Seattle Center to Waterfront Walking and Biking Connection

Updated February 3, 2022 

In summer 2021, we completed an important walking and biking connection between Myrtle Edwards Park and the Seattle Center to provide a safer, more comfortable way to walk, bike, and roll between some of Seattle's most popular desinations, including the new Climate Pledge Arena. Thanks to all of our project neighbors for your support and cooperation throughout project construction! 

See our project fact sheet for more and check out our blog post to see how this projects fits in with other projects in the area. 

The new biking connection at 3rd Ave W and W Harrison St. 

The new bike path, landscaping, and bench on 3rd Ave W near the Thomas St Overpass. 

Project Overview

The Seattle Center to Waterfront Walking and Biking Connection is one of several transportation improvement projects identified and funded by the North Downtown Mobility Action Program (NODO MAP) and Bicycle Master Plan. Together, these projects promote multi-modal travel between neighborhoods in the North Downtown area, including to and from the new Climate Pledge Arena. 

In coordination with the fall 2021 opening of the new Climate Pledge Arena at Seattle Center, the Seattle Center to Waterfront Walking and Biking Connection offers an all ages and abilities walking and biking connection between the Thomas St Overpass and Seattle Center via Harrison St, Queen Anne Ave N, W Thomas St, and Republican St. The improvements constructed for this project will connect to protected bike lanes on Queen Anne Ave N and W Thomas St that are being constructed in association with the new Climate Pledge Arena. Check out this map showing the new and improved connections for people walking, biking, and rolling between the Climate Pledge Arena and the Central Waterfront.  

Project Background

The North Downtown Mobility Action Program (NODO MAP) was developed in late 2019 to support access and livability in North Downtown, which includes the Uptown, Belltown, and South Lake Union neighborhoods. The program builds on existing community planning efforts, reviews existing community plans, planned projects, and is closely linked to the redevelopment of the new Climate Pledge Arena. 

Thomas Street Redefined is a community-driven, visionary concept plan for a pedestrian and bicyclist-oriented corridor connecting the Waterfront, Uptown, Seattle Center, South Lake Union, and Eastlake neighborhoods. Thomas Street Redefined consist of two parts: West of Seattle Center (Seattle Center to Waterfront Walking and Biking Connection) and east of Seattle Center (5th Ave N to Dexter Ave N). 

Design

Throughout 2020, we engaged community members, neighborhood groups, and City advisory boards at key milestones in the design process - thank you to the over 200 people who were able to attend our drop-in session, complete our online survey, or participate in a community group meeting in early 2020! 

See this outreach summary for details on the process and what we heard. In response to the feedback we collected, we made the following changes to the project design:

• Updated the route to streets with less steep slopes and better pavement conditions

• Maintained all-way stops
  • All-way stops, 3 of which we're keeping from the initial route but are no longer on the project route, at 4 intersections will be installed as a part of a neighborhood analysis to improve overall walking and biking connectivity

• Expanded the sidewalk on 3rd Ave W (a key element of Option 3) which will improve the walking and biking connection to the Thomas St Overpass

Click for a pdf of the map above (page 2 of the project fact sheet)

Funding

This project is identified and funded by the North Downtown Mobility Action Program (NODO MAP) and the Bicycle Master Plan (Neighborhood Greenways).

Schedule

• Early 2020: Shared proposed design with community and collected input
• Mid and late 2020: Developed design based on community input and shared design updated with neighbors
• Early 2021: Reached final design
• Spring 2021: Select construction contractor and develop construction timing and sequencing plans
• Summer 2021: Project construction  

Project Materials

Getting Around Uptown map (January 2022)

Project fact sheet (June 2021)

Construction postcard (April 2021)

Final Design Fact Sheet (January 2021)

Design Outreach Summary (January 2021)

Blog post (September 2020)

Project Design Update Flyer (August 2020)

Lower Queen Anne Mailer (August 2020)

Project Planning Fact Sheet (May 2020)

Drop-in Session Boards (February 2020)

Drop-in Session Mailer (February 2020)