Elliott Ave and Western Ave Paving and Mobility Project
Updated February 2026
What's Happening Now?
We are in the early design phase of the Elliott and Western Paving and Mobility Project. As we move forward, we’re committed to engaging with the community. We expect to reach 30% design this year.
We want to get your perspective on what improvements are important to you and to learn more about the ways you move around this area.
In the coming months, we will join various community meetings and conduct online open houses of our own to collect feedback.
Stay informed by signing up for our email updates! Look for Elliott and Western Ave Paving and Mobility Project listed under the Traffic & Construction category.
Overview
We're paving Elliott Avenue and Western Avenue between Thomas Street and Bell Street in Belltown. We're also making other upgrades to improve safety and mobility for people walking and biking in the area.
Many people use Elliott Ave and Western Ave every day, including people who live, work, or travel to the area. These streets provide connections for people biking between Belltown, Uptown, and Downtown. People use these streets to reach destinations like the Olympic Sculpture Park and the Waterfront. They are also important routes for trucks traveling to the Port of Seattle, rail yards, industrial businesses, and downtown.
Project improvements will include:
- Paving and modernizing Elliott Ave and Western Ave
- Building new accessible pedestrian ramps
- Improving drainage
- Other potential improvements for people walking and biking such as repaired sidewalks, upgraded bike lanes and pedestrian crossings, and new trees. These upgrades will depend on feasibility and funding.
We are also coordinating with Seattle Public Utilities and their Vine Basin Combined Sewer Overflow Project. We are working closely with SPU to build both projects efficiently and reduce disruptions to the neighborhood.
Project Area
Blue lines show SDOT’s paving and mobility project along Elliott Ave and Western Ave between W Thomas Street and Bell Street. Orange line shows SPU’s sewer project along Elliott Ave between Bay St to Vine Street through the Olympic Sculpture Park.
Project goals
We are reviewing recommendations and public feedback from past planning efforts such as the Seattle Transportation Plan and the North Downtown Mobility Action Plan. We’re considering this feedback as we develop early project designs.
Maintain our streets
Approximately twenty percent of Seattle’s streets are built of pavement - either jointed concrete, brick, or a material that has been topped with a layer of hot mix asphalt. Renewing the asphalt every 10 to 20 years to address cracking helps to keep our assets in good condition and supports the variety of ways people use Elliott Ave and Western Ave to get where they need to go.
Improve safety for all users
Safety is the top priority. Community feedback shows people feel safer with calmer traffic, protected bike lanes, accessible sidewalks, improved pedestrian crossings, and enhanced pedestrian lighting.
Strengthen connectivity and access
This corridor provides critical walking and biking connections between Belltown, Uptown, the Waterfront, and Downtown. The project aims to improve comfort, continuity, and accessibility for people traveling between these destinations.
Support local businesses
Maintaining access to parking and loading is important, particularly for nearby businesses and service needs.
Preserve essential freight access
The project will continue to accommodate truck routes and oversized load movements.
Current Conditions
High vehicle speeds remain a key safety concern.
The image shows the speed of vehicles along Elliot and Western Avenues in 2023 and 2025
Our data shows that most drivers on this corridor are going faster than the posted speed limit. One way we measure this is the “85th-percentile speed,” which means the speed that about 8 out of 10 drivers are going at or below. Along this corridor, that speed is consistently above the speed limit. In several areas, drivers are going 5 to 10 miles per hour over the limit, and in some places even more than that. These higher speeds make crashes more likely and make injuries more serious, especially for people who are walking or biking.
Injury crashes are concentrated along the corridor.
Images shows the data for injury crashes along Elliot and Western Avenues in the last five years.
Over the five-year period shown, the corridor has experienced a high number of injury crashes, including multiple locations with three or more crashes and several involving pedestrians and cyclists. The crash pattern aligns closely with areas of higher speeds and complex movements, reinforcing community concerns about safety.
Traffic volumes have declined since completion of the Viaduct replacement.
Image shows the traffic counts for vehicles conducted in 2025
Average weekday traffic volumes along the corridor are lower than historic levels, reflecting changes in regional travel patterns following the completion of the SR 99 tunnel and removal of the Alaskan Way Viaduct. While volumes vary by segment, the data show that the corridor is no longer carrying the same level of through traffic as it once did.
This creates an opportunity to rebalance the street. With reduced traffic volumes but continued high speeds and injury risk, the corridor presents an opportunity to prioritize safety, calm traffic, and better support walking, biking, and local access—without compromising essential freight movement, parking, or loading needs.
What the area looks like now
Example of sidewalk and road pavement that are breaking apart and in need of repair.
Bike lane that doesn’t have any protection or separation from vehicle lanes.
Timeline
We are currently in the early design phase of the project. Learn more about project phases. 