserve and/or plant new street trees in landscaping zone and median.

    For Segment 2 only: The Woodland Park/Zoo segment is not included in the ideas for Segment 2 because it has unique constraints and challenges that are beyond the scope of the initial evaluation. The City will separately evaluate solutions for this area during a future planning
    phase.

    Installs protected bike lanes to improve access and safety for people biking.

    1. At bus stops, people biking may share the sidewalk with pedestrians and transit riders.
    2. Install or improve pedestrian and bike crossings at all bus stop locations and additional intersections (exact locations to be determined).
    3. Vehicle access to and from Aurora from side streets would be restricted to stop controlled right in/right out.
    4. Provides at least one 11-foot general purpose lane to accommodate trucks.
    5. Upgrade street and pedestrian lighting to improve visibility and safety for everyone using Aurora Ave N.
    6. Potential to preserve and/or plant new street trees in bike lane buffers and landscape.

    For Segment 2 only: The Woodland Park/Zoo segment is not included in the ideas for Segment 2 because it has unique constraints and challenges that are beyond the scope of the initial evaluation. The City will separately evaluate solutions for this area during a future planning phase.

    Includes center-running bus lanes to provide highest level of transit service and limit conflict between buses and other vehicular traffic.

    1. Install or improve pedestrian crossings at all bus stop locations and additional intersections (exact locations to be determined).
    2. Vehicle access to and from Aurora from side streets would be restricted to stop controlled right in/right out.
    3. Provides at least one 11-foot general purpose lane to accommodate trucks.
    4. Upgrade street and pedestrian lighting to improve visibility and safety for everyone using Aurora Ave N.
    5. Potential to preserve and/or plant new street trees in landscaping zone and median.

    For Segment 2 only: The Woodland Park/Zoo segment is not included in the ideas for Segment 2 because it has unique constraints and challenges that are beyond the scope of the initial evaluation. The City will separately evaluate solutions for this area during a future planning phase.

    Diagram of street as it is now, and a photo of the current street conditions

    Segment 3 - Ideas

    Provides wide sidewalks and safer crossings to improve pedestrian comfort, increase accessibility, and create opportunities for street activation

    1. Install or improve pedestrian crossings at all bus stop locations and additional intersections (exact locations to be determined).
    2. Left-turn lanes provided at all major arterials and at limited side streets and driveways.
    3. Provide at least one 11-foot general purpose lane to accommodate trucks.
    4. Upgrade street and pedestrian lighting to improve visibility and safety for everyone using Aurora Ave N.
    5. Potential to provide a wider shared-use path (12-15 feet) by reducing the width of other street elements (e.g. median, landscaping) to support local access for people walking, rolling, and biking to destinations along Aurora Ave.
    6. Potential to accommodate curbside needs (e.g. loading, parking, etc.) in limited locations where left-turn lane and/or planted median is not present.
    7. Bus lanes in both directions with right-turns at intersecting streets and driveways allowed.
    8. Potential to preserve and/or plant new street trees in landscaping zone and median.

    Installs protected bike lanes to improve access and safety for people biking.

    1. Where left-turn lanes are provided, people biking would share the sidewalk space with pedestrians at bus stops.
    2. Install or improve pedestrian and bike crossings at all bus stop locations and additional intersections (exact locations to be determined).
    3. Bike lane buffer narrows at major arterials to accomodate left-turn lanes.
    4. Potential to accommodate left-turn lanes at limited side street or driveway locations by reducing the width of bike lane buffers.
    5. Provides at least one 11-foot general purpose lane to accommodate trucks.
    6. Upgrade street and pedestrian lighting to improve visibility and safety for everyone using Aurora Ave N.
    7. Potential to preserve and/or plant new street trees in bike lane buffers and landscape.

    Includes center-running bus lanes to provide highest level of transit service and limit conflict between buses and other vehicular traffic.

    1. Install or improve pedestrian crossings at all bus stop locations and additional intersections (exact locations to be determined).
    2. Left-turns allowed at major arterial intersections with U-turns permitted.
    3. Vehicle access to and from Aurora Ave N from most non-arterial streets would be restricted to stop controlled right in/right out.
    4. Provides at least one 11-foot general purpose lane to accommodate trucks.
    5. Upgrade street and pedestrian lighting to improve visibility and safety for everyone using Aurora Ave N.
    6. Potential to accommodate curbside needs (e.g. loading, street cafes, parking, etc.) in limited locations where left-turn lane and/or planted median is not present.
    7. Potential to preserve and/or plant new street trees in landscaping zone and median

    Maintains two general purpose travel lanes with curbside bus lanes in each direction.

    1. Install or improve pedestrian crossings at all bus stop locations and additional intersections (exact locations to be determined).
    2. Left-turns allowed at major arterial intersections with U-turns permitted.
    3. Landscaping/Furniture zone narrows by 5-feet on each side at intersections to accommodate left-turn lanes.
    4. Vehicle access to and from Aurora Ave N from most side streets would be restricted to stop-controlled right-in/right-out.
    5. Provides at least one 11-foot general purpose lane to accommodate trucks.
    6. Upgrade street and pedestrian lighting to improve visibility and safety for everyone using Aurora Ave N.
    7. Bus lanes in both directions with right-turns at intersecting streets and driveways allowed.
    8. Potential to preserve and/or plant new street trees in landscaping zone.

    Diagram of existing lane structure and photo of existing street

      Segment 4 - Ideas

      Provides wide sidewalks and safer crossings to improve pedestrian comfort, increase accessibility, and create opportunities for street activation

      1. Install or improve pedestrian crossings at all bus stop locations and additional intersections (exact locations to be determined).
      2. Left-turn lanes provided at all major arterials and at limited side streets and driveways.
      3. Provide at least one 11-foot general purpose lane to accommodate trucks.
      4. Upgrade street and pedestrian lighting to improve visibility and safety for everyone using Aurora Ave N.
      5. Potential to provide a wider shared-use path (12-15 feet) by reducing the width of other street elements (e.g. median, landscaping) to support local access for people walking, rolling, and biking to destinations along Aurora Ave.
      6. Potential to accommodate curbside needs (e.g. loading, parking, etc.) in limited locations where left-turn lane and/or planted median is not present.
      7. Bus lanes in both directions with right-turns at intersecting streets and driveways allowed.
      8. Potential to preserve and/or plant new street trees in landscaping zone and median.

      Installs protected bike lanes to improve access and safety for people biking.

      1. Where left-turn lanes are provided, people biking would share the sidewalk space with pedestrians at bus stops.
      2. Install or improve pedestrian and bike crossings at all bus stop locations and additional intersections (exact locations to be determined).
      3. Bike lane buffer narrows at major arterials to accomodate left-turn lanes.
      4. Potential to accommodate left-turn lanes at limited side street or driveway locations by reducing the width of bike lane buffers.
      5. Provides at least one 11-foot general purpose lane to accommodate trucks.
      6. Upgrade street and pedestrian lighting to improve visibility and safety for everyone using Aurora Ave N.
      7. Potential to preserve and/or plant new street trees in bike lane buffers and landscape.

      Includes center-running bus lanes to provide highest level of transit service and limit conflict between buses and other vehicular traffic.

      1. Install or improve pedestrian crossings at all bus stop locations and additional intersections (exact locations to be determined).
      2. Left-turns allowed at major arterial intersections with U-turns permitted.
      3. Vehicle access to and from Aurora Ave N from most non-arterial streets would be restricted to stop controlled right in/right out.
      4. Provides at least one 11-foot general purpose lane to accommodate trucks.
      5. Upgrade street and pedestrian lighting to improve visibility and safety for everyone using Aurora Ave N.
      6. Potential to accommodate curbside needs (e.g. loading, street cafes, parking, etc.) in limited locations where left-turn lane and/or planted median is not present.
      7. Potential to preserve and/or plant new street trees in landscaping zone and median

      Maintains two general purpose travel lanes with curbside bus lanes in each direction.

      1. Install or improve pedestrian crossings at all bus stop locations and additional intersections (exact locations to be determined).
      2. Left-turns allowed at major arterial intersections with U-turns permitted.
      3. Landscaping/Furniture zone narrows by 5-feet on each side at intersections to accommodate left-turn lanes.
      4. Vehicle access to and from Aurora Ave N from most side streets would be restricted to stop-controlled right-in/right-out.
      5. Provides at least one 11-foot general purpose lane to accommodate trucks.
      6. Upgrade street and pedestrian lighting to improve visibility and safety for everyone using Aurora Ave N.
      7. Bus lanes in both directions with right-turns at intersecting streets and driveways allowed.
      8. Potential to preserve and/or plant new street trees in landscaping zone.

      Diagram of existing street conditions and a photo of the current street

      Segment 5 - Ideas

      Provides wide sidewalks and safer crossings to improve pedestrian comfort, increase accessibility, and create opportunities for street activation

      1. Install or improve pedestrian crossings at all bus stop locations and additional intersections (exact locations to be determined).
      2. Left-turn lanes provided at all major arterials and at limited side streets and driveways.
      3. Provide at least one 11-foot general purpose lane to accommodate trucks.
      4. Upgrade street and pedestrian lighting to improve visibility and safety for everyone using Aurora Ave N.
      5. Potential to provide a wider shared-use path (12-15 feet) by reducing the width of other street elements (e.g. median, landscaping) to support local access for people walking, rolling, and biking to destinations along Aurora Ave.
      6. Potential to accommodate curbside needs (e.g. loading, parking, etc.) in limited locations where left-turn lane and/or planted median is not present.
      7. Bus lanes in both directions with right-turns at intersecting streets and driveways allowed.
      8. Potential to preserve and/or plant new street trees in landscaping zone and median.

      Installs protected bike lanes to improve access and safety for people biking.

      1. Where left-turn lanes are provided, people biking would share the sidewalk space with pedestrians at bus stops.
      2. Install or improve pedestrian and bike crossings at all bus stop locations and additional intersections (exact locations to be determined).
      3. Bike lane buffer narrows at major arterials to accomodate left-turn lanes.
      4. Potential to accommodate left-turn lanes at limited side street or driveway locations by reducing the width of bike lane buffers.
      5. Provides at least one 11-foot general purpose lane to accommodate trucks.
      6. Upgrade street and pedestrian lighting to improve visibility and safety for everyone using Aurora Ave N.
      7. Potential to preserve and/or plant new street trees in bike lane buffers and landscape.

      Includes center-running bus lanes to provide highest level of transit service and limit conflict between buses and other vehicular traffic.

      1. Install or improve pedestrian crossings at all bus stop locations and additional intersections (exact locations to be determined).
      2. Left-turns allowed at major arterial intersections with U-turns permitted.
      3. Vehicle access to and from Aurora Ave N from most non-arterial streets would be restricted to stop controlled right in/right out.
      4. Provides at least one 11-foot general purpose lane to accommodate trucks.
      5. Upgrade street and pedestrian lighting to improve visibility and safety for everyone using Aurora Ave N.
      6. Potential to accommodate curbside needs (e.g. loading, street cafes, parking, etc.) in limited locations where left-turn lane and/or planted median is not present.
      7. Potential to preserve and/or plant new street trees in landscaping zone and median

      Maintains two general purpose travel lanes with curbside bus lanes in each direction.

      1. Install or improve pedestrian crossings at all bus stop locations and additional intersections (exact locations to be determined).
      2. Left-turns allowed at major arterial intersections with U-turns permitted.
      3. Landscaping/Furniture zone narrows by 5-feet on each side at intersections to accommodate left-turn lanes.
      4. Vehicle access to and from Aurora Ave N from most side streets would be restricted to stop-controlled right-in/right-out.
      5. Provides at least one 11-foot general purpose lane to accommodate trucks.
      6. Upgrade street and pedestrian lighting to improve visibility and safety for everyone using Aurora Ave N.
      7. Bus lanes in both directions with right-turns at intersecting streets and driveways allowed.
      8. Potential to preserve and/or plant new street trees in landscaping zone.

      Diagram of existing street conditions and photo of the area

      Evaluation criteria

      After receiving your feedback we’ll refine these ideas and further evaluate them to better understand the advantages, disadvantages, and feasibility of each option.  

      What are the evaluation criteria and why do we use them?  

      • These criteria will help us better understand how well the ideas accomplish our project goals and will show the tradeoffs between different ideas
      • No weighting will be assigned to the criteria for the first evaluation – all criteria have equal weight  
      • We will use a simple scale – red to green dots – to convey how each idea performs relative to the other ideas being considered  

      We will use the results of our first evaluation to narrow down and refine the ideas as we work toward creating and evaluating design alternatives for the entire project area.   

      Criteria Category Criteria Description
      Cost Comparison of order-of-magnitude, planning-level costs
      Implementation Feasibility Potential for project phasing and ease of transitions between segments
      Safety & Multimodal Experience Estimated safety, mobility, and accessibility for people walking, biking, or taking transit
      Vehicle Traffic Operations Estimated travel time, access, and queueing for transit, trucks, and personal vehicles
      Freight Regional mobility and local property access for commercial vehicles
      Climate Potential for environmental enhancements and/or preservation (i.e. stormwater management, street trees, etc.)
      Equity Potential benefits and/or impacts to community health, safety, and resilience
      City & Partner Planning Alignment Alignment with related community, land use, and agency plans
      Curb Space Management Ability to accommodate on-street parking, business access, and loading needs
      Property Impacts Potential need for right-of-way acquisition or temporary easements

      How were these community ideas developed?

      Since 2021, we have been talking with neighbors, businesses, workers, and travelers that use the project area to learn what their priorities are and vision is for Aurora Ave N. To read more about what we learned, click on our 2022 Outreach Summary Report and 2023 Community Design Workshop Findings

      Thank you to everyone who participated and told us about your priorities and visions for the future of this street!  

      Transportation

      Greg Spotts, Director
      Address: 700 5th Ave, Suite 3800, Seattle, WA, 98104
      Mailing Address: PO Box 34996, Seattle, WA, 98124-4996
      Phone: (206) 684-7623
      684-Road@seattle.gov

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