New bus-only lanes coming to Crown Hill, Ballard, and Westlake as part of Route 40 project

A Route 40 bus travels in Seattle. Photo: SDOT

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At-a-glance:

New bus-only lanes are being installed in Crown Hill, Ballard, and Westlake along Route 40 to improve reliability and encourage people to ride transit.
Installation will begin as soon as June 30 and take several weeks to complete.
Fremont bus-only lanes will be installed after watermain construction is complete.
People driving and making deliveries can use the bus-only lane to make right turns or reach local shops and services.
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We are excited to announce Seattle is taking another step toward more efficient streets that move more people and goods with the installation of bus-only lanes, more specifically Business Access and Transit (BAT) lanes, along parts of the Route 40. We are rolling these out in partnership with King County Metro as part of the Route 40 Transit-Plus Multimodal Corridor Project and to help people navigate upcoming Revive I-5 construction this summer and beyond. After Route 40 project construction is complete, we’ll pilot new Freight and Bus-only “FAB” lanes for a year along Westlake Ave N (you can find more details here).

Bus-only lanes – what they are

Bus-only “BAT” lanes are designated lanes that prioritize bus travel while making space for other essential activities. Buses and people biking can use the lanes, and people driving or making deliveries can too – but only for a short distance to make right turns at intersections and to access driveways.

These lanes are designed to strike a balance: improving bus reliability and trip speed while maintaining access to local shops and services.

Where they’ll be installed

The Route 40 project will add several segments of bus-only lanes along the bus route, bringing a noticeable improvement for Route 40 riders.

Here’s where you can expect to see new bus-only lanes:

Holman Rd NW between 3rd Ave NW and N 104th St in the northbound direction.
N 36th St, Fremont Pl N, and Fremont Ave N between 1st Ave NW and N 34th St in the eastbound and southbound directions. (note: the Fremont area bus-only lanes will be installed later, near the end of construction in Fremont)
Leary Ave NW between NW Market St and 20th Ave NW in the northbound direction.
NW Market St between 22nd Ave NW and 24th Ave NW in both the eastbound and westbound directions.
Westlake Ave N between 4th Ave N and 9th Ave N in both the northbound and southbound directions. There will be a new two-way center turn lane to help drivers access businesses and homes along the street. After the Route 40 project is completed, we will install a pilot project called Freight and Bus (FAB) lanes in this area.

A large map of the Route 40 project area in Seattle. A blue line shows the Route 40 bus route, and other elements show upgrades like new bus priority signals, curb ramps, and other street improvements. — *Map of the Route 40 project area. Graphic: SDOT*

Why bus-only lanes matter

Bus-only lanes are a proven way to keep riders moving quickly and safely throughout the city. When buses aren’t stuck in traffic, they can move more people, reduce delays when people are getting on and off, and provide more consistent service, which improves rider experience and encourages people to ride transit. This project’s enhancements are the result of five years of community engagement and public input.

Route 40 is the fifth-highest ridership route in the King County Metro bus network with more than 8,500 average weekday boardings (Fall 2024) – an 11% increase from Fall 2023. Since the pandemic, ridership has grown every year. Learn more on the King County Metro Rider Dashboard.

Once the Route 40 project is complete, we expect 5-10% transit travel time reductions overall, and approximately 14-17% travel time reductions between Ballard and Downtown.

Besides saving people time, bus lanes make the schedule more reliable too – improving what riders experience and encouraging people to ride more. Route 40 buses are scheduled to arrive every 5 to 10 minutes during peak periods and bus stops are located approximately every quarter mile.

We will collect data and evaluate how the new bus-only lanes are performing after they’re installed, based on interest from community stakeholders.

A picture of a Route 7 bus traveling in a painted red bus only lane. Large trees are in the background as well as traffic signals and street signs. — *Example of a red bus-only lane along Rainier Ave S. Photo: SDOT*

Keeping access open for everyone

The bus-only lanes being installed give bus drivers the priority they need to stay on schedule, but they’re still flexible. People driving and making deliveries can use them to make right turns or access businesses along the street, so local shops and services are still easy to reach.

Transit keeps people moving during major construction and events

With Revive I-5 construction scheduled to begin this summer and continue in 2026 and 2027, transit is an important way for people to continue to move around the city. We’ve recently upgraded several transit lines in Seattle such as Route 44, Route 48, and new 24/7 bus lanes on Aurora Ave N to support reliable travel on the popular RapidRide E Line. The RapidRide G Line, which began service last year, is averaging over 6,100 weekday boardings, making it one of the top 15 routes in the system. Alongside Sound Transit’s Link light rail and other transit options, the new bus-only lane upgrades along the Route 40 will help keep people moving.

A map graphic showing several transit route options to get into Downtown Seattle, including several bus lines in green, Link light rail in blue, and the I-5 construction closures in orange. — *Map of key transit routes, many of which have recently received upgrades. Graphic: SDOT*

Supporting Seattle’s transportation and climate goals

The installation of bus-only lanes also supports Seattle’s bigger picture goals and aligns with our Seattle Transportation Plan to make smart investments that result in safer, more equitable, reliable, sustainable, and affordable travel options for everyone in Seattle. With a growing population and a vision for a more sustainable future, the City of Seattle is making every mile of the transportation network count.

Public transit moves more people with fewer vehicles, and every trip shifted to a bus means fewer emissions and less congestion. By installing these bus-only lanes, Seattle is taking a step closer to reaching its climate goals.

A map graphic showing how many people can move on a typical street per hour based on the type of transportation. Two cars show private motor vehicles carrying 600 to 1,600 people per hour, up to an on-street transitway, bus, or rail, which can carry up to 10,000 to 25,000 people per hour. — *Graphic showing how many people per hour a typical street can carry based on the type of transportation. Graphic: SDOT*

Freight and Bus “FAB” lanes pilot on Westlake Ave N after Route 40 construction

After Route 40 project construction wraps up and we’ve collected baseline data, we’ll transition into launching the first “Freight-and-Bus Only Lanes” (FAB lanes) in Seattle as a one-year pilot program. The new FAB lane will help keep people and goods moving through segments of Westlake Ave N, which is an important freight and transit corridor. The pilot will allow freight trucks to travel in the bus lanes. The FAB lanes will be in effect 24/7 during the duration of the pilot.

While FAB lanes are for larger vehicles like buses and freight trucks (over 26,000 pounds), they share many of the same benefits as bus-only lanes, such as improving transit reliability and travel time.

We are partnering with the University of Washington Urban Freight Lab to collect data and evaluate the pilot to understand how freight and buses sharing a dedicated lane affect operations. We look forward to better understanding how this new type of lane performs and using data to inform next steps.

In conclusion

The Route 40 project is another step toward a smarter transportation future for Seattle. Bus-only lanes are more than just paint on the ground. They’re an investment in a better-connected, more sustainable Seattle where transit works for everyone. Thanks for your interest.

Editor’s note – July 10: We updated this post to clarify information around bus lanes on Holman Rd NW.

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