Proposed Green Lake Outer Loop improvements will create safer, more comfortable connections around the outer edge of the park for people walking, running, biking, and rolling.

People bike in the new protected bike lanes on streets around Green Lake, which were completed in summer 2021. Photo: SDOT

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Background and project purpose
Project details
In case you missed it: Feb. 22 virtual public meeting
Map of project area
Project designs (conceptual)
Schedule
Funding
Resources to learn more
How to request translated materials

Background and project purpose

Green Lake is one of Seattle’s most beloved parks. Its expanse of water and green space in the center of a dense urban neighborhood draws thousands of people daily from all over the city and region.

When complete, the Green Lake Outer Loop project will provide a better-connected loop path around the outside of Green Lake Park. This means safer, more comfortable travel options for people walking, running, biking, and rolling, as well as connections to surrounding neighborhoods in the area.

Upcoming improvements (detailed further below) are based on community feedback, our Vision Zero safety goals, and our work to provide more low-carbon travel options. The proposed improvements also build on two recently completed projects in the area: the Green Lake and Wallingford Multimodal Paving Project and the new shared use walking and biking path on W Green Lake Way N.

Project details

Our proposed plan is to convert one of the three northbound lanes of Aurora Ave N alongside the park into a 0.4 mile long protected bike lane. The northbound lane conversion on Aurora Ave N (shown in the map below as “Segment 1”) would be in the area where there is an existing gap in northbound bus lanes on Aurora Ave N (between N 63rd St and W Green Lake Dr N).

The completed project would not close any roads to cars. Vehicle access will not be changed on W Green Lake Way N on the southern side of the park, and cars will still be able to drive from Stone Way N to the Phinney Ridge side of Aurora Ave N, or use the northbound on-ramp to Aurora Ave N.

Over the past few months, we have been collecting community feedback on designs for the Aurora Ave N and W Green Lake Dr N segments of this project. Based on what we’ve heard, we can now move forward with the preferred project designs on both project segments.

We will continue to coordinate with Seattle Parks and Recreation as it relates to Green Lake’s inner loop trail, while we continue to move forward with planning, design, and construction for the outer loop improvements described in this blog.

Map of project area

A map showing the project area for the Green Lake Outer Loop improvements, in two phases. The first phase along Aurora Ave N is shown in a purple dashed line. The second phase is shown in a blue dashed line, along W Green Lake Dr N. — Map of Green Lake park in Seattle, including proposed walk and bike facility improvements. Segment 1 (Aurora Ave N) is shown in dashed purple line, and Segment 2 (W Green Lake Dr N) is shown in dashed green line. Map credit: SDOT

Project designs (conceptual)

Segment 1: Aurora Ave N

A conceptual rendering of the preferred project design along Aurora Ave N, on the west side of Green Lake's Outer Loop. Renderings of people walking, running, biking, and rolling, are visible on the right side of the image, with trees visible in the upper right and Aurora Ave N visible in the middle left. — Conceptual rendering of preferred project design along Aurora Ave N, on the west side of Green Lake’s Outer Loop. The current design would create a new path between N 63rd St and W Green Lake Dr N along the on-ramp and Aurora Ave N. This project will not close any roads or the Aurora Ave N onramp to cars. Graphic: SDOT

Segment 2: W Green Lake Dr N

A conceptual rendering of the design concept along W green Lake Dr N. People can be seen biking, walking, rolling, and running along the outer loop connection, with trees visible in the background. — Conceptual rendering of the preferred project design along W Green Lake Dr N, on the northwest end of Green Lake’s Outer Loop. The current design would generally maintain street parking, but remove the northbound vehicle travel lane, and add a two-way walking and biking path on the lake side of the street. Graphic: SDOT

Schedule

Fall 2021: Initial outreach and community engagement for Aurora Ave N and W Green Lake Dr N segments (complete)
Winter–Spring 2022:
- Collect traffic data
- Continue public engagement
- Identify project funding sources
- Continue to share project updates as new information becomes available
Summer/Fall 2022: Construction could begin as early as mid-2022

Funding

We have recently identified construction and design funding for this project through our Vision Zero Program, which prioritized this project due to its safety benefits and potential to address recent collisions that have occurred in this area.

Resources to learn more

Web page: Green Lake Outer Loop
Frequently Asked Questions: FAQs handout (PDF)
Phone: (206) 900-8760
Email us: GreenLakeOuterLoop@Seattle.gov
Subscribe to email updates: Sign up here

If you need this information translated, please call (206) 900-8760.

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Thank you for your interest in the Green Lake Outer Loop project! We encourage you to stay tuned for additional updates by visiting our website or subscribing for project email updates.

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