RapidRide G - We’re putting the finishing touches on RapidRide G Line as start of service nears!
Here's what is included in this month's email update:
-
Progress highlights
-
Construction updates
-
Detours, Closures and Restrictions
-
Progress by numbers
-
What’s coming up next month
-
Resources and contact information
We’re in the last phase of construction with final details going in this summer
July 2 marked the completion of major asphalt and major sidewalk work on the fully revamped Madison St. corridor. Now, only small areas, and repairs remain. With all major construction, including roadway and sidewalk work, in the rearview mirror, we are now focusing on the finishing touches to complete the project.
In the next two months, we will identify and address any remaining spots that require attention and upgrades. The remaining finishing touches include:
-
Painting and road marking
-
New landscaping
-
Signal and lighting upgrades
-
Bus shelter and station construction
-
Location-specific roadway and sidewalk work
Red paint indicating bus-only lanes has been installed along the Madison St. corridor, with some sections and finishing touches still remaining
Better connections are about to begin!
With RapidRide G Line service just a few months away, now is a good time to consider your travel alternatives throughout the Madison St. corridor.
Flip Your Trip is Seattle’s ultimate guide to safe travel options! By clicking here, you can explore sustainable ways to get around the city, including transit, walking, rolling, biking and shared rides.
If you are new to Seattle Transit, paying your fare is easy! You can choose between the reloadable ORCA Card, and the TransitGO App, which offer points for free rides and allow contactless payment with cash or credit card. Click here to learn more about the ORCA cards, and here to download the TransitGO App.
Landscaping turning up this summer – done until fall planting window
We are expanding on the initial phases of landscaping work that began in the spring by introducing new plant life. By the time service on the RapidRide G starts, we will have planted 108 new trees. During construction we removed 62 trees, meaning the new corridor will feature even more vegetation than before. In addition to the 108-tree total, we will plant another 16 trees, meeting the city’s 2-to-1 removal requirement.
King County Metro's Route 2 Bus travels inbound on a newly paved Madison Street
Roadway painting continues
Roadway painting is ongoing throughout July as we put the final markings on the corridor. This includes new crosswalks, bike lanes long lines, stop bars, and symbols. Most of this painting work will take place during nighttime hours in Downtown, First Hill, and Capitol Hill. Painting will also continue in Madison Valley on Martin Luther King Jr. Way and at the intersection with E Madison St. Painting work is expected to increase during the last two weeks of July.
Bus shelter and station progress
The next phase of bus shelter construction and installation is upon us. As of the end of June, most of our shelters are near completion. Beginning in July, our crews will be adding the last pieces to complete the stations so that they are ready for service. Some of these vital remaining items include new handrails, bumpers, glass and paint.
Many of the new shelters will also feature real-time information systems (arrival estimates) and off-board payment readers. These features require the shelters to be electrified. Crews will be installing new connections to the electrical grid this summer so those last features are ready to plug in before riders start using the RapidRide G.
Bus island between Summit and Boylston Avenues
Signal and lighting work
While most of the new signal and lighting work has been completed, a few areas still need attention for the full glow-up (literally). Our crews are working to commission a few more new signals at Madison and Broadway and Madison St. and 19th Ave. Once commissioned, these signals will be fully integrated and operational within the Seattle traffic grid.
For the lighting upgrades, all new hardware is now in place. However, inspections, electrical connections and commissioning work remain for a few new lighting features along the corridor. We expect to finish all lighting work before the start of service in September.
Future Layover Facility
Construction on the future RapidRide G Layover Facility on Harrison Street near the triangle intersection of E. Arthur Place, E. Harrison Street and Martin Luther King, Jr. Way E in Madison Valley is on schedule to complete at the end of July. The future layover station will provide a place for bus operators to take their mandated breaks and be available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. The layover facility will help the RapidRide G buses stay on schedule and reduce traffic and congestion along the route by keeping buses out of the roadway.
An Illustration of the future RapidRide G Layover Facility
Here is what you need to know:
-
A layover facility is where King County Metro bus operators of the RapidRide G Line can park buses and take their mandated rest breaks. When complete, the new facility will have three spaces for buses to layover.
-
The new layover facility will be available to operators 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. This facility will not be open to the public or transit riders.
Benefits of a having a layover facility:
-
Keeps parked buses out of the flow traffic.
-
Provides a safe location for operators to take mandated rest breaks.
Here’s what to expect once the layover facility is complete:
-
New roadway changes and traffic signals that will help improve traffic flow.
-
Typical noises from buses operating in this area.
Lane reductions on Madison St and 2nd Ave
Short-term, temporary lane reductions will be in place while crews replace and upgrade specialty brick pavers for the buildings at the southwest corner of this intersection. During the work, one lane of traffic will be blocked. Pedestrian detours will be in place. Vehicle traffic will remain open.
Clean up and restoration at 8th Ave and Madison St
The sidewalk on the south side of Madison St. between 8th and 9th Avenues has reopened to pedestrians after an extended closure.
Weekend closure of 12th Ave north of Madison St.
Starting the weekend of July 26, 12th Ave will be closed between Madison St. and Pike St. We will be repairing a cracked roadway panel and upgrading the roadway surface, as well as sidewalk upgrades on the north side of 12th Ave. During the closure, 12th Ave will be completely closed to vehicles. Drivers heading northbound on 12th Ave will have to turn right onto Madison St. However, Madison St. will remain open in both directions. We expect 12th Ave to reopen Monday, July 29.
Closure at the intersection of 25th Ave and E Madison St
Starting July 10, the intersection on the north side of E Madison St and 25th Ave will be closed for approximately one week in both directions. East and westbound traffic on E Madison St will remain open. However, vehicles traveling on E Madison St in either direction will not be able to turn north onto 25th Ave. Similarly, vehicles traveling south on 25th Ave will not be able to turn onto E Madison St in either direction. While this work was originally scheduled to take place in June, other project priorities dictated that our crews work elsewhere before starting this work.
Left turn restrictions
The left turn restrictions that were implemented earlier this spring are now permanent. These restrictions are necessary to maintain safety and traffic flow for when RapidRide G service begins. Signage is currently in place for drivers where left turns are prohibited:
-
Madison St. to 8th Ave
-
Madison St. to Terry Ave
-
Madison St. to Minor Ave
-
Madison St. to Summit Ave
-
Madison St. to Boylston Ave
-
Madison St. to 10th Ave
-
Madison St. to 15th Ave
-
Madison St. to 17th Ave
-
Madison St. to 18th Ave
To support safety and traffic operations once the new bus lanes and bus island stations are built, we will permanently restrict left turns at other intersections on Madison St. from First Hill to Capitol Hill.
-
Map of Westbound left turn restrictions can be found here.
-
Map of Eastbound left turn restrictions can be found here.
No left turn sign installed at the intersection of Madison St and Minor Ave.
While construction has been winding down, we've still done quite a bit of heavy lifting on the project recently. Last month we...
- Paved 191 tons of Warm Mix Asphalt.
- Planted 156 shrubs.
- Formed and poured 252 feet of concrete curbing.
- Formed and poured 756 square yards of concrete sidewalks.
- Painted 29,190 feet of lanes lines, cross walk markings, and stop bars, including 83 symbols (turn arrows) and 6,222 square feet of red bus only markings.
- Installed 63 vehicle and pedestrian signal heads.
- Installed 33 pedestrian push buttons.
- Installed 121 vehicle and bike detector loops.
- Trenched and installed 2034 feet of underground signal and electrical conduit.
As construction continues, we will need to temporarily reroute buses or close and relocate bus stops. These detours and closures can change frequently. Please visit King County Metro's Transit Alert page for the most accurate information and sign up for Metro Transit Alerts. Metro Alerts are the best way to stay up to date on bus reroutes and impacts to bus stops.
The information below is based on a preliminary schedule that is subject to change. Expect daytime work from 7 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday with some night and weekend work.
Follow posted signs and detours for safe access through construction zones.
We’re continuing to complete signal upgrades, new street lighting, and install new bus shelters throughout the project corridor. Temporary signals and lighting will be removed as the new ones are completed.
Downtown (1st Ave to 7th Ave)
-
Roadway work
-
Roadway repair on Madison St. between 1st and 2nd Avenues will take place this July to install specialty brick. Temporary closures will be in place during this work.
First Hill (7th Ave to Broadway Ave)
-
Sidewalk work
-
Crews are putting the finishing touches on curb ramps downtown at specific locations. No pedestrian detours are expected during this work.
-
Signal work
-
New signal electrification and commissioning work will take place throughout July at various locations in First Hill, including around the intersection of Madison St. and Broadway, and Spring St. and 9th Ave.
Capitol Hill (Broadway to 23rd Ave)
- Roadway Work
- At the northside of 12th Ave, roadway panel repair and upgrade starting July 26. During this work, 12th Ave will be closed to vehicle traffic. We anticipate this work to wrap up by Monday, July 29.
-
Sidewalk work
-
On the northside of Madison St. and 12th Ave starting July 26.
-
On the southside of Madison St. between 10th and 11th Aves to form the tunnel.
-
On the northside of Madison St. between 19 and 20 Aves to upgrade sidewalk panels starting July 16.
-
Work to repair sidewalk panels where old signal poles and vaults were removed will take place at Madison St. and:
-
13th Ave – could be a traffic shift during pour
-
14th Ave.
-
15th Ave.
- We will be finishing sidewalk work starting July 11 on E Madison St. at 17th Ave, 20th Ave and Denny.
-
Signal work
- We are wrapping up signal work in early July at E Madison St. and 19th Ave.
Madison Valley (23rd Ave to Martin Luther King Jr Way)
-
Roadway work
-
At the northside intersection of E Madison St. and 25th Ave, starting July 16. During this work, the intersection will be closed to vehicle traffic. We anticipate this work will last approximately 1 week.
-
Sidewalk work
-
Sidewalk work south of the intersection of 28th Ave and E Madison St. will take place starting later in July.
-
Driveway work
-
On the southside of E Madison St. between 25th and 26th Ave, we will be finishing driveway rebuilds starting in late July.
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).
ORCA Business Programs provide your employees access to Seattle’s growing public transit system – including our upcoming RapidRide G line. ORCA Business Programs offer flexible solutions for businesses of all sizes within any industry. From 24/7 full coverage programs through setting up employee payroll pre-tax deductions, ORCA Business Accounts help your organization support your employees’ commutes. Click here to learn more.
If you’re an employer who wants to help staff access public transit passes but is unable to provide financial support at this time, reach out to Commute Seattle to discuss pre-tax deduction for transit passes.
- This allows your staff to pay for transit passes as part of their pre-tax income, lowering their overall taxable income and resulting in savings for both your business and employees.
-
For qualifying small, local businesses, Commute Seattle can help connect you to City of Seattle-paid consultants to set up your pre-tax deductions. Connect with Commute Seattle by visiting the Save on Taxes with Commuter Benefits - Commute Seattle website, here.
Visit our website for the latest news and notes about what's happening in your area. There you can find information on construction impacts, renderings of project designs, contact information, and resources for neighbors and residents. You can also find links to previous project email updates.
|
Thanks for your patience during construction!
If you have concerns about accessibility or other issues with construction, please send us your address, contact information, and concerns so we can better understand and work together throughout construction.
Want to learn more about the project?
Visit our website to see what Madison St will look like once the project is complete. Please share these email updates with others who may be interested and encourage people to subscribe on our webpage. 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.
|
