RapidRide J Line

We have resumed construction on the RapidRide J Line Project.

During the FIFA World Cup, crews paused work and temporarily created some parking areas on the west side of Eastlake Ave E. These parking areas have now been permanently removed, so we can complete our work. 

We have also put back the northbound detour onto E Allison St and Harvard Ave E. This allows us to store materials in the northbound lanes of Eastlake Ave E between E Allison St and Harvard Ave E.  

Image above shows construction equipment on Eastlake Ave E near E Louisa St.

University District Construction  

Electrical and sidewalk work in the University District  

Crews are performing electrical work in many areas in the University District. 

This week, we resumed work on the northbound RapidRide J Line bus stop at the intersection of NE 41st St and Eastlake Ave NE, near 11th Ave NE. Crews are installing foundations for poles and other electrical wires needed at the new bus stops. They are also creating the stairs and sidewalks around the bus stop. We will shift traffic to the west side of the street, and one lane will remain open. Please follow the signs and directions from crews if you are using the sidewalk.  

You may also see crews working on Roosevelt Way NE between NE 42nd St and Campus Parkway. Traffic will be moved over to make room for us to work. One lane will remain open.

The map above shows a protected walkway at NE 42nd St to help people move around our workzone. It also shows temporary parking on NE 42nd St to assist visitors to the UW Clinic.

A mixed-use path will be provided for pedestrians and people on bikes near the work area at Roosevelt Way NE and NE 42nd St.  

As early as Thursday, July 16, crews will continue electrical work on the west side of Roosevelt Way NE near the UW Clinic. During this work, the entrance to the UW Clinic is accessible. However, as seen in the map above, we will need to close part of the sidewalk where we are working. A multi-use path is installed around the work area on Roosevelt Way NE, directing pedestrians to the UW Clinic. People riding bikes will be asked to dismount and walk through the construction area using the mixed-use path. 

The UW Clinic shuttle pick-up and drop-off area will be located on the north side of NE 42nd St. The non-shuttle pick-up and drop-off area will be located on the south side of the street.  

During this work, we will need to close the bus stop near NE 42nd Street. For information on bus stop relocations during construction, we encourage you to visit King County Metro’s website. The north crosswalk at NE 42nd St and Roosevelt Way NE will also be closed. The east and south crosswalks remain open. 

Eastlake Construction  

The map above shows the various places where we will be working within the Eastlake neighborhood in the coming weeks. 

Street closures in Eastlake 

As shown on the map above, we have closed several areas in Eastlake for construction activities and equipment storage. The areas experiencing closures include:    

• The northwest sidewalk corner of Eastlake Ave E and E Allison St.
• The northwest street corner at Eastlake Ave E and E Hamlin St.
• The west side of the Eastlake Ave E and E Edgar St intersection.
• The west side of Eastlake Ave E between E Roanoke St and E Lynn St.
• The northwest sidewalk corner of Eastlake Ave E and E Garfield St. 

The image above shows our team working at the intersection of Eastlake Ave E and E Edgar St.

Electrical and sidewalk work along Eastlake Ave E    

Over the next few weeks, you’ll see crews installing foundations for poles that will support traffic signals and the electrical wires powering the RapidRide J Line. This work is taking place on Eastlake Ave E between E Shelby St and E Edgar St. 

As paving progresses on Eastlake Ave E, crews are shifting their focus to installing new electrical wiring, replacing sidewalks, and building new accessible pedestrian ramps to make getting around much safer and easier. Crews will perform this work at several corners, including: 

• The northwest corner of Eastlake Ave E and E Allison St started this week.
• The northwest corner of Eastlake Ave E and E Garfield St started this week.
• The southeast corner of Eastlake Ave E and E Blaine St
  •  Only sidewalk demolition and paving work will take place. 
• The northeast corner of Eastlake Ave E and E Fuhrman St, starting on July 13.
  • A multi-use path will guide pedestrians and people on bikes around the work area. 
• The northwest corner of Eastlake Ave E and E Hamlin St
• The northwest corner of Eastlake Ave E and E Shelby St 
  • Only sidewalk demolition and paving work will take place.
•  The southwest corner of Eastlake Ave E and E Shelby St

Work at each corner is expected to take several weeks to complete. During this time, we will need to temporarily close sections of the sidewalk and direct pedestrians and people on bikes around the work areas or to the opposite side of the street. Additionally, we may need to close the right lane on Eastlake Ave E near the work area to provide accessible pedestrian routes. Please follow all signs and instructions from crews. 

The image above shows the street surface with holes punched into it near E Louisa St. These holes make it easier to break the old street surface during demolition. 

Upcoming weekend paving at Eastlake Ave E and E Hamlin St 

Starting this Friday, July 10, crews began work on the northwest section of the street at Eastlake Ave E and E Hamlin St. Crews will demolish the area on Friday, pour new concrete on Saturday and Sunday, and reopen it on Monday morning. During this time, we will shift traffic to the east side of the street, and one lane will remain open in each direction. Flaggers will help guide vehicles on E Hamlin St around the work area.  
 
The following weekend, crews will repeat this process on the southwest corner of the street. We are working on weekends to reduce the impact on weekday traffic. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Street paving along Eastlake Ave E 

We are working on the final areas of street constrcution along Eastlake Ave E. Crews have resumed their work of building a new, smooth, and long-lasting concrete street. We are actively demolishing, preparing, and pouring new concrete in several areas: 

• The west side of the Eastlake Ave E and E Edgar St intersection: Crews expect to finish this work next week.
• The west side of Eastlake Ave E between E Roanoke St and E Lynn St: Demolition is expected to continue for the next week, followed by preparing the new road and then pouring concrete.
• The northwest section of Eastlake Ave E and E Roanoke St, starting as soon as July 15.
• The west side of Eastlake Ave E and E Galer St, starting as soon as July 17.
• The northwest section of Eastlake Ave E and E Lynn St, starting as soon as the weekend of July 24. 

Fairview Ave N Construction 

One southbound lane of Fairview Ave N remains closed as we widen the west side of Fairview Ave N between Eastlake Ave E and Valley St. Crews will continue to demolish the area and pour new concrete. 

Crews will also begin working on the west side of Fairview Ave N and Yale Ave N, where they will install foundations for poles that will support traffic signals and the overhead electrical wires powering the RapidRide J Line.  As early as July 16, crews will install underground electrical wires and new sidewalks at the northwest corner of the intersection. Similar work will then take place at the southwest corner later in the month.   

South Lake Union Construction 

This week, crews began removing the sidewalk at the southwest corner of Fairview Ave N and Valley St. Over the next week, they will install underground electrical wires and pour concrete for the new sidewalk. 

This month, crews will be demolishing the sidewalk, installing electrical wires, and pouring new concrete in several areas in South Lake Union. This includes: 

• The southwest corner of Fairview Ave N and Valley St
• The northwest corner of Fairview Ave N and Yale St
• The southwest corner of Fairview Ave N and Yale St

At Fairview Ave N and Harrison St, crews will install cabinets to hold electrical utilities for the southbound and northbound RapidRide J Line bus stops. This work will begin as early as July 14. You’ll also see crews building a traffic signal at Valley St starting as early as July 15. 

It was Great Meeting so Many of You Last Week!

Image shows community members meeting with RapidRide J Line staff outside of Eastlake Coffee. 

Last week, the RapidRide J Line team gave away more than100 free Lime safety helmets for people who ride bikes and scooters. Thank you to all who stopped by to pick up a helmet, ask questions, and learn more about the project. We truly appreciate your questions, kindness, and support!

Monthly Online Open House Update

Thank you to all the residents and business owners who have joined our online open house this past year! We have addressed concerns, gathered feedback, and shared project information. 

As the project progresses, we are getting less questions and therefore decided to switch our online open houses to the first Thursday of each month. Our next open house will be on Thursday, July 2, from 2 to 3 PM. We encourage everyone to join us and be part of the conversation.  

If you haven't used Microsoft Teams to engage with the project team, please view this tutorial. There is information available about how to use your camera, mute and unmute yourself, and chat with other meeting participants. We are also available to offer technical support during our drop-in session if you encounter any issues as well. We look forward to connecting with you! 

You can access the online meetings with the details below:
Meeting link 
Meeting ID: 237 305 138 093 
Passcode: mBSfNf

You can download a PDF that shows the upgrades this project will make by clicking this link.

We plan to upgrade from the existing Route 70 to the RapidRide service in 2027.

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King County Metro's University Bridge Trolley Pole Replacement Project 

This summer, King County Metro will begin replacing the poles and their foundations on the University Bridge. These structures are reaching the end of their life cycle and must be replaced to improve lighting and support reliable, ongoing trolley service. The bridge will remain open during the project, with some lane reductions, sidewalk closures, and pedestrian detours. To learn more about this King County Metro project, visit the project website.