Here's what is included in this month's email update: 

• Ribbon Cutting Ceremony  

• Project Highlights 

• Construction Recap 

• Thank You  

• Resources and contact information 

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony  

The Seattle Department of Transportation and King County Metro kick things off for RapidRide G Line 

Yesterday, the Seattle Department of Transportation along with King County Metro, officially cut the ribbon on the RapidRide G Line – Madison St. project, marking the completion of one of SDOT’s largest and most complex capital projects to date.  

The RapidRide G Line will connect Seattle's busiest neighborhoods, offering frequent and reliable service with buses running every six minutes during most of the day, along with dedicated lanes designed to reduce travel time. 

After 3 years of construction, a modernized and safer Madison St. now features new roads, bus-only lanes, new sidewalks and ramps to improve access. New lighting, new signals, new center-running bus islands, new bus shelters, and new crossings. Additionally, artwork will soon be installed at the convergence of Madison St, 14th Ave, and Pike St. 

The ceremony featured speakers including Mayor Bruce Harrell and SDOT Director Greg Spotts from the City of Seattle, Acting Administrator Veronica Vanterpool of the Federal Transit Administration, Sound Transit CEO Goran Sparrman, King County Executive Dow Constantine, and King County Metro General Manager Michelle Allison. Together, the speakers shared their excitement about the project’s completion and the benefits it brings to communities including downtown, First Hill, Capitol Hill and Madison Valley.   

Service Begins September 14  

Metro’s new RapidRide G Line service will launch on Saturday, September 14. Riders will experience the convenience and safety of frequent, reliable bus service with buses arriving every six minutes during most of the day from Monday through Saturday, and every 15 minutes most of the day on Sunday. With new bus-only lanes, center running bus stations and signal priority, RapidRide G Line buses will reduce travel time. We hope to see you on the RapidRide G Line soon! 

Project Highlights  

RapidRide G Line Overview 

The RapidRide G Line – Madison St. project has transformed the Madison St corridor, connecting one of Seattle's busiest and most densely populated areas, including Downtown Seattle with the Central District and Madison Valley communities. This new route brings riders closer to many community, cultural, culinary, and commercial destinations. We fixed sidewalks, added new walk and bike signals, rebuilt utilities, and created a street design to keep traffic at slower, safer speeds next to schools, small businesses, libraries, and hospitals. 

This project was made possible by the voter-approved Levy to Move Seattle and a close partnership with King County Metro, who will operate the new line using newly-purchased 60-foot, 5-door buses that can load passengers from the curb and from center-running bus stations. 

Community input, federal funding from the Federal Transit Administration, support from President Biden's American Rescue Plan, and funding from Sound Transit also played crucial roles. Seattle City Light and Seattle Public Utilities also provided significant support throughout the project.  

Project Benefit Highlights 

Street and lane layout:  

• The project included repaving with 9.1 lane-miles of concrete roadway and 2.3 lane-miles of new asphalt overlay 

• We added 1.4 miles of dedicated bus lanes.  

• We widened the roadway profile by 1 to 2 feet in several areas.  

• We added 5 new traffic signals and upgraded 36 existing signals.  

Walking, biking, and community infrastructure   

• 3.8 miles of sidewalks were either newly built or replaced. 

• We built curb bulbs to shorten pedestrian crossings along side streets (Madison St at the intersections of Minor Ave, 10th Ave, 12th Ave, Union St, Pike St, 15th Ave, 18th Ave, 19th Ave, Denny St, John St, and 27th Ave; Spring St at the intersections of 7th, 8th, and 9th Avenues) 

• We built new and upgraded many existing curb ramps 

• We planted 108 new trees throughout the project area, and added significant landscaping enhancements on Madison St over I-5

Bus infrastructure:  

• We built a bus layover facility, where King County Metro bus operators of the RapidRide G Line can park buses and take their mandated rest breaks.  

• We built 21 new RapidRide stops; 10 paired stops in each direction and one on First Avenue 

• We upgraded 2 existing bus stops 

• We built 4 new center-running stations between 7th and 13th Avenues 

• Many of the new bus stops feature real-time information systems (arrival estimates), off-board payment readers, handrails, lighting, and trash cans.  

This is how it looks!  

We began construction of the RapidRide G Line back in September 2021, after a robust community-focused public engagement process that elevated the needs of vulnerable users and transit-dependent workers. Since then, we’ve completely revamped the Madison St corridor. Some of the changes we already mentioned are shown below.  

Safety reminders 

How to use the new center-running bus stations and safe travel reminders  

• Center-running bus stations (boarding platforms) are a new feature to help you get on and off the bus more efficiently.  

• You can reach the center-running stations from the sidewalk via crosswalks with traffic signals. Please watch out for cars, bikes, and other traffic while crossing the street onto the platforms.  

• All bus stops along the RapidRide G Line route are located at intersections with traffic signals, so you can find a safe, marked crossing to catch the next bus.  

• Thank you for your attention to safety as everyone adjusts to the new features along Madison St.  

Thank you 

 After 3 years of construction, the Seattle Department of Transportation would like to express its heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved.  

To the communities impacted by this project, we cannot say enough how much we appreciate your patience, communication, adaptability and understanding. Construction has been long and, at times, disruptive. We have done our best to partner with community members, stakeholders and project partners to mitigate inconveniences and keep everyone informed and prepared. 

We thank you for your collaboration during busy times, your input and feedback throughout the project and look forward a bright future with RapidRide G Line.

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 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 fall 2024.  

Better connections are about to begin! 

With RapidRide G Line service starting soon, now is a good time to consider your travel options 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. 

Provide employees access to RapidRide G Line on opening day! 

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.