Melrose Promenade

Updated January 2024 

What's happening now?

Background

Built atop a high retaining wall, Melrose Ave is a key walking/biking connection. The construction of I-5 created a barrier between Capitol Hill and downtown that project neighbors have envisioned reconnecting through the "Melrose Promenade."

Melrose Ave is a key walking and biking connection in our citywide network and is included in our Bicycle Master Plan. Part of the project area is a designated pedestrian zone that will provide safe and accessible walking connections.

Prior to completion of the Melrose Promenade project, the streets were difficult to cross, some sidewalks and pavement were damaged, and drivers exceeded the speed limit. Between 2013 and 2018, there were a total of 141 reported collisions on Melrose Ave between E Roy St and University St. All but 1 of the serious injury collisions involved someone walking or biking between E Denny Way and E Pike St. 

Capitol Hill is one of the densest neighborhoods in the Puget Sound region and continues to grow. The Melrose Promenade connects community members with major destinations in the neighborhood and routes to First Hill and Downtown. The project area includes high-density residential and mixed-use communities, and major employment centers near the south end of the project including medical centers, colleges, and the downtown business district. When the project began, 37% of households in the Melrose Promenade project area were car-free. Constrained on-street parking supply, expensive off-street parking, nearby mass transit, and the density of housing and jobs in the neighborhood can make owning a car expensive and inconvenient - or unnecessary for many. This project aims to improve walking and biking connections so they are more attractive and convenient.

This project is a foundational step toward the community's "Melrose Promenade" vision by improving the walking and biking experience along Melrose Ave from E Roy St to University St.

Project Area

We're building speed humps, curb ramps, curb bulbs, a raised intersection, and bike lanes in sections, as well as repairing damaged pavement and sidewalks on Melrose Ave between E Roy St and University St.

See this poster for a PDF of design the map image above. 

Outreach & Project Design 

In 2018 and 2019, we conducted outreach with project neighbors and collected input on the project design. We hosted an open house with an online survey and held meetings with neighbors and community members on early design concepts. Materials from these outreach activities, including summaries on what we heard, can be found in the Documents section below. We finalized project design in 2020, began limited construction in February 2022, and started full construction in June 2022. 

Key project elements include: 

• Protected bike lanes between E Pine St and E Denny Way 
• Intersection improvements at E Pike St, E Pine St, E Denny Way, and E Olive Way, including: 
  • New raised intersection and at Melrose Ave and E Pike St
  • Raised community crosswalks at E Pike St and E Pine St
  • New curb bulbs and crosswalks at the intersection of E Olive Way and Melrose Ave to improve safety at the I-5 on-ramp entrance 
• Traffic calming including speed humps and pavement markings
• Pavement and sidewalk repair, including installing a wider sidewalk on the west side of Melrose Ave between E Pike St and E Pine St 
• Curb ramp improvements
• New and relocated load zones
• Changes to on-street parking, including some parking removal between E Pine St and E Denny Way, new back-in angle parking and a Restricted Parking Zone north of E Denny Way

See this poster for a PDF of the project design the map. 

Community members and project staff review design concepts at a public meeting. 

What to Expect During Construction

Limited construction began in February 2022 and full construction activities began in June 2022. Construction is expected to be complete in June 2023. We send regular email updates with information on upcoming construction activities. We encourage you to sign up for email updates  to stay informed on project activities.

Typical construction hours are weekdays from 7 AM - 5 PM, with occasional nighttime and weekend work. We are restricting weekend construction between E Pike St and E Pine St to minimize impacts to the business and retail district. 

During construction, people can expect: 

• Temporary lane and street closures for people driving. Detours will be provided and signed. 
• Temporary sidewalk and crossing closures for people walking and rolling. Detours will be provided and signed. 
• Temporary local access only restrictions in some areas
• Disruptions to on-street parking
• Noise, dust, and vibrations during work hours
• Construction equipment staged in the work area
• Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times to businesses and residences 

Funding

The total project budget (includes design and construction) is $4.3 million including a grant through the Federal Highway Administration for $3 million. The project is also funded by the Levy to Move Seattle, a 9-year $930 million levy approved by voters in 2015.

Documents

• Project overview and construction presentation (June 2022)
• Project FAQ (February 2022)
• Pike to Pine businesses coordination meeting - full video recording presentation slides, and meeting summary 
• Postcard (December 2021)
• Fact Sheet (March 2022)
• Pike to Pine businesses coordination meeting - full video recording and meeting summary (February 2021)  
• Email update archive (October 2020 - March 2022)
• Poster with design maps (March 2022) 
• Mailer (December 2019)
• Listserv Update 2 (April 2018)
• Listserv Update 1 (March 2018)
• Stakeholder briefing summary: Denny Terrace (May 2018)
• Open house summary (April 2018)
• Online survey summary and detailed results (April 2018)
• Open house display boards (April 2018)
• Fact Sheet (March 2018)
• Mailer (March 2018)

Other Projects in the Area

Pike-Pine Mobility Improvements

Waterfront Seattle's Pike Pine Renaissance: Act One

Translation and Interpretation

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