Summary
- By fall 2021, you will be able to walk, roll and bike safely above I-5 using the Northgate Ped/Bike Bridge thanks to your investment through the Levy to Move Seattle.
- This project shows how powerful regional partnerships, foresight, and community-informed design are coming together to create a more equitable, resilient, and climate-focused city of the future.
- Along with our regional partners, your tax dollars through the Levy are helping us create a more resilient Seattle. Together, new projects across the region are effectively building a network of services that work better for everyone.
- The Northgate Ped/Bike Bridge will provide an easy connection between the future Northgate Link Light Rail Station and North Seattle College for people walking, rolling, and biking.
- This weekend, we delivered the first set of final bridge spans that will be installed over I-5 in the coming months.
- Soon, we’ll install a new camera so you can watch construction from afar.
- Thanks to all of you who support our project and follow along. Cheers to 2021 and the last phase of construction.
By fall 2021, you will be able to walk, roll and bike safely above I-5 using the Northgate Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge (Northgate Ped/Bike Bridge). This project shows how powerful regional partnerships, foresight, and community-informed design are coming together to create a more equitable, resilient, and climate-focused city of the future. This is only possible because of your investment through the Levy to Move Seattle.
The Northgate Ped/Bike Bridge is one part of a comprehensive plan to build a community hub that meets the diverse needs of our growing communities. Through the bridge, we are helping make it easier to access the thriving hub of educational opportunities at North Seattle College, new housing, medical and social service providers, and more by walking, rolling, biking, and taking transit.
The Northgate Ped/Bike Bridge was made possible by our State Legislators – in particular, Representative Valdez, Representative Pollet, Senator Frockt, and former Representative Farrell – whose vision made this bridge a reality through $10 million in the state transportation budget. We are also grateful to Councilmember Juarez for her support of this groundbreaking project. Additional funding for the bridge comes from the voter-approved Levy to Move Seattle, as mentioned above, Sound Transit, and additional local sources.
“This project will be a great asset for people who live, work, and study in Northgate. Feet First worked for years as part of broad-based coalition to push for the funding and construction of the bridge. It’s very gratifying to see the work of so many community members finally paying off after years of effort.”
Jim Davis – Feet First Board of Directors
Along with our regional partners, your tax dollars through the Levy are helping us create a more resilient Seattle and increase opportunities for upward mobility through this bridge project. Together, new projects across the region are effectively building a network of services that work better for everyone.
The Seattle Promise College Tuition Program
Mayor Jenny Durkan’s commitment provides two free years of college at North, Central, or South Seattle College to Seattle’s public school students. The Northgate Ped/Bike Bridge, coupled with the Northgate Station (more on that below!) can help get students to school – when in-person teaching resumes – safely and efficiently.
“With the completion of the Northgate Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge and light rail, thousands of North Seattle College students will have an easier commute and improved access to continue their education.”
North Seattle College President Dr. Chemene Crawford
The Northgate Link Extension is expected to open this year. The Northgate Link Extension of the link light rail consists of three new stations in Seattle (U District and Roosevelt, and Northgate) and is projected to see up to 49,000 riders daily in 2022. This means that the Northgate Ped/Bike Bridge is crucial so that people do not need to take cars to and from the station. The light rail directly connects with the University of Washington and Seattle Central College, making education opportunities across campuses easily accessible when students return to in-person education. King County Metro is planning to align bus service with this expansion.
Northgate Neighborhood Greenway
Neighborhood greenways are safer, calmer residential streets for you, your family, and neighbors. We make people walking, rolling, and biking the priority. The Northgate Ped/Bike Bridge is part of this new neighborhood greenway that makes walking, rolling, and biking around the neighborhood easier and safer.
King County and City of Seattle, along with nonprofit partners BRIDGE Housing Corporation and Community Roots Housing (formerly the Capitol Hill Housing Improvement Program), have come to an agreement to develop land owned by King County Metro into affordable housing units near the Northgate Station. The Northgate Ped/Bike Bridge is also an investment in safety and mobility for communities served by this housing network to help everyone access needed services.
We’re excited about the work that’s been completed to-date.
February marked one year since the project broke ground.
From behind-the-scenes preparation to more visible work placing the first bridge span, the Northgate Ped/Bike Bridge is becoming a reality — a major achievement for north Seattle.
July 2020 marked a major milestone with the first set of bridge spans being installed on the east side of the project (along 1st Ave NE between NE 100th St and NE 103rd St).
This was the first highly visible part of the project and was made possible by two cranes that lifted and placed prefabricated concrete support beams. These spans make up the portion of the bridge that connects to the Northgate Station.
This past weekend, the first of two final bridge spans were delivered to the project site! They will be installed over I-5 in the coming months. Soon, we’ll install a new camera so you can see a time-lapse of construction!
This weekend, our contractor delivered one of two final bridge spans, which have been constructed off-site. They are stored in the median between the express ramp and I-5 northbound lanes.
At the end of March, the final bridge span will be delivered. We will alert travelers of closures related to this delivery as well.
We will install handrails and 10-foot tall fence to the spans prior to lifting them in place in early May. When it’s time to install the spans, we will move them into place and lift them by cranes. We’ll be in touch in the coming months with information about nighttime and weekend detours related to this work.
A camera will also be installed on the Northgate Station to capture the final months of bridge construction! We’ll share the link to the video on Twitter and Facebook once it’s live on our website.
Thanks to all of you who support our project and follow along. Cheers to 2021 and the last phase of construction!
For more information:
- Visit our Northgate Ped/Bike Bridge Project webpage
- Sign up for email updates to see construction progress in real time