 A water project connected by art
 In the upper right corner, Vaughn Bell’s ‘Saltwater Streets’ in Wallingford at N 35th St and Stone Way N. The maps show the locations of the other art inlays, marked by orange dots.
When you think of wastewater infrastructure, art probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But at Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), we believe in weaving art and culture into public spaces, including wastewater systems. By dedicating 1% of our resources to this, we have the chance to make the invisible visible. We see beauty in our vast network of tunnels and pipes, and artist Vaughn Bell shares this vision. As SPU's Artist-in-Residence, Bell created the Drainage and Wastewater Art Master Plan. Through interactive projects and immersive environments, Bell explores how we connect with our surroundings.
On our project, Bell's Saltwater Streets—which Bell describes as "portals to the Salish Sea"—brings attention to the connection between water and street infrastructure. The goal is to help the public understand the vast underground networks and how they link to the Salish Sea. These portals, located in sidewalks across Wallingford, Fremont, and Ballard, feature unique artwork created by Bell and other artists from the Ship Canal Water Quality Project. The art inlays in East Ballard and along Stone Way N in Wallingford have been installed and you can explore these captivating designs in person. The art inlays in Fremont and on N 35th St at Interlake Ave N in Wallingford will be installed in the next several months. Use the map above to find each location and discover the hidden connections beneath our streets!
You can see more of Vaughn Bell's artwork on Instagram @vaughn_bellor or visit her website at www.vaughnbell.net.
Please visit our project website to get the most up to date information about the Ship Canal Water Quality Project, a partnership between Seattle Public Utilities and King County Wastewater Treatment Division. Check out our Flickr albums for recent construction photos as well.
Ballard
Work at the Ballard site has been minimal over the summer as the site awaits the next contractor. The Pump Station and Ballard Conveyance contractor is expected to begin work in early November.
East Ballard
We have reopened NW 45th St between 11th Ave NW and 9th Ave NW, and fully reopened the Burke Gilman Trail (BGT) in its original location. Periodic temporary lane closures may still be necessary over the coming month, and flaggers will assist with traffic during those times. Restoration work is continuing so crews will still be in the area and there may be occasional one lane closures with flaggers as work at this site wraps up.
You should anticipate:
- Equipment in the area
- Noise typical of a construction site
Regular work hours will be Monday through Friday, from 7 am to 4 pm.
Fremont
Crews continue installing equipment inside the shaft and buried utilities at the site. They also continue installing mechanical and electrical systems inside the vault in N 36th St.
Lane restrictions in Leary Way NW will continue through October for final road restoration.
Local closures and detours:
- On 2nd Ave NW, between Leary Way NW and NW Canal St, the street remains closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic until late 2024
- NW Canal St is open to two-way traffic during this closure
- NW 36th St, between Leary Way NW and 3rd Ave NW, remains closed until late 2024
- Pedestrian detours are in place on Leary Way NW; please follow all detour guidance
You should anticipate:
- Truck traffic on Leary Way NW as trucks bring materials and equipment to and from the site
- Trucks entering and leaving the site
- Fans running during work hours to provide fresh air to crews working in the shaft
- Heavy equipment in the area
- Noise and vibrations typical of a construction site
Regular work hours will be Monday through Friday, from 7 am to 6 pm; and some Saturdays from 9 am to 6 pm.
Wallingford
The north half of N 34th St at Stone Way N, including the left turn lane from N Northlake Way onto westbound N 34th St, is now open.
Puget Sound Energy (PSE) will be performing utility work at the intersection of N 34th St and Stone Way N during night shift over the next week. During PSE’s non-work hours, steel plates will be placed over the trench and the road will be open to traffic.
Stone Way N between N 34th St and N 35th St is expected to reopen by the end of October.
Interlake Ave N is closed to through traffic at N 35th St for utility installation work. Vehicle access south of N 36th St to N 35th St will be limited to local traffic only.
Utility work in N 35th St near Interlake Ave N continues for several more weeks. On N 35th St near Interlake Ave N, eastbound and westbound traffic will shift to the southern part of the road, and the parking lane will temporarily serve as the eastbound travel lane. As a result, parking is prohibited for several feet along the south side of N 35th St near Interlake Ave N, and any vehicles parked there will be subject to towing. Flaggers will direct traffic around the work zone during working hours.
Within the site at the northeast corner of N 35th St and Interlake Ave N, crews continue to install equipment inside the shaft, build the above-ground electrical building, and remove the temporary screen wall and posts on the east and north sides of the site. This week crews began preparing to install rockery along the north and east sides of the site.
Final pavement and sidewalk restoration will follow the utility work and will also take several weeks. We will share details about the traffic control for restoration work when available.
Stone Way N closure vehicle detour
- Traffic is detoured via N 40th St and Wallingford Ave N, and via Woodland Park Ave N and N 34th St
- The all-way stops remain in place at Woodland Park Ave N at both N 35th St and N 34th St, and at Wallingford Ave N and N 35th St
- Stone Way N between N 34th St and N 35th St remains closed to vehicles and bicycles.
- Please adhere to Road Closed, Local Access Only, and Traffic Revision Ahead signage and follow marked detour routes
Regular work hours will be Monday through Friday, 7 am to 6 pm. Night and weekend work may occur periodically.
Queen Anne
Crews have completed much of the site restoration. Crews are still working on minor installations and finalizing landscaping. The Ship Canal Trail is currently open in its original configuration. There may be localized trail detours in coming months as needed for crews to work. We will keep you updated on the timing of any remaining work.
Local closures and detours:
- Potential localized Ship Canal Trail detour in coming months as needed. Please continue to remain alert when moving through this area.
You should anticipate:
- Trucks coming in and out of the site
Regular work hours will be Monday through Friday, from 7 am to 4 pm.
Contact Us
Please email SPU_ShipCanalProject@seattle.gov with questions or comments or call our hotline at (206) 701-0233. You can also find information online at spushipcanal.participate.online.
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