Then vs Now: See what’s new on 3rd Ave, Seattle’s busiest transit corridor

A “before” and “after” view of 3rd Ave near Washington St. Photo: SDOT

If downtown is the heart of Seattle, then 3rd Ave is its main artery. Lined with bus stops and light rail stations, it’s the city’s busiest transit corridor connecting people to shops, restaurants, and so many of Seattle’s neighborhoods and attractions.

Tens of thousands of people travel to 3rd Ave on buses every weekday.

Over the past three years, we partnered with King County Metro, residents, businesses, and other community partners to improve 3rd Ave, including:

Upgrading bus stops

Widening sidewalks

Installing new lighting

Making crossing signals more accessible for people who are blind or have limited vision

Repaving several parts of the street

Thanks to these investments it’s easier to get to, from and around Downtown Seattle.

Much of the improvements were locally funded by the voter approved Levy to Move Seattle and Seattle Transportation Levy. So, thank you, Seattle.

Continue reading to learn how investments are upgrading 3^rd Ave, and for more on the broader Downtown Seattle area, check out these stories about adding illuminating lighting and marvelous murals, redeveloping Fortson Square public space in collaboration with the Chief Sealth Club, and the grand opening last year of the Central Waterfront Park.

3rd Ave repaving and water main replacement

A side-by-side “before and after” image shows the same downtown street changing from a cracked, uneven roadway with a bus driving through it to a smooth, newly paved street with fresh lane markings. There are also storefronts, white safety bollards, and a parked scooter in the updated view. — *“Before” and “after” sections of 3^rd Ave between Virginia St and Pine St. Photo: SDOT*

As of May 2026, we have officially finished repaving 3rd Ave between Virginia St and Pine St. This project had two goals:

Replace the 100-year-old water main under the street

Repave the street, making it smoother

We partnered with Seattle Public Utilities to replace the water main. After we demolished the street surface, they dug up the old pipe and installed the new one. Once SPU completed their work, it paved the way (joke intended) for us to do the next phase of improving 3^rd Ave.

Large rusted pipe sections lie on the ground at the center of a nighttime construction site, surrounded by gravel, heavy equipment, and safety cones. — *Photo of the old pipe, with large amounts of sediment and corrosion. Photo: SDOT*

The concrete on the street had numerous cracks, potholes, and uneven parts. Because of these, bus rides on this part of 3^rd Ave were extra bumpy. The new, smooth concrete panels will ensure bus riders are in for smoother rides.

3rd Ave S and S Main St bus stop area improvements

With King County Metro’s help, we made a lot of changes to the bus stop a 3rd Ave S and S Main St.

A city bus is stopped along a badly damaged street with cracks and holes. Several cars are parked behind it and storefronts line the block. In the foreground, an empty, weathered sign frame. A “before” label suggests this photo documents the area prior to street or transit improvements. — *The bus stop on 3^rd Ave and Main St before our improvement project. Photo: SDOT*

A modern glass-and-metal bus shelter stands along a city sidewalk, with a person walking past in the foreground and buildings lining the street behind it. Bright daylight, colorful curb paint, and the “after” label suggest this image shows an upgraded transit stop in a clean, active urban setting. — *The bus stop on 3^rd Ave and Main after our improvement project. Photo: SDOT*

This major transit hub is near several art galleries, non-profit organizations, and other vital services and destinations that make Pioneer Square such an important area.

This part of 3^rd Ave’s street had numerous potholes, cracks, and divots. It was in dire need of repair. So, a major part of our project was to repave the street.

Watch a video about the 3rd Ave and Main St bus stop improvements project below.

And we didn’t stop there. We also made the area more accessible for people who are walking and rolling. We widened the sidewalk to give extra space for people waiting for the bus, while also allowing other people to pass by comfortably without crowding or stepping into the road.

Some other things we did to make the area more inviting and accessible:

Planted two new street trees

Installed new pedestrian lighting

Replaced the ADA-accessible curb ramps on the west side of 3rd Ave S.

A woman smiles at a new bus shelter on 3^rd Ave and Main St as we were wrapping up our project in 2025. This shelter is now open, along with wider sidewalks, newly planted trees and more. Photo: SDOT

The bus stop also received:

A new covered shelter

New benches

Rails for bus riders to lean on

Real-time information signs

4Culture (King County’s cultural funding agency) will install a sculpture called “The Raven” by artists Preston Singletary and David Franklin after the World Cup. It will showcase Pioneer Square’s beloved art scene and highlight the stories and history of indigenous people and Tlingit culture.

Photo of two people standing in front of a newly-installed piece of artwork. Both people wear reflective safety vests and hard hats. The Space Needle and other buildings are in the background. — *Example of recent art installation, La Diab Pish, a sculpture depicting a Pacific giant octopus near Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena. Photo: David Franklin and Preston Singletary*

A color-coded street map shows planned improvements around the intersection of 3rd Avenue South, South Washington Street, and nearby blocks in downtown Seattle. The diagram highlights features such as expanded sidewalks, new concrete roadway, a bus shelter, pedestrian lighting, trees, and other safety and accessibility upgrades, with a legend explaining each symbol and numbered callouts marking specific project elements. — *Graphic showing improvements made to 3rd Ave S between S Main St and Yesler Way. Graphic: SDOT*

3rd Ave S & Yesler Way pedestrian and bike improvements

The 3rd Ave S and Yesler Way intersection in Pioneer Square is a major bus thoroughfare and transfer point for Pioneer Square bus and Link light rail riders.

Today, the protected bike lane on Yesler Way connects to Seattle’s Waterfront and more bike lanes on 2nd and 4th Aves. Our bike network has grown a lot since Downtown Seattle’s first bike lane was installed on 2nd Ave in 2014, launching the City Center Bike Network project a year later.

A map of downtown Seattle highlights the city’s all-ages-and-abilities bike network with solid and dashed green lines showing current routes and future connections. It also marks major landmarks, transit stations, and streets, illustrating how bike routes connect neighborhoods, the waterfront, and light rail or monorail stops across the urban core. — *A simplified* *bike map of Seattle’s downtown area. For an interactive bike map of the full city* *visit our Bike Web Map page. Graphic: Seattle*

In 2022, we tried to make 3^rd Ave and Yesler Way easier to navigate by removing:

A northbound vehicle lane

A right turn lane on 3rd Ave that crosses Yesler Way

These changes made it safer for people on bikes to cross Dilling Way and get to and from the 4th Ave protected bike lane. We also reconfigured the traffic signal to provide more time for buses and people to cross. Lastly, we used paint and flexible plastic posts to indicate the additional space for people to walk, roll, and bike.

Map graphic showing improvements at Yesler Way and 3rd Ave S, including raised bike lanes, expanded and repaired sidewalks, new curb ramps, new lighting, and more. — *Graphic showing planned improvements at 3rd Ave S and Yesler Way, next to City Hall Park. Graphic: SDOT*

These changes were generally successful. In 2024, we began making these improvements permanent. We also made some adjustments based on lessons learned during the trial period. Here’s what we did:

Created new, wider concrete sidewalk

Planted new street trees

Added more pedestrian lighting

Installed directional signs for pedestrians

Installed new bike traffic signals

Built permanent bike lane protection along Yesler Way west of 3rd Ave

Repaved the bike lane on Dilling Way

Redesigned the bike crossing at 3rd Ave to separate people on bikes from people walking

Seattle and the World Cup

These improvements will make traveling around Seattle better during the World Cup, and for many years to come.

Learn more about what we’re doing to prepare:

Inside Seattle’s World Cup traffic strategy: Roadside Chat with head of construction & mobility | #WCSeattle

Seattle gears up for FIFA Men’s World Cup | #WCSeattle

Pioneer Square to be walkable pedestrian zone for 6 FIFA matches

SDOT’s ‘Flip Your Trip’ wins national award, gets revamp ahead of FIFA

Local funding matters

Local funding sources like the Levy to Move Seattle, our current Seattle Transportation Levy, and the Seattle Transit Measure are critical for maintaining and modernizing our city’s transportation network and making transit more reliable and accessible.

So, thank you again, Seattle.

This is your city, and together we’re building sidewalks, paving streets, repairing bridges, and improving our transit connections.

Click here for version of this video with audio descriptions. You’ll find a playlist of audio-described videos on our YouTube.

RELATED STORIES:

Seattle Transportation Levy on track to meet commitments to voters, report shows

VIDEO | How local levy funds improved Seattle streets last year

Stay connected:

Thank you for your interest as this important work moves forward. For 3rd Ave Improvements specifically:

Visit our web page to for project details.

Questions? Email us at 3rdAveImprovements@seattle.gov or call (206) 900-8729.

We post transportation updates, travel tips, and more across all SDOT channels so you can stay informed and plan ahead with confidence.

You can also visit FlipYourTrip.org for mode-specific travel tools, video guides, links to resources from our regional transit partners, and more.

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