 Our RapidRide J Line project will make it easier and more convenient for you to get around the University District, Eastlake, South Lake Union, and Belltown. Whether you’re commuting to work, heading to class at the University of Washington, visiting the doctor, or shopping at local businesses, these upgrades will help you travel faster and more reliably.
As part of the project, we’ll upgrade streets, sidewalks, pedestrian ramps, streetlights, and traffic signals. We’ll also add protected bike lanes and replace the water main on Eastlake Ave E. These upgrades will support our local businesses, make it easier for you to get to housing, and help create safer, more connected neighborhoods for everyone.
 Trenching near Eastlake Ave E and E Garfield St.
RapidRide J Line
Here’s what is included in this email update:
- Construction on I-5
- University District Construction
- Eastlake Construction
- South Lake Union Construction
- Online Drop-In Sessions
Construction on northbound I-5
WSDOT is continuing work on northbound I-5. We recommend planning ahead and allowing extra travel time, especially around Eastlake Ave E, where congestion might occur. Visit their project webpage for more information.
University District Construction
We are working on several activities in the area, including:
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Paving on NE 43rd St between 11th and 12th Ave NE will continue over the next few weeks. Starting August 1, we will pave the section of NE 43rd St in front of the alley entrances between 11th Ave NE and 12th Ave NE. Residents and businesses can still access the alleys via NE 42nd St and NE 45th St. We will reopen the alleys on Monday, August 4, before our usual work hours to allow Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) to complete trash pickup.
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Roadway construction at NE 43rd St and Roosevelt Way NE as early as the first week of August. The work will require a lane closure and traffic shift. People biking and walking will need to use the sidewalks when the work begins.
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Ongoing work to build pole foundations along 11th Ave NE from NE 42nd St to NE 43rd St will require us to remove parking along 11th Ave NE. The temporary northbound University of Washington shuttle bus stop at 4236 11th Ave NE has been relocated back to its original location on NE 43rd St and Roosevelt Way NE.
The activities in the University District involve heavy machinery and demolition, so expect loud noise. You should also anticipate vibrations and dust.
All our nighttime activities will follow the City of Seattle’s noise variance requirements. For more information about the City’s noise code, please visit their website.
Eastlake Construction
Paving on Eastlake Ave E between Fuhrman Ave E and Harvard Ave E
View of paving at Eastlake Ave E and Fuhrman Ave E from a traffic camera.
We are continuing paving on the west side of Eastlake Ave E between Fuhrman Ave E and Harvard Ave E. Traffic is shifted on the east side, and vehicle access to Fuhrman Ave E west of Eastlake Ave E is closed. This paving work is anticipated to wrap up next week, and we will reopen areas as work is completed. Fuhrman Ave E west of Eastlake Ave E will remain closed for approximately one more month as we begin work at the sidewalk corners to build accessible pedestrian ramps.
This weekend, we will need to restrict access to the driveways on the west side of Eastlake Ave E between Fuhrman Ave E and Harvard Ave E for paving. We have notified properties that will be impacted.
Starting as soon as next week, we will begin paving the intersection of Eastlake Ave E and Harvard Ave E. During this work, there will be lane closures and traffic shifts on Harvard Ave E at the intersection of Eastlake Ave E.
Crews prepare to pour new concrete on Eastlake Ave E.
We will start work to build accessible pedestrian ramps as early as Monday, July 28. Work will begin at the west side of the intersection of Fuhrman Ave E and Eastlake Ave E and the northwest corner of Harvard Ave E and Eastlake Ave E. Pedestrians and bicyclists may be rerouted around the work zone. Please follow all signs and directions from crew members. This work is expected to take several weeks.
Upcoming water main construction on Eastlake Ave E
Crews are progressing with water main construction toward the center of Eastlake Ave E. Trenching has now begun under Eastlake Ave E between E Howe St and E Boston St. Additionally, installation of a temporary water main from E Hamlin St to E Edgar St is expected to begin as early as next week.
Replacing the water main and paving each block will take several months to complete. Upon completion of replacing the watermain, our team will move on to paving on the west and east sides of the road.
During this work, you should expect noise, dust, vibrations, lane closures, and water outages. We will notify residents and nearby businesses about impacts to driveway access and upcoming water outages.
Paving on Eastlake Ave E between E Galer St/Fairview Ave E and E Garfield St
Crews remove abandoned railroad tracks beneath Eastlake Ave E.
We have started paving the east side of Eastlake Ave E between E Galer St/Fairview Ave E and E Garfield St. During this process, traffic will remain on the west side of Eastlake Ave E, with one lane for northbound and one for southbound travel. After paving the east side of Eastlake Ave E, we will pave the west side and shift traffic to the east side.
Paving involves heavy machinery and demolition to break up the existing road, so please expect loud noise during this work. Afterwards, crews will pour concrete over a foot thick to create the new street. We will coordinate with businesses and residents in advance of any driveway impacts.
Frontage road closure near Fairview Ave N and Aloha St
This week, we started constructing a duct bank beneath the road running parallel with Fairview Ave N, between Valley St and Yale Ave N. A duct bank is an underground system that organizes and protects electrical power cables, communication cables, and other utility lines.
This parallel road (or frontage road) is closed near Aloha St during daytime hours for approximately two weeks. The frontage road between Aloha St and Fairview Pl N will be converted to two-way traffic, with access from Fairview Pl N. See the map below for more details.
A portion of the frontage road near Aloha St and the roundabout will be closed to traffic.
This work will allow us to increase Fairview Ave N's width, improve transit reliability, and accommodate a new mixed-use pathway. The construction process is expected to take up to three months and occur in multiple phases.
South Lake Union Construction
Electrical work at Fairview Ave N and Harrison St
Work area at Harrison St and Fairview Ave N.
We are installing electrical lines at the Fairview Ave N and Harrison St intersection, which requires us to dig under the streetcar tracks. To reduce disruptions to traffic and maintain streetcar operations, we will do some work at night, from 7 PM to 5 AM. We anticipate we will work at night on July 28 and 30. Please expect traffic detours and closures near the work area during this time. You can also expect noise from concrete breaking, excavation, and paving equipment.
Online Drop-In Session
Every Thursday from 2 to 3 PM, residents and business owners have been actively joining our online open house to connect with the project team and have their questions answered. These sessions have been a fantastic way for the community to engage directly, and we’ve received great feedback about how valuable and accessible they are. Whether you want to share your thoughts, ask questions, or simply listen, we encourage everyone to join us and be part of the conversation. Your input truly makes a difference!
You can access the online meetings with the details below:
Meeting link
Meeting ID: 237 305 138 093
Passcode: mBSfNf
Business Spotlights
Are you a business owner in the University District, Eastlake, or South Lake Union neighborhoods? We’d love to spotlight your business in a future email update! Connect with our team at RapidRide@seattle.gov to learn more about this opportunity.
Access to all businesses will be maintained and prioritized throughout the construction of the RapidRide J Line. We encourage everyone to continue visiting and supporting their favorite neighborhood businesses during this time.
How to Stay Informed
To ensure you're informed of the latest updates and developments on the RapidRide J Line project, we encourage you to sign up for our project emails. This will give you detailed information about construction activities, timelines, and any changes that may affect your neighborhood. Please feel free to share the details of our website and project emails with friends, family, or anyone who might be interested in knowing more about this exciting initiative. You can sign up for the emails and find more information on our project website. Thank you for your continued support and engagement!
For more information on bus stop relocations during construction, please visit King County Metro’s website.
Contact us
Communications and Outreach Lead
Need Translation?
For information on our work to upgrade the Route 70 bus route to a RapidRide bus line, in your language, please leave a voicemail in your preferred language at (206) 257-2202
Para obtener información en su idioma sobre nuestro trabajo para convertir la Ruta 70 del autobús a una línea RapidRide, llame al (206) 257-2202
若想通過您的語言了解有關 70 號公車路線升級為快速線 (RapidRide) 的工程資訊，請致電 (206) 257-2202
若想通过您的语言了解有关 70 号公交路线升级为快速线 (RapidRide) 的工程信息，请致电 (206) 257-2202
70번 버스 노선을 RapidRide 노선으로 업그레이드하기 위한 당국의 작업에 대한 정보를 귀하의 언어로 확인하려면 (206) 257‑2202로 전화하십시오
Route للحصول على المعلومات حول عملنا لتطوير مسار الحافلة 70
(206) 257-2022 بلغتك، اتصل بالرق م RapidRide إلى خ ط
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