 Our RapidRide J Line project upgrade streets, sidewalks, pedestrian ramps, streetlights, and traffic signals. We are also adding protected bike lanes, replacing the water main on Eastlake Ave E, and creating new dedicated bus lanes. To further improve transit efficiency, we’ll provide priority signals for buses throughout the corridor and implement a faster boarding process to reduce impacts on traffic.
These upgrades will balance the needs of people traveling to and between neighborhoods, support our local businesses, and create transportation options for our ever-changing city. They’ll also make it easier for you to access housing and help create safer, more connected neighborhoods for everyone. You can download maps of the final project using this link.
 Crews pour new concrete to widen the west side of Fairview Ave N.
RapidRide J Line
Here’s what is included in this email update:
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University District Construction
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Fairview Ave N Construction
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Construction Pause During the FIFA World Cup
We continue to make steady progress on the project. Drainage and water main work on Eastlake Ave E has been completed, and we are now advancing toward finishing the new street surface in 2026.
To complete all of our work on time, you’ll notice us working in many locations at once. Our work involves heavy machinery, loud noises, vibrations, and dust. We usually work from 7 AM to 5 PM, but we may start as early as 4 AM to allow enough time for the new concrete to cure. We may also need to work weekends and nights to complete certain activities.
Bike Everywhere Day!
People riding bikes viewed the plans for the new protected bike lanes on Eastlake Ave E and Fairview Ave N.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by the RapidRide J Line team’s Bike Everywhere Day celebration booth! It was wonderful to connect with so many community members and celebrate biking in the neighborhood. Throughout the event, we shared project maps and answered questions about construction, bike lane improvements, and what people can expect as work continues.
The team appreciated hearing excitement and support for protected bike lanes in the University District, Eastlake, and Fairview. We look forward to creating safer, more connected neighborhoods for everyone.
If you missed us at Bike Everywhere Day, there will be more opportunities to connect with the project team. We’ll be back in Eastlake later this summer to distribute more bike helmets. You can also join our weekly online open house every Thursday from 2 to 3 PM to ask questions, share feedback, or simply learn more about the project. More information about upcoming events and how to join the online open house is available on our website.
University District Construction
Electrical and sidewalk work in the University District
Crews are continuing electrical and sidewalk work on the east side of Roosevelt Way NE between NE 42nd St and NE 41st St. They are digging trenches, installing electrical conduits and wiring, and restoring the sidewalks. Over the next few weeks, we will primarily work near NE 41st St.
We are coordinating with businesses and residents to maintain access. If you are driving through the work zones, one lane will remain open. If you are using the sidewalk, please follow the signs and directions from crews.
Bus stop construction at NE 41st St
Crews pour concrete into circular molds. These help create the foundations for new poles supporting traffic signals and the electrical wires powering the RapidRide J Line.
You will notice significant progress with our work on the northbound RapidRide J Line bus stop at the intersection of NE 41st St and Eastlake Ave NE, near 11th Ave NE. We expect to begin pouring the stop’s concrete foundation soon. Throughout this work, we will shift traffic to the west side of the street. Please follow the signs and directions from crews if you are using the sidewalk.
Eastlake Construction
The map above shows where we are working in the Eastlake neighborhood.
Street closures in Eastlake
As shown on the map above, we have closed several areas in Eastlake for equipment storage and construction activities. The areas experiencing closures include:
- The east side of Eastlake Ave E between Harvard Ave E and E Allison St
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The west side of Eastlake Ave E between E Shelby St and E Edgar St
- The west side of Eastlake Ave E between E Lynn St and E Boston St
- E Garfield St on the west side of Eastlake Ave E
- E Galer St on the east side of Eastlake Ave E
Upcoming Weekend Paving Work at Fuhrman Ave E & Eastlake Ave E
During the weekend of May 30, we will finish paving the east side of the Fuhrman Ave E and Eastlake Ave E intersection.
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Saturday, May 30: Crews will demolish the east side of the intersection.
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Sunday, May 31: New concrete will be poured.
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Monday, June 1: Concrete will cure throughout the day.
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Flaggers and uniformed police officers will guide vehicles through the intersection.
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Expect delays through Monday, June 1 — please plan extra travel time.
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Additional traffic control measures will be in place on Monday morning to help keep traffic moving.
While we typically schedule intersection work outside peak travel times, there are several reasons why work at Fuhrman Ave E and Eastlake Ave E extends into Monday. First, work in this area requires King County Metro to temporarily deactivate the overhead electrical wires that power buses, which they can only do on weekends. As a result, we cannot start demolition work until Saturday and then pour concrete on Sunday. Second, the concrete requires approximately 24 hours to cure, so after we pour it on Sunday, the area must remain closed through Monday until it is ready for supporting traffic. Although you may not see active construction, the roadway segments with new concrete must remain closed. We expect to reopen the intersection by the end of the day on Monday. Thank you for your patience as we work to improve the intersection!
Sidewalk work along Eastlake Ave E
As paving progresses on Eastlake Ave E, crews are beginning to focus on sidewalk replacement and installing new accessible pedestrian ramps. We are currently performing this work on the northeast and southeast corners of Eastlake Ave E and E Galer St.
This will require us to temporarily close access to the east side of E Galer St from Eastlake Ave E. The street will remain accessible from E Franklin St, and parking is still available on E Galer St.
For all sidewalk work, we will need to temporarily close sections of 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 of Eastlake Ave E near each work area. Please follow all signs and instructions from crews.
Electrical work along Eastlake Ave E
Crews are building foundations for several poles at the intersection of Eastlake Ave E and E Lynn St. The poles will support traffic signals and the electrical wires powering the RapidRide J Line.
On the west side of the intersection, near Eastlake Coffee, these foundations are in the roadway, so we’ve closed the west side of Eastlake Ave E between E Lynn St and E Boston St.
Crews are also building a pole foundation on the southeast corner of the intersection, near Eastlake Market. To accommodate this work, traffic is shifted to the east side of the street, with one lane remaining open in each direction.
Crews will drill several feet into the street before pouring new concrete to form each foundation. Nearby sidewalks will remain open during our work, but you can expect crosswalk closures, dust, vibrations, and noise.
Paving work progresses along Eastlake Ave E
Crews install metal supports before pouring new concrete.
We are making significant progress building a new, smooth, long-lasting concrete street along Eastlake Ave E. Our crews are actively demolishing, preparing, and pouring new concrete in several areas:
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Between E Shelby St and E Edgar St: We are pouring concrete on the west side of Eastlake Ave E. As early as May 29, we will begin paving the driveway to the cul-de-sac on the west side of Eastlake Ave E and E Shelby St. The crew will pave one half of the driveway at a time, and a flagger will help maintain access.
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Between E Edgar St and E Roanoke St: We have begun demolition on the west side of Eastlake Ave E.
Fairview Ave N Construction
Updating the South Lake Union Streetcar line’s power supply
From the night of Saturday, May 16, to the morning of Sunday, May 17, we will be working on Fairview Ave N to update the power supply to the South Lake Union Streetcar. This electrical work will take place outside of the streetcar’s service hours, and we do not expect it to impact operations when the streetcar opens at 10 AM on Sunday morning.
One southbound lane of Fairview Ave N remains closed as we widen the west side of Fairview Ave N between Yale Ave N and Valley St. Over the next few weeks, we will pour concrete between Yale Ave N and Aloha St. Some of these pours will start as early as 4 AM during weekdays and Saturdays. We may work beyond 10 PM at times to make cuts into the new concrete for expansion. Though crews will perform night and weekend work, the most impactful noise will end before 10 PM.
The sidewalk on the west side of Fairview Ave N will remain closed. Between Yale Ave N and Aloha St, a multi-use path will be provided for pedestrians and cyclists. If you are riding your bike, please dismount and walk through the construction area using this path. South of Aloha St, signage will direct pedestrians and cyclists to use the crosswalk on the east side of Fairview Ave N.
As we work on Fairview Ave N, some King County Metro bus stops may be impacted. We encourage you to visit their website and the Route 70 page for more information. During this work, we do not impact the Seattle Streetcar.
Fairview Ave N and Aloha St intersection paving work
Crews pour new concrete on one half of the Fairview Ave N and Aloha St intersection.
This weekend, we will finish paving the south side of the Fairview Ave N and Aloha St intersection. Demolition work began this morning, May 15. We will pour and cure new concrete over the weekend and reopen the area on Monday morning. A flagger will be available around the clock to maintain access to the frontage road and Fairview Ave N businesses.
Construction Pause During the FIFA World Cup
From June 10 to July 6, the RapidRide J Line team will pause construction activities during the FIFA World Cup. During this time, crews do not plan to perform any construction work.
To prepare for the pause, crews will remove construction materials and equipment from the street. Some barriers, signs, and cones may remain in place to help keep construction zones safe and accessible during the World Cup.
How to Stay Informed
Project Emails and Website
If you’re receiving this newsletter in your email, then you’ve signed up for our weekly project emails! This is one of the best ways to stay informed about the latest updates and developments on the RapidRide J Line Project. We provide information about construction activities, timelines, and any changes affecting your neighborhood. We also include these updates and additional information on our project website every week. 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 project.
Weekly Online Open House
Every Thursday from 2 to 3 PM, residents and business owners have joined our online open house to connect with the project team and have their questions answered. You can join these meetings 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
King County Metro’s Resources
King County Metro is responsible for maintaining Route 70 and other Metro buses during the RapidRide J Line’s construction. They handle all topics related to bus stops, signage, and associated notifications. For information on bus stop relocations during construction, we encourage you to visit their website, the Route 70 page, and sign up for Transit Alerts. You can also use Google Maps, which will post King County Metro’s rider alerts. If you have additional questions about a trip, their call center can be reached at (206) 553-3000 on weekdays between 6 AM and 6 PM.
Contact us
Our team is committed to keeping the community informed throughout the project. If you have any questions about our work, please feel free to email RapidRide@seattle.gov or call (206) 257-2202. We work directly with the contractor and our project partners to get your questions answered.
Communications and Outreach Lead
RapidRide@seattle.gov | (206) 257-2022
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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