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Ready to Roll: 4th Ave Protected Bike Lane Upgrades in Downtown Seattle are Now Complete | LEVY DOLLARS AT WORK 

by on August 6, 2024
A person bikes north on the upgraded 4th Ave protected bike lane during a morning commute. Photo: SDOT.

Blog stats: 450 words | 2-minute read

At-a-glance:

  • We’ve completed construction on upgrades to the 4th Ave protected bike lane in downtown Seattle as part of the 4th Ave Mobility Improvements project.
  • This included installing stronger concrete curbs to better separate people biking from people driving, improving travel safety and predictability for everyone.
  • We’re not just building bike lanes – we’re building community connections. This project strengthens the Center City Bike Network in and around downtown Seattle, providing more options for people to travel where they want to go.
  • Construction began in March and has just wrapped up in July. The work was funded by the voter-approved Levy to Move Seattle. Thank you, Seattle.

Bikers, get into gear – it’s ‘go time’ on the 4th Ave protected bike lane. We’re excited that work is now complete on an even better bike lane on 4th Ave, from Pioneer Square through Downtown and into Belltown.

As sunnier summer days are here, we hope you enjoy this enhanced route. Whether you’re commuting to work, seeing family or friends, headed to an appointment, attending a major league sports game, or visiting a museum or local business, we hope you check out the upgraded 4th Ave bike lane.

Key benefits include:

  • Concrete curbs that offer sturdier protection and better separation from moving vehicles, providing a safer route for cyclists, scooter riders, and other travelers.
  • Improved bike lanes which make biking a more attractive and more viable transportation option, and may reduce the number of people driving alone to and through the Center City.
  • Parking and loading zones that are shifted to the outside of the protected bike lane.
  • Upgraded traffic signals that reduce conflicts with dedicated green turn arrows for people driving.
Two construction workers in black, gray, and neon green jackets with long pants and knee pads stand to the left of a concrete curb being built and a line of orange plastic barriers. Leafless trees in the backgorund in front of two brown buildings on both left and right side of the image. Cars lined up navigating around the construction on the left hand side
Construction crews worked to install the new concrete curbs along 4th Ave, near Seneca St earlier this year. Photo: SDOT
Biker with yellow helmet, dark blue puffer jacket, and gray cargos with a gray mini backpack biking away on the protected bike lane right hand side. Spare leaf trees on the sidewalk and a brown and gray building on the left hand side. Cars driving on the left hand side separating the biker and cars.
A person bikes along the protected bike lane next to recently installed concrete curbs, just north of the Seattle Central Library. Photo: SDOT
Two pictures of before and after. Top before image shows a bike lane divided by two parallel white lines with diagonal lines running between them and some flexi posts scattered along. Bottom after post shows the white lines have been replaced by elevated concrete bumps. Before picture has leafless trees on the road and after picture has vibrant green trees in front of the buildings.
Before and after photos of the protected bike lane on 4th Ave, between Wall and Vine streets. Photos: SDOT

Map of the project area and Seattle’s Center City Bike Network

A map showing a series of bike routes in and around downtown Seattle. The all ages and abilities bike network routes are shown in a solid green line. Future connections are shown in a dotted green line. Upgrades to the 4th Ave protected bike lane are shown in a solid orange line. Elliott Bay is to the left in blue.
The protected bike lane on 4th Ave was upgraded from Jefferson St in Pioneer Square to Vine St in Belltown. Graphic: SDOT

Please note that concrete curb installation on the blocks between Madison and Spring streets, and Bell and Battery streets, is scheduled for the fall due to ongoing private construction on nearby buildings.

Thank you for your interest in this project, and patience as we installed the upgrades along 4th Ave. Have a great ride!

Filed Under: Biking, Funding & Levies, Move Seattle, Pedestrians, Safety, SDOT, Traffic and Construction, Vision Zero Tagged With: , , , , , , ,