Construction on Pike and Pine street improvements begins this week!

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Pike Pine Streetscape and Bicycle Improvements Project, part of the Waterfront Seattle Program, is starting construction to enhance the pedestrian and cycling experience on Pike and Pine streets between Pike Place Market and Capitol Hill. Work began on Pike St between 4th and 6th avenues this week and we celebrated the milestone at a groundbreaking event on February 15.

Pike and Pine streets see a high volume of people walking every day and are essential spaces for our city and our communities. These improvements will make 24 city blocks more accessible and enjoyable for all.

The Pike Pine Streetscape and Bicycle Improvements Project (see project fact sheet also available in Spanish, Simplified Chinese and Somali) includes upgrades to crosswalks and sidewalks, more trees and landscaping, protected bike lanes, new public seating, and artwork, all with a more consistent character and identity from end to end.

The project will make Pike and Pine streets one-way streets from 1st Ave to Bellevue Ave, with Pike St being one-way eastbound and Pine St being one-way westbound. In addition, it will fill in the gaps in the existing bike network to create a continuous protected bike lane on Pike and Pine streets between 2nd and Melrose avenues. Bikes will be separated from traffic by curbed buffers or ground plantings.

[Link]Current conditions[Link]Future visualizationProject improvements include turning the 100 block of Pike St, which functions as an entry to the Market and connection to the waterfront beyond, to a curbless street. It will help to prioritize pedestrians and allow for scheduled events and gatherings, new paving, new trees and plantings.[Link]Current conditions[Link]Future visualizationThe design for the 300 block of Pine features a protected bike lane, an expanded sidewalk on the south side of the street, additional trees and new ground plantings, loading and unloading space for passengers and trucks.[Link]Current conditions[Link]Future visualizationImprovements to the bridge on Pike St over I-5 will give pedestrians a wider sidewalk and more separation from the freeway, while cyclists will be able to use a protected bike lane separated from traffic by a curbed buffer and planters.[Link]Current conditions[Link]Future visualizationThis section of Pine St, next to the recently inaugurated Seattle Convention Center, will have a widened south sidewalk, a protected bike lane separated from traffic by a curbed buffer and planters, a higher pedestrian railing and integrated lighting. (Rendering image courtesy of ZGF Architects in collaboration with LMN Architects).

This project also includes artwork by Derek Bruno and Gage Hamilton which will support creating a unifying identity for these streets through wave forms that will be incorporated into railings, planters and bicycle buffers. This artwork has been commissioned with Waterfront Program 1% for Art funds.

The City of Seattle's Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects is developing this project in coordination with the Downtown Seattle Association's Pike Pine Renaissance and the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) to improve east-west connections between the waterfront and surrounding neighborhoods.

Gary Merlino Construction is the contractor for this project, and the awarded construction contract cost is approximately $17.45 million. Construction is anticipated to be complete by fall 2024.

Stay informed:

• For more information on what to expect as construction begins, you can read the current construction flyer.
• You can also sign up for Pike Pine construction emails for weekly progress and impacts.
• To learn more about the new Pike Pine Streetscape and Bicycle Improvements project, please visit waterfrontseattle.org.

What people are saying:

"In One Seattle, every person, no matter how they get around, should be able to get where they're going safely - this exciting project will connect our downtown and new waterfront through enhancements that improve safety, accessibility, and vibrancy," said Mayor Bruce Harrell. "From this effort to the development of 20 acres of new parkland, the transformation of our waterfront is centered in a clear commitment to ensuring downtown is a neighborhood for everyone - with great amenities and dynamic opportunities for all."

"Improving key east/west connections between the waterfront and downtown is an important part of the Waterfront Program," said Angela Brady, Acting Director of the Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects. "Pike and Pine streets are essential spaces for our city and our communities, and we look forward to making these 24 blocks more accessible and enjoyable for all."

"Pike and Pine streets are at the heart of downtown Seattle's urban core. This improvement project will help people easily reach many of Seattle's great destinations - Pike Place Market, the Convention Center, Paramount Theater, downtown retail, Capitol Hill's restaurants and coffee shops, and so much more. Whether walking, biking, or taking transit such as the light rail and the Streetcar, residents and tourists alike will have a safer, more comfortable trip," said Greg Spotts, Director, Seattle Department of Transportation.

"Great downtowns are walkable, and while our center city does have a strong walkability we need to enhance our strengths and the Pike Pine Renaissance project will do that," said Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) President & CEO Jon Scholes. "Along with the private investment we've seen on Pike and Pine and the Convention Center's improvements at the street level, this public investment is really going to change how we experience one of our city's busiest corridors. A vibrant, interesting and more cohesive pedestrian experience will help better connect Capitol Hill and the rest of downtown to the waterfront and really show off some of our city's incredible assets."

"Protected bike lanes that are separated from traffic are the gold standard for safe and welcoming bike infrastructure, so we are excited to see this project advancing to construction," said Cascade Bicycle Club Executive Director Lee Lambert. "When completed, the Pike and Pine corridor will be on par with the widely used 2nd Avenue or Greenlake protected bike lanes - and we look forward to the city implementing more protective and connected bike routes across Seattle."

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