Phase 1 of the Rainier Ave S bus-only lane expansion complete!

City of Seattle, Washington sent this bulletin at 07/22/2022 04:04 PM PDT
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Phase 1 Rainier Ave S bus-only lanes installed

A Route 7 bus traveling in a new red bus-only lane.

Over the weekend of July 8 to 10, we installed bus-only lanes on Rainier Ave S northbound between S Alaska St and S Walden St and southbound between S Oregon St and S Edmunds St.

With these changes we aim to:

  • Improve transit reliability on Rainier Ave S
  • Smoothly connect people on the bus to the new Judkins Park Light Rail Station opening in 2023
  • Allow transit to continue to be a lifeline and better serve the Rainier Valley community

Please use caution when traveling through the area as people adjust to the new street configuration. We are monitoring traffic volumes on Rainier Ave S and other nearby streets to better understand how traffic patterns change over the coming months. People driving can enter the bus-only lane to turn right into driveways and at intersections.

 
Construction workers wearing brightly colored vests apply red paint to the street in a lane labeled "bus-only"

SDOT crews paint the new bus-only lanes on Rainier Ave S

What's next?  

Phase 2 of the project will evaluate extending the northbound bus-only lanes to S Massachusetts St. The second phase of work is in the early stages and design and outreach will continue over the next year. We’ll have more information soon, including opportunities to share you feedback.

Outreach events 

We’ve been attending community events to talk with neighbors about current and upcoming projects in the Rainier Valley. Recently, we attended the July 9 Black African American Community Event at the Rainier Beach Community Center, and the Columbia City Night Market on July 16. Thanks to everyone who stopped by! We appreciated the conversations and are sharing your feedback with our project teams. We’ll be at more events throughout the summer, and we hope to see you there!

We plan to be at the following events:

  • Pop-up at Safeway (3820 Rainier Ave S), August 2
  • Big Day of Play, August 20
  • Columbia City Night Market, August 20
  • Rainier Beach Back to School Bash, August 27
Woman speaks to a man at a table that contains information boards, papers, and other project information

SDOT staff talking with community members at the July 16 Columbia City Night Market

Questions, comments, or want to learn more?

To learn more about bus-only lanes and this project, people can:

Thank you

Thank you again for your interest in this project, and for your patience during construction and as people adjust to the new bus-only lanes. If you would prefer not to receive future email updates, or if this email was forwarded to you and you'd like to subscribe, click on the links below to manage your email preferences. 

Take care,

Candace Goodrich 

Rainier Ave S Bus-Only Lanes Community Outreach Lead

Phone: 206-257-2201

Email: TransitLanes@seattle.gov

We want to hear from you! Help us shape the future of transportation in Seattle

We’re engaging communities to develop the Seattle Transportation Plan, and we want to hear from you. The plan establishes a renewed vision for the future of our streets and public spaces. Together, we’ll reimagine how we move through and enjoy Seattle’s streets.

We’re partnering with community-based organizations that have relationships with the communities they serve to listen and ensure that the plan reflects the values and needs of everyone. Visit our blog to learn more information and see the incredible organizations we’re partnering with.

You can share your ideas with us now in the following ways:

The Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) is also asking for your help to create the Seattle Comprehensive Plan (the One Seattle Plan). Visit OPCD’s One Seattle Plan Engagement Hub to learn more and to share your ideas to guide Seattle’s future.

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