We continue to make great construction progress, including recently starting construction of the new bus islands. Once the RapidRide G Line project is complete, there will be new red bus lanes from 1st Ave to 18th Ave and four new bus islands. These islands are located at 8th Ave, Terry Ave, between Summit Ave and Boylston Ave, between12th and 13th Ave.  

We’ve started installing new signals for the RapidRide G – Madison St system. In February, we completed installation of the new signal at 9th Ave and Madison St. Later in March, we will install new signals along Madison St at Boren Ave, Minor Ave, Summit Ave and 7th Ave. We will also install a new signal on Spring St and 7th Ave. While we install the new signal hardware, there will be temporary traffic changes through the intersection.  

Clean up and restoration at 8th Ave and Madison St 

There has been progress cleaning the site of a burned building on 8th Ave and Madison St. All traffic closures have been eliminated and full vehicle access has been restored. All bus lines that were detoured in the aftermath of the building fire have been returned to their original routes. Some pedestrian safety precautions will remain in place until the area is completely clean.  

Left turn restrictions  

As we mentioned last month, we have started restricting left turns at a few intersections in First Hill to make room for construction of the new bus islands. Currently, there are left turn restrictions in place from Madison St to 8th Ave and Terry Ave as well as from Madison St to Summit Ave and Boylston Ave.  

To support safety and traffic operations once the new bus lanes and center-running bus stations are built, we will permanently restrict left turns at many intersections on Madison St from First Hill to Capitol Hill. 

• Map of Westbound left turn restrictions and alternative route can be found here. 

• Map of Eastbound left turn restrictions and alternative routes can be found here. 

Future comfort station 

With the final phase of major roadway construction in Madison Valley wrapped up, we are starting work on the future bus comfort station at E Arthur Pl and E Harrison St, west of Martin Luther King Jr Way. The comfort station provides a rest area for bus drivers as they turn their buses around to begin their return routes westbound, towards downtown.

Did you know? People with accessibility needs can book a trip using Metro Access. You can also use mapping tools like google maps to plan your bus trip and stay informed of bus stop closures and relocations. When you enter your trip, Google will alert you there are any bus stop closures on your route, including locations of relocated stops. If you have questions, you can reach King County Metro customer service at (206) 553-3000.  

A few of the longer-term bus reroutes include:   

• The outbound Route 8 remains rerouted at 23rd Ave and connects to southbound Martin Luther King Jr Way via Union St in Madison Valley. This detour is in place due to spatial constraints caused by ongoing sidewalk work in Madison Valley.  This route is likely to remain detoured in this area into the spring. The inbound Route 8 has returned to its original alignment.  
• The Route 2 continues to be rerouted through Capitol Hill. We are working on restoring this route to its original path in phases. We are aiming to return the eastbound Route 2 by the end of the year and the westbound Route 2 in early spring of 2024.

Downtown (1st Ave to 7th Ave)   

• Sidewalk work 
  • Work on the southwest corner of Madison St and 2nd Ave is scheduled to begin in March and will continue through the end of the month.   
  • At the intersection of 6th Ave and Madison St, we will remove the temporary patches and install the permanent grading on the sidewalk starting March 12.  
• Signal and lighting work 
  • We continue to make progress on new signal installation downtown. New signals and lighting electrification work will continue through the spring.  

First Hill (7th Ave to Broadway Ave)  

• Sidewalk work  
  • Starting the second week of March, we will return to the areas at 8th Ave and Madison as well as 9th Ave and Madison to complete sidewalk and utility installation for work that took place earlier this year.   
  • At the corner of 9th and Spring St, we are rebuilding the sidewalk. This work will take about 2 weeks.  
  • On the west side of 9th Ave between Madison St and Spring St, work is underway and will continue into late March. 
• Center-running bus stations 
  • Work has resumed on construction of the bus islands at Madison St and 8th Ave and will wrap up next week.  
  • Construction is wrapping up on the bus island at Boylston Ave. 
  • There will be single lane closures in each direction around the center bus station work areas. 
• Signal Work 
  • Starting this week, we will be installing a new signal at the intersection of Madison St and Boren Ave. 
  • Later in March, we will start new signal installation at Minor Ave and Summit Ave. 

Capitol Hill (Broadway to 23rd Ave) 

• Roadway work 
  • We will be installing new roadway panels at 14th Ave over the weekend of March 23. Some of this work will take place during nighttime hours. Eastbound traffic on Madison St will be detoured from Friday night to Monday morning. Sidewalk work 
• Sidewalk work 
  • At the northwest corner of E Madison St and 17th Ave, we are completing electrical conduit work and repaving the sidewalk next week.  
  • Work on the north side of E Madison St between 17th and 18th Ave is underway and will continue into next week.  
  • Work on the north side of E Madison St between 18th and 19th Ave will begin March 20 and last through the end of the April.  

Madison Valley (23rd Ave to Martin Luther King Jr Way) 

• Roadway work 
  • Starting March 1, we will be replacing a roadway panel on E Madison St between 27th and 28th Ave. This work will last through the weekend and likely wrap up early the morning of March 4. During this work, E Madison St will remain open in both directions for vehicles.  
• Sidewalk work 
  • Work on the north side of E Madison St between 27th and 28th Ave has resumed after a design change. We expect this work to wrap up in mid-March. Additional sidewalk work, directly in front of Bailey Boushay House will take place later this spring.   
  • Work on the center median, on the north side of E Madison St, between the north and southbound legs of 28th Ave, will wrap up next week. Access from southbound 28th Ave to E Madison St remains closed.  
  • Work on the south side of E Madison St between 27th Ave and Martin Luther King Jr Way will begin March 12. We will start building the future bus pad, near 27th Ave. This work will take approximately 4 weeks. When complete, we will shift work to the sidewalk. Pedestrian detours will be in place during the sidewalk work.  
  • Next week, we will begin rebuilding the sidewalk on the southwest side of E Harrison St, in front of Julia Lee’s Park. This work will last approximately 2 weeks. Pedestrian detours are in place.  

Businesses Are Open in The Project Area  

Come by to support the wonderful small businesses in our project area! At times, it may be harder to see them behind our construction, but they are open! Some of these businesses include: 

• Footprint Wine Tap: 1222 E Madison St suite c, Seattle, WA 98122 
• Pony: 1221 E Madison St, Seattle, WA 98122 
• Banner Bank: 1222 E Madison St, Suite A, Seattle WA 98122 
• Sugar & Shears Salon and Organic Spa: 1222 E Madison St E, Seattle, WA 98122 
• Katsu Burger: 1410 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 
• Mighty-O Donuts Capitol Hill: 1400 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 
• Bombay Burger: 1420 E Madison St, Seattle, WA 98122 
• Westman's Bagel and Coffee: 1509 E Madison St, Seattle, WA 98122 
• Alpha Martial Arts: 1912 E Madison St Seattle, WA 98122  
• Bequest Coffee Co: 2200 E Madison St, Seattle, WA  98112 
• Nouvelle Nails & Spa: 2610 E Madison St, Seattle, WA 98112 
• Baas Faming Studio: 2703 E Madison St, Seattle, WA 98112 

• The Harvest Vine: 2701 E Madison St, Seattle, WA 98112 
• Azuki: 2711 E Madison St, Seattle, WA 98112 
• All The Best Pet Care: 2713 E Madison St, Seattle, WA 98112 
• I Love Boba: Madison Square, 2719 E Madison St Unit 100, Seattle, WA 98112 
• Just Around the Corner, Dog Grooming & Boutique: 2717 E Madison St, Seattle, WA 98112 
• Coven Salon: 2719 E Madison St, Suite E, Seattle, WA 98112 
• Kamp: 2800 E Madison St, Seattle, WA 98112 
• Fury Women’s Consignment: 2810 E Madison St, Seattle, WA 98112 
• Madison Nail Spa: 2914 E Madison St STE 108, Seattle, WA 98112 

If you have any questions about how to access these businesses or other businesses in our construction area, please let us know! We can provide you with more details on nearby closures and how you can navigate the construction to reach your favorite local businesses by bus, foot, or wheel (big or small).