  Crews pour new concrete on NE 43rd St.
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.
RapidRide J Line
Here’s what is included in this email update:
- No Construction Memorial Day Weekend
-
Where Work is Busiest
-
Online Drop-In Sessions
No Construction Memorial Day Weekend
We are happy to announce that the RapidRide J Line project will not have active construction activities between Saturday, May 24, and Monday, May 26, during Memorial Day weekend. Work activities will resume on Tuesday, May 27.
Where Work is Busiest
Our team is working in various locations throughout the University District and Eastlake neighborhoods. Here’s what they are focusing on now:
Paving in the University District
 Crews smooth out new concrete on NE 43rd St.
We are paving the street on NE 43rd St in the University District between Roosevelt Way NE and 11th Ave NE. On May 27 and June 4, wwill pave the intersections of 11th Ave NE at NE 43rd St and NE 42nd St. We will work on one corner at each intersection at a time, and traffic will be detoured around the work areas shown in the maps below. You can expect impacts, such as noise, dust, and vibrations. Work for each section is expected to take one week to complete, and we will keep the area open for people walking and riding bikes.
 Work areas at the intersection of 11th Ave NE and NE 43rd St.
 Work areas at the intersection of 11th Ave NE and NE 42nd St.
Over the weekend of May 30 to June 1, we will pave the section of roadway between alley entrances on the north and south sides of NE 43rd St between Roosevelt Way NE and 11th Ave NE. This will require us to temporarily close the alley entrances on NE 43rd St. Residents and businesses can still access the alleys through NE 42nd St and NE 45th St.
On June 6 and 7, we will pave sections of NE 43rd St between 11th Ave NE and 12th Ave NE in front of the alley entrances. We will close this entire section of roadway to complete this work.
Nighttime water outage at Eastlake Ave E and Fuhrman Ave E
 The properties highlighted in yellow will experience water outages during the night of June 1.
Businesses and residents near the intersection of Eastlake Ave E and Fuhrman Ave E can expect a one-night water outage on Sunday, June 1, as we complete our water main work. The water outage is expected to happen between 9 PM and 5 AM. To prepare for the work, we will begin demolishing the street at 6 PM and complete all high-impact work by 10 PM.
We will connect the new water main to businesses between Fuhrman Ave E and Harvard Ave E during the day on June 3 and June 4. This work will require temporary service disruptions. Representatives from Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) will notify those affected shortly ahead of these short water outages. Please visit SPU's Water Outages map for more information on affected properties.
We're excited to share that we’re finishing the last section of drainage work in Eastlake. Starting Wednesday, May 28, we will work overnight on E Lynn St to install the new drainage system. We will continue working through Friday, May 30, and pause construction during the weekend. Then, we will resume overnight work between Monday, June 2, and Wednesday, June 4. This adjustment in work hours will help us avoid daytime peak hour traffic heading to I-5 from E Lynn St.
We will finish the most impactful work before 10 PM; however, please expect some construction noise and activity during these nights. Crews will direct traffic through work zones from 7 PM to 5 AM. E Lynn St will be reopened during the day.
Water main work from E Galer St to E Blaine St
 Crews are installing support beams for underground utilities on Fairview Ave N.
We are in the process of replacing the 100-year-old water main on Eastlake Ave E, stretching from E Galer St to E Blaine St. Crews will dig trenches to remove the old water main and put in a new one, which will require lane closures as we guide traffic around the construction area. This work will occur on both weekdays and weekends.
Nightwork between Ward St and Aloha St
 A crew member digs beneath utilities on Fairview Ave N.
We will break up the road to access utilities on Fairview Ave N, between Aloha St and Ward St. This work will be conducted in two phases, and we will work overnight to avoid disruptions to streetcar service. The first phase will take place on Thursday, May 22, and Friday, May 23, while the second phase will occur on Tuesday, May 27, and Wednesday, May 28. This construction requires heavy machinery and demolition, so please anticipate loud noise.
Upcoming work at Fairview Ave N and Harrison St
We will be installing underground electrical lines at Fairview Ave N and Harrison St at night from June 3 to June 6. We will work from 7 PM to 5 AM to minimize disruptions to traffic. You can expect pedestrian detours, 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
|
