Transforming Aurora Avenue into Bus-Priority Zone and Altered Parking Arrangements with Seattle's I-5 Project
Construction Work on Interstate 5 to Prompt Changes on Aurora Avenue North, Enhancing Bus Service
Beginning next month, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will commence repairs and maintenance on Interstate 5 (I-5), resulting in lane closures, lowered speed limits, and a surge of traffic diverted through North Seattle. To address this influx of vehicles and maintain bus service on Aurora Avenue North, local and state officials are implementing changes to make the major route, also known as Highway 99, more bus-friendly.
Starting next month, bus lanes on Aurora Avenue North will be operational around the clock, seven days a week, as part of an anticipated two-year project. Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) crews are currently installing signs to mark the new 24-hour bus-only lanes between North 38th Street and North 115th Street. The exact date when the new hours will go into effect is still undetermined.
Unlike other street designs recently implemented in Seattle, such as protected bikeways on Martin Luther King Jr. Way or landscaped medians on Rainier Avenue South, this change on Aurora Avenue North is focused solely on improving transit service. SDOT stated in an email sent to affected businesses, residents, and local advocates that the all-day bus lanes will help ensure a reliable trip for people on the RapidRide E Line while managing additional traffic on Aurora during the I-5 lane closures.
The Revive I-5 project will involve significant work on the aging Ship Canal Bridge, which last received preservation work 40 years ago and carries approximately 240,000 vehicles daily. The repairs will include resurfacing the upper bridge deck, replacing aging expansion joints, pouring new concrete, and improving the bridge's drainage.
The I-5 lane closures are set to begin on June 20, with the northbound lanes seeing the first changes as crews prepare for an eventual full closure. Following this, work will move to the southbound lanes in the fall.
Small business owners, such as Sonia Mendoza, who has run Mendoza's Mexican Mercado on Aurora for 14 years, and Neil Ing, who has owned Aurora Auto Repair for 25 years, have mixed reactions to the all-day bus lanes. While some see potential benefits, such as increased traffic leading to new customers, concerns have been raised about the impact of prohibiting parking during off-hours and the effect on vulnerable road users, such as seniors who rely on on-street parking for direct access to stores.
Carlo Alcantara, co-leader of the Aurora Reimagined Coalition, believes the change in bus lane hours will go largely unnoticed and supports making the change permanent. He expressed hope that this transit-priority design will improve Aurora's safety and accessibility for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders.
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Get in touch with Nicholas Deshais at ndeshais@ourwebsite.
- The surge of traffic diverted through North Seattle, due to the construction work on Interstate 5, will necessitate adjustments in the transportation industry, particularly on Aurora Avenue North.
- Amid the upcoming I-5 repairs, politics and finance play a crucial role in the decision-making process, as local and state officials collaborate to maintain bus service on Aurora Avenue North.
- The two-year Revive I-5 project, involving repairs on the aging Ship Canal Bridge, is expected to impact business, particularly small owners on Aurora Avenue North, who would need to adapt to lane closures and other changes.
- The transportation sector in Seattle, including bus service, cycling, and walking routes, will witness improvements and modifications, such as the operational 24-hour bus lanes on Aurora Avenue North, targeting enhanced accessibility and safety for all users.
