Repaving the street at E Union St and Madison St. Summary:
- The Madison RapidRide G Line will create a frequent and reliable public transportation line connecting Downtown, First Hill, Capitol Hill, the Central Area and Madison Valley between 1st Ave and Martin Luther King Jr Way.
- We broke ground on the Madison RapidRide G line in late 2021, and the project will be complete in 2024. This means we’re about halfway through construction, and some of the major elements of the project are already complete!
- So far, we have:
- Completed over half of the repaving we will do
- Installed new storm drains
- Began installing new and upgraded traffic signals
- Prepared for new bus stations and improved bus stops
- Added new and upgraded underground utilities
- Improved areas for people walking and rolling
- Up next, we will:
- Install a new deep underground stormwater detention tank under 10th Ave,
- Finish installing the new water main, and
- Continue repaving the street and rebuilding sidewalks.
- Later this year, we will start to install shelters, ORCA readers and rider information signs at the new RapidRide stops, and the platforms for the new center-running bus stations.
- The project would not be possible without the support of Seattle voters who passed the Levy to Move Seattle in 2015. Thank you, Seattle!
- Stay up to date on this project by signing up for email updates.
The Madison – RapidRide G Line is a partnership between us and King County Metro with significant funding support from Sound Transit and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). It will create a frequent and reliable public transportation line between 1st Ave and Martin Luther King Jr Way.
The route will serve dense neighborhoods in downtown Seattle, First Hill, Capitol Hill, the Central District, and Madison Valley. It will connect people to hospitals, schools and universities, and businesses as well as to dozens of bus routes, the First Hill Streetcar, the West Seattle and Vashon Water Taxi at Pier 50, and ferry service at the Colman Dock Ferry Terminal.
We broke ground on the Madison RapidRide G line in late 2021, and the project will be complete in 2024. This means we’re about halfway through construction, and some of the major elements of the project are already done!
So far, we have:
Redesigned the street, completed over half of the street paving, and prepared to install new traffic signals.
Repaving the street and changing the lane layout will widen Madison St in a few locations and make space for bus lanes. This plus an improved signal system will reduce people’s travel time by 5 minutes by bus from Colman Dock to Madison Valley! We have repaved the street in many areas, including most of First Hill and between 23rd Ave and 25th Ave. The paving for bus lanes in downtown is complete, and we will complete asphalt paving on remaining stretches of downtown streets this summer.
Prepared for new bus stations and upgraded bus stops
Among other improvements, new RapidRide G buses will have all-door boarding and doors on both sides, so people can board efficiently from new stations. There will also be ORCA card readers at the stations to pay before boarding and real-time bus arrival information at stations. We’re also building 4 new center-running stations located in the middle of the street.
Added new and upgraded existing utilities
We are upgrading the streetlight network in First Hill, installing detention tanks to manage stormwater, and replacing a 120-year-old water and sewer main. We’re working with Seattle Public Utilities and Seattle City Light to repair underground utilities and provide power to the new bus stations, pedestrian lighting, new signals, and trolley wire poles.
So far, we have installed and relocated most of the underground utilities beneath the street. We have also replaced most of the watermain pipes, installed and upgraded fire hydrants along the project to replace some as old as 115 years, and installed pole foundations for new streetlighting in First Hill.
Improved areas for people walking, biking, and rolling
We are building curb bulbs to shorten pedestrian crossings along side streets, building and upgrading curb ramps, improving landscaping, adding public art, and adding bike connections.
Up next, we will:
- Finish replacing the 120-year-old water main.
- Continue street paving and building new sidewalks.
- Complete sidewalks and ADA ramps that will significantly improve conditions for people crossing Madison St at two places: 12th Ave and E Union St, and at John St and 24th Ave E.
- Build a deep storm water detention tank underneath 10th Ave between Madison St and Pike St.
The project would not be possible without the support of Seattle voters who passed the Levy to Move Seattle in 2015. Thank you!
To learn more about all we are doing on Madison Ave to support the future RapidRide G Line, visit our project webpage.
SURVEY: Help King County Metro plan bus service changes in Capitol Hill, Central District, First Hill and Madison Valley
King County Metro is exploring changes and improvements to bus routes 10, 11, 12, and 47 in the Madison Street area so riders can better connect to transit and get to where they need to go. We want to hear from you on bus service in the communities surrounding this transit corridor.
Changes to service in this area will support Metro’s future RapidRide G Line, developed in partnership with the Seattle Department of Transportation and set to begin service in late 2024. RapidRide G Line will bring more frequent and reliable bus service along the Madison Street corridor between Madison Valley and downtown Seattle.
To help Metro make decisions on route changes, we want to hear from members of the community about these proposed changes. Please take our survey and share your thoughts! The survey goes through May 8. You can access the survey at Madisonstreetproject.com. Learn more about the project at the Madison Street Area – Bus Service Change project website.