Rainier Valley Neighborhood Greenway

Updated: January 20, 2021

What's happening now?

Like the rest of the world, here in Seattle, we're rethinking how we live and move around our city during the COVID 19 crisis and beyond. Mayor Jenny Durkan and SDOT Director Sam Zimbabwe announced Safe Healthy Streets in support of Governor Inslee's "Stay Home, Stay Safe" order and the City's #KeepItMoving campaign. If people go outside, we need them to keep moving and avoid gatherings.

To maintain at least 6 feet of space while passing a neighbor, people are walking in the street or crossing to the other side. Even though traffic volume is down 60%, there is still risk when people are walking in the streets where there are cars. To support people enjoying outdoor exercise safely, we converted some neighborhood greenways, which are calm residential streets, into Stay Healthy Streets.
Map of Rainier Valley Stay Healthy Streets running along different streets between South Holly Street and South Barton Place

PDF of Rainier Valley Stay Healthy Street Map

Project Overview

The first phase of the Rainier Valley Neighborhood Greenway is complete! Check out this interactive map of the improvements along the full route!

The Rainier Valley Neighborhood Greenway is a route over 6 miles long stretching all the way from Mount Baker to Rainier Beach. The route includes small improvements like crosswalks, curb ramps, speed humps, stop signs, and pavement repairs that go a long way to make walking and biking around the neighborhood easier.

Since 2014, we've been gathering community input on the greenway route to select streets that aren't too steep and connect people to neighborhood destinations like light rail, parks, grocery stores, schools, and more.

During the second phase, we will build a pathway to better connect the neighborhood greenway to the I-90 trail and continue the improvements north of S College St.

More about neighborhood greenways

Neighborhood greenways are safer, calmer residential streets for you, your family, and neighbors. We make people walking and biking the priority.

Neighborhood greenways can include:

20 mph speed limit signs
Speed humps to calm traffic
Stop signs for side streets crossing the greenway signs and pavement markings to help people find their way
Easier crossings of busy streets with crosswalks,
Flashing beacons, or traffic signals

Once built, neighborhood greenways can:

Create safe pathways for students to walk to school
Strengthen communities around safer streets
Create neighborhood placemaking
Connect you and your neighbors to popular destinations such as schools, parks, business districts, and the city-wide bicycle network
Provide alternative options of getting around your neighborhood by walking or biking

Visit our neighborhood greenways home page or a language to learn more about neighborhood greenways.

Art along the route

In coordination with the Office of Arts & Culture, we commissioned 7 emerging public artists to create temporary art installations along the Rainier Valley Neighborhood Greenway as part of Art Interruptions 2018. Look for the art between Rainier Beach Playfield and Othello Park. View the specific art locations.

Example of art on the greenway
Example of public art along the neighborhood greenway

Schedule

Spring/Summer 2017: Filled potholes and patched streets to prepare for microsurfacing
Mid-May to mid-July 2017: Tree pruning along whole neighborhood greenway route
Mid-August 2017: Microsurfacing work
Late summer 2017 to summer 2018: Neighborhood greenway construction - phase 1
2018/2019: Curb ramps installed along microsurfaced streets and phase 2 of greenway construction

Funding

This project is funded by the 9-year Levy to Move Seattle, approved by voters in 2015. Learn more about the levy.

Materials

Stay Healthy Street materials (2020)

Map of Rainier Valley Stay Healthy Street (April 2020)

Event materials

Construction materials (2017-2018)

Start of Construction Mailer (October 2017)
Construction update Fact Sheet, North Section (October 2017)
Construction update Fact Sheet, Central Section (October 2017)
Construction update Fact Sheet, South Section (October 2017)

Design materials (2015-2017)

Final Route mailer (March 2017)
Final Route North Section (July 2016)
Final Route Center Section (July 2016)
Final Route South Section (July 2016)
Draft Most Promising Route Alignment Change Letter (December 15, 2015)
Draft Most Promising Route Alignment Change Letter (December 7, 2015 )
Draft Most Promising Route Alignment Change Letter (December 3, 2015)
Draft Most Promising Route Alignment Change Letter (November 2015)
Open House #2 Summary Meeting (September 2015)
Hillman Collaboratory Open House #2 Presentation (September 2015)
Hillman Collaboratory Open House #2 Boards (September 2015)
Open House Comment Sheet (September 2015)
North End Meeting Announcement (September 2015)
Mid-Section Meeting Announcement (September 2015)
Note: *The original version of this flier was updated after it was mailed to reflect the latest proposed improvements at Rainier Ave S & S Mead St.
2015 South End Meeting Announcement (September 2015)
Meeting Announcement (July 2015)
Open House Presentation (November 2014)
North End Meeting Announcement (November 2014)
Mid-Section Meeting Announcement (November 2014)
South End Meeting Announcement (November 2014)

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