RapidRide G Line – Madison St construction is 80% complete. Here’s the latest progress as we enter the final stretch.

Construction crews rebuilding the street along E Madison St with new concrete. Photo: SDOT.

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Details at-a-glance:

We’re now 80% complete with construction and are on track to finish the project in 2024. King County Metro plans to begin RapidRide G service in fall 2024.
Construction began in 2021 on the Madison RapidRide G Line project. This will result in a new, frequent, and more reliable bus line between downtown Seattle, First Hill, Capitol Hill, Central District, and Madison Valley.
We recognize that ongoing construction can be challenging to navigate around, both for community members and local businesses along the project route. We appreciate your patience and understanding while we complete this vital transportation infrastructure work as safely and quickly as possible.
We encourage folks to shop or dine at some of the many local businesses along the construction areas to show your support as we enter the final stretch of work in 2024.
To date we have (see links below to drop down to more details):
You can also click here to learn more about what type of construction activities are coming up next.
Stay up to date on this project by signing up for email updates. You can find more details on our project website.
See this blog post for more information about proposed transit service changes in the Madison Street area and a brief overview of the Seattle Transit Measure.

Now that we’ve reached the 80% complete mark, we wanted to share a progress update with you. This includes construction photos so you can see what’s already done, and understand what work remains before the project wraps up in 2024. You can also find more details on our website’s progress by neighborhood chart.

Thank you for your patience as this transformative work continues – we recognize the challenges of navigating around construction zones and appreciate your flexibility and resilience. We hope you can support the many vibrant and unique local businesses in First Hill, Capitol Hill, Central District, and Madison Valley.

To date, we have:

1) Completed concrete street repaving and applied most final street markings downtown

We’ve finished all major concrete street paving, with just a few final panels to place next to several driveways in the project area.
This spring and summer, we’ll complete the final asphalt overlay on the street where needed and apply the remaining final street markings throughout the corridor.
Much of downtown is now complete with a new red bus lane and green bike lane on Spring St.
Currently, Martin Luther King Jr Way and the surrounding area is our primary street work location and is in its final stages. Painting and signage will resume this spring/summer.

Construction crews working to rebuild a street intersection. Workers are wearing high visibility safety equipment, and several large traffic cones are in the foreground. — *Construction crews work to rebuild the intersection at 9th Ave and Spring St. Photo: SDOT.*

2) Replaced a 120-year-old water main and built 3 new underground stormwater storage tanks, storm drains, and fire hydrants

Last year, we reached a major milestone when we completed the replacement of a 120-year-old water main under E Madison St.
In addition, we built 3 new underground stormwater storage tanks in Capitol Hill that will help manage stormwater runoff during major rain events.
We also finished installing storm drains, upgrading storm sewer and fire hydrants throughout the project area.

Several construction workers are in and around a large ditch working on utilities. Large buildings and trees are in the background. — *Crews work on replacing the 120-year-old water main beneath the street. Photo: SDOT.*

3) Installed new and upgraded traffic signals

You may have noticed many new signal poles and ‘mast arms’ over the street throughout the project area.
We’ve made a lot of progress upgrading the existing traffic signals throughout the corridor and installing new signals.
The new and upgraded signals will have new traffic lights, pedestrian push buttons, transit priority lights where needed, vehicle detection, and improved communication systems.
This new signal system will help prioritize buses and keep other traffic moving efficiently.

We recently completed a new traffic signal at Spring St and 8th Ave and a new pedestrian signal at Madison St and Terry Ave. We also completed signal upgrades at the intersections of E Madison and 16th Ave E/E Pine St and earlier at E Madison St, 24th Ave E, and E John St.

We’re installing new signals at the intersection of 12th Ave and E Madison St. You’ll start seeing these new signals taking shape in the weeks ahead.

We’re also working on building new signals at:

6th Ave and Madison St
7th Ave and Spring St, and 7th Ave and Madison St
9th Ave and Spring St, and 9th Ave and Madison St
Boylston Ave and Madison St
Madison St and 10th Ave (pedestrian signal)
11th Ave and E Madison St
12th Ave and E Madison St
13th Ave and E Madison St
14th Ave and E Madison St
15th Ave and E Madison St
17th Ave and E Madison St
18th Ave and E Madison St
19th Ave and E Union St
Martin Luther King Jr Way and E Harrison St

Over the next several months, we’ll continue working on the new and upgraded signals and begin turning on the remaining new signals. Once the new signals are complete, we’ll begin removing temporary signal equipment.

Two green traffic lights stand above Terry Ave in a cityscape with several large buildings on all sides. A women walks up the street to the lower right. — *New traffic signals and signal arms at Terry Ave and Madison St. Photo: SDOT.*

4) Built foundations for new bus stops and began installing new RapidRide bus shelters

We finished installing most foundations for new bus shelters throughout the project area. In early January, we installed new bus shelters downtown at 3rd Ave and Madison St, E Denny Way and E Madison St, and 23rd Ave E and E Madison St.
Over the next several months, you’ll start to see more bus shelter frames installed throughout the project corridor.
Later this year, we’ll come back to install the glass walls, roofs, and other bus stop amenities including ORCA card readers and real-time bus arrival signs.

Crews working to install a new bus shelter with heavy equipment. Construction workers and a traffic officer stand next to the installation work. Large buildings are in the background. — *A new bus shelter being installed near E Madison St and 22nd Ave, between the Central District and Madison Valley. Photo: SDOT.*

We started construction of the first new center-running bus stations at Madison St and Terry Ave and on Madison between Summit Ave and Boylston Ave. The new center-running bus stations will be in the middle of the street and allow people to board the bus from the safest and most convenient side, as the new RapidRide G buses will be equipped with doors on both sides of the bus! There will be four new center-running bus stations on Madison St at 8th Ave, Terry Ave, Boylston Ave, and 12th Ave.

A large red RapidRide bus sits in a red bus only lane in the city. Several trees are in the background. — *One of the new RapidRide buses that will be used for the Madison RapidRide G Line route once construction is complete. Photo: SDOT.*

Later this year we’ll finish building a new comfort station for bus drivers and a bus layover area at Martin Luther King Jr Way and E Arthur St.

5) Built or upgraded sidewalks, wheelchair-accessible curb ramps, curb bulbs, and other improvements for people walking and rolling

We’re rebuilding most of the sidewalks throughout the project area, including adding new ADA-accessible curb ramps.
We’ve completed most of the new sidewalks in downtown, First Hill, and parts of Capitol Hill.
We’re also building several new curb bulbs to create more space for people on the sidewalk and shorten crossing distances.
We’ve completed new curb bulbs:
- On Spring St at the intersections of 7th Ave and 8th Ave
- On Madison St at the intersections of Minor Ave, 10th Ave, E Union St, E John St, and Denny Way

We also made improvements to the intersection of E John St, 24th Ave E, and E Madison St. This includes a new crosswalk on the north side of E Madison St across E John St, a new raised crosswalk across 24th Ave, and a wider sidewalk on the south side of E Madison St at the intersection. These improvements, along with the new curb bulb at E John St and E Madison St, create shorter, more direct, and safer crossings for people walking and rolling.

Over the next several months we’ll continue rebuilding sidewalks in Capitol Hill and Madison Valley and continue building the remaining new curb bulbs and curb ramps. We’ll also install new public art in the improved space where E Madison St, 14th Ave, and Pike St converge.

6) Started planting new trees and landscaping

We’ve been planting new trees and landscaping in areas where the sidewalk work is complete. We’re also installing new ‘flexi-pave’ around new and existing trees.
We´ll continue planting trees and landscaping this spring.
Later this year, we’ll also install new planters on Madison St over I-5.

A newly planted tree stands in front of a sidewalk and a large building. — *A newly planted tree takes root on Madison St in First Hill. The project has planted nearly 100 new trees as part of the project, replacing trees removed at an approximately 2-to-1 ratio. Photo: SDOT.*

Here’s a brief snapshot of remaining construction work. We will:

Finish concrete street paving in front of a few driveways, the only remaining concrete pavement.
Finish asphalt paving and markings east of I-5.
Finish rebuilding the remaining sidewalks, curb bulbs, and other improvements for people walking and rolling
Continue planting street trees and landscaping
Install remaining poles for trolley wires and signals
Finish installing new and upgraded signals
Continue installing new bus shelters, new center-running bus stations, and the new comfort station and bus layover area at Martin Luther King Jr Way and Arthur St

Thank you for your ongoing patience and understanding as we make progress toward completing the project in 2024.

This project is made possible by the voter-approved Levy to Move Seattle. Thank you, Seattle for your support! We’d also like to thank our partners at King County Metro, and the funding support we’ve received from Sound Transit, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and the State of Washington.

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RapidRide G Line – Madison St construction is 80% complete. Here’s the latest progress as we enter the final stretch. | LEVY DOLLARS AT WORK