RapidRide J Line upgrades take shape in Eastlake, U District, South Lake Union

Project over halfway complete to transform city streets, replace aging water infrastructure, and ensure safer, more reliable travel for thousands of people every day

A rendering or visualization of a street area with cars, a bus, people biking and walking, trees, and buildings in the background. The bus is headed away as it leaves a covered bus stop area. — *A rendering of the future Eastlake Ave E at E Lynn St, looking southwest. A new island bus stop, protected bike lanes, and extended sidewalks will help people get around safely and easily. Image: SDOT*

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The RapidRide J Line is more than a new bus route. It’s a transportation breakthrough for the people who live, work, study, and shop across Downtown, Belltown, South Lake Union, Eastlake, and the University District. Soon, getting to class, a medical appointment, your favorite café, or the office will feel easier, safer and more reliable than ever.

It’s simple: this project is transforming neighborhoods, improving safety, and ultimately providing high-quality connections between quintessential Seattle neighborhoods with all-new RapidRide J Line bus service to replace the existing Route 70 bus.

Right now, that reality is closer than you might think. We’ve passed the halfway point of construction – a major milestone that means the most disruptive work is largely behind us. What comes next is the part everyone can see and feel: brand-new sidewalks, bus stations, protected bike lanes, better lighting, and a smoother street ready to carry Seattle’s first fully electric RapidRide bus service, operated by King County Metro.

We know navigating ongoing construction can be challenging for residents, businesses, and travelers, and we’re especially grateful for the support this project has received from community members at recent outreach events. Your feedback, patience, and encouragement have helped shape this work, and we appreciate your continued support as construction moves forward.

Here’s a look at the vision ahead, the neighborhoods and people who will benefit, and what’s coming next.

A vision for everyone

The RapidRide J Line is designed around a core idea: everyone should be able to get where they need to go, safely and with confidence. Whether you ride the bus, bike, scoot, walk, roll, or drive, the upgrades along this 5.5-mile project are built with you in mind.

For riders, that means fast, frequent, and reliable electric bus service with well-lit stations, real-time arrival information and year-round weather protection. For people walking and rolling, it means upgraded sidewalks, nearly 100 new ADA-accessible pedestrian curb ramps, and improved crosswalks. For people on bikes, it means 3.7 miles of new protected bike lanes that connect more of Seattle’s growing bike network. And for everyone, it means better lighting, new street trees, and more welcoming public spaces.

This is what a modern, connected street looks like – one that gives people real choices about how they travel and reduces the need to rely on a car to get around.

A rendering or visualization of a city area with trees, a bus, people walking and biking, and cars. A large building is to the left and a large bridge in the background. — *A rendering of Eastlake Ave E, looking northeast. People celebrate at an event venue to the left, as people bike, ride the bus, and drive nearby. Image: SDOT*

Connected neighborhoods and destinations

The J Line links some of Seattle’s busiest and fastest-growing places, tying together homes, jobs, schools, and local businesses along the way:

University of Washington: Students, staff, and faculty gain a reliable alternative to driving and parking, with direct connections to UW campus which serves more than 50,000 students.
Medical centers: New stations serve the University of Washington clinic on Roosevelt Way NE and Fred Hutch Cancer Center on Fairview Ave N, connecting patients, staff, and health care workers to these critical institutions.
South Lake Union and Downtown: The bus route runs through major employment hubs for Seattle’s tech, health care, and service sectors.
Eastlake and Belltown businesses: Upgraded streets, sidewalks, lighting and modern transit support the many local shops, cafés and restaurants that give these neighborhoods their character.

For a patient heading to an appointment, a student rushing to class, a barista starting an early shift or a resident meeting friends for dinner, the J Line makes the trip simple.

Two people bike down a street with large buildings and cars in the background. — *Two people bike on the newly repaved street at Eastlake Ave E and E Garfield St. Photo: SDOT*

A major milestone: more than halfway done

Construction on the RapidRide J Line is now more than halfway complete. Much of the work so far has happened beneath the street, and crews are finishing the final sections of new street surface on Eastlake Ave E.

This milestone matters because it means the most disruptive phase – the underground and street work – is mostly behind us. With new storm drainage and a modern water main fully in service, the focus has shifted to what people can see and use every day.

A group of construction workers pour concrete to form a part of a new street. Cars, buildings, and shrubs are in the background on a sunny day. — *Construction crews pouring brand new concrete to form the backbone of Eastlake Ave E, looking north near E Louisa St. The project builds more than 3,000 of these new panels in total. Photo: SDOT*

The work that got us here

Reaching this point meant tackling the hardest parts first. Before any paving could begin, crews rebuilt a network of aging infrastructure hidden beneath the street:

Storm drainage upgrades: Most drainage improvements across the project area are now complete, helping treat surface water along Eastlake Ave E and keep it from overwhelming sewer lines during major storms.
A new water main: In partnership with Seattle Public Utilities, crews replaced a 100-year-old water main with 9,000 feet of new, earthquake-resilient pipe, added 27 new fire hydrants and coordinated 174 new service connections to nearby homes and businesses.
A new street surface: With utilities in place, crews reconstructed and paved areas within the U District, Eastlake Ave E, and Fairview Ave N, creating a smoother, more durable street ready for the next phases.

This foundational work will serve the neighborhood for decades to come, giving residents and businesses a more secure water supply for the next century.

Three construction workers wearing high visibility outfits and hard hats work on an area at the end of a sidewalk next to a city street. Trees and buildings are in the background. — *As heavy-duty work on the newly repaved street wraps up, crews are shifting their focus to building new sidewalks and accessible pedestrian ramps along Eastlake Ave E. Photo: SDOT*

What you’ll see next

As construction moves into the next phase, neighborhood improvements will become more noticeable, and the new transit route will spring to life. Here’s what to watch for:

Improved lighting and sidewalks: Brighter streets and updated, ADA-accessible walkways that make it easier and safer to get around day or night.
Protected bike lanes: New concrete-buffered lanes connecting more of the bike network in the University District and along Eastlake Ave E and Fairview Ave N. These lanes protect people riding their bikes, separate pedestrians from traffic, and improve sight lines at intersections.
New trees and landscaping: The project plants more than 180 new trees in response to the community’s requests for additional green spaces and planted medians in their neighborhoods.
Bus stations: New, well-lit bus stops with real-time arrival information and weather protection, helpful in our often-rainy city.
Bus lanes: Dedicated red lanes that give buses a clear path through traffic, reducing travel time and improving reliability for riders.
Bus islands: Concrete islands that make boarding safer and more efficient while keeping sidewalk space available for pedestrians and businesses in most locations.

These features will make the J Line experience start to feel real for the thousands of people who travel this route every day.

People waiting at a bus stop outside as a bus pulls up. Large buildings and trees are in the background. — *People prepare to board the Route 70 bus on Eastlake Ave E headed south. Photo: SDOT*

Major benefits for everyone

The RapidRide J Line improves the entire public space, not just the bus lanes. That means benefits for everyone:

People walking and rolling enjoy a greater separation from traffic on upgraded sidewalks, new curb ramps and improved crosswalks that make neighborhoods safer for families, older adults, and people with disabilities.
People biking gain protected lanes that make active travel a practical option for all skill levels.
People driving travel on a smoother, freshly paved street with clearer, safer intersections and upgraded traffic signals.
Transit riders get faster, more frequent, and more reliable service on the first fully electric RapidRide bus fleet in Seattle, operated by King County Metro.

Cleaner, quieter electric buses also reduce noise and pollution, supporting Seattle’s climate goals and healthier neighborhoods.

Thank you to our neighbors and businesses

None of this progress would be possible without the people who live, work, and travel through these neighborhoods every day. Construction of this scale is not easy to live and work around, and we’re grateful for your ongoing patience and support.

With the most difficult work behind us and the new street surface largely in place, we’re well positioned for the arrival of fast, frequent, and reliable transit when the RapidRide J Line launches, operated by our partners at King County Metro.

The J Line will be part of the expanding RapidRide bus system in Seattle, where we’ve worked closely with Metro to provide frequent, reliable bus service to communities across the city like West Seattle/Delridge (C & H Lines), Ballard (D Line), North Seattle (E Line), Capitol Hill/Madison Valley (G Line), and the future RapidRide R Line in Rainier Valley.

Project funding

This project is made possible by the voter-approved 2015 Seattle Transportation Levy (the Levy to Move Seattle), along with funding support from King County Metro, the Washington State Department of Transportation, the University of Washington, Seattle Public Utilities, the Federal Transit Administration and the Federal Highway Administration. Thank you, Seattle, and to our project funding partners.

Learn more

Want to follow every step of the J Line’s progress? Visit the project web page and sign up for email updates. You can also reach the project team by calling 206-257-2202 or emailing rapidride@seattle.gov.

Thank you for your continued support and interest in this major project. A better way to move through the city is on its way.

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