The roar of I-5 was a little more subdued this weekend with northbound lanes through the city shut for Washington State Department of Transportation maintenance.
The community group advocating for permanently quieting the freeway — and adding a cap covered with parkland, housing, and development — gathered nearby to illustrate the opportunity.
The Lid I-5 group is also asking the public to support needed work in the original I-5 lid between First Hill, Capitol Hill, and downtown — Freeway Park.
Saturday, the group gathered off Boren in Pillars Park above I-5 to mark the weekend’s northbound closure and spread the word about progress being made in plans likely to stretch out for decades to cover the freeway through Seattle.
CHS reported in January on $2.2 million in federal and state transportation grants to help power early planning for a lid project.
Efforts to lid the freeway and reconnect areas like Capitol Hill to downtown have grown over the past decade with the Seattle City Council stoking the push in 2023 with a resolution supporting what would be a massively expensive — and possibly massively lucrative — project.
CHS reported here in 2019 on a $1.5 million study that explored the technical feasibility of building lids with green spaces and public parks, schools, and affordable housing developments. Federal money beyond the new $2 million planning boost may be available to help also pay for the construction. The projects could also present the city with vital revenue opportunities as it looks to manage an increasingly challenging budgetary environment.
Recent projects should inspire including the new Montlake Lid’s grassy areas, bus terminal, and pedestrian and bike bridge.
Meanwhile, WSDOT contractors are at work on building another freeway lid just to the west where the Roanoke Lid and new Portage Bay Bridge construction is expected to last seven years.
It will be a much longer road for any major new lid over I-5. The group says the Seattle Office of Planning and Community Development is “very close” to releasing the first request for proposals or consultant services that will utilize the state and federal funding. A second request will go out in 2026.
Freeway Park in 1976 (Image: City of Seattle)
In the meantime, Lid I-5 is calling for support for Seattle’s “original” freeway lid. Freeway Park will celebrate 50 years next summer and Lid I-5 is calling on officials to help speed up long-planned projects in time for its July 4th birthday party. Those projects include the Freeway Park Fountain Discharge Retrofit Project to restore and maintain the park’s signature fountains, “including the iconic Canyon and Cascade fountains, so they are functional and flowing.”
Lid I-5 is also calling for support to push forward the Freeway Park Improvement Project including “modernization of other aging infrastructure and add long-needed amenities (including public restrooms), event support, and landscaping upgrades.” Entrance and lighting improvements are some of the biggest aspects of the plan.
When it first opened on July 4th, 1976, Seattle’s Freeway Park was a busy, open-lighted space that served as a connector between downtown and the neighborhoods of Capitol Hill and First Hill, the park was designed by Lawrence Halprin & Associates, the architects behind the Pacific Science Center and San Francisco’s Ghirardelli Square.
Seattle Parks is leading the construction and says construction estimates have come in “significantly over budget” for the Freeway Park projects. One hope is to break the work into phases. LId I-5’s hope is to get the most important work done on this existing Seattle lid in time for the 50th anniversary of the park.
The the First Hill Improvement Association has a petition calling on Seattle leaders to complete the Freeway Park projects in time for its 50th anniversary.
You can sign the petition here.
(Image: City of Seattle)
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“The roar of I-5 was a little more subdued…” Replaced by a pervasive chemical stench that invaded the adjacent residences.
Doesn’t it seem like pouring funding into public transportation would be a WAY better use of money? This is truly a ridiculous idea, way too expensive, way too ineffective, and it guarantees we won’t get Light Rail expansions.
Why not both
We did waterfront and light rail and a lid on the freeway at the same time. And affordable housing. And cops.
People are so precious with “me generation” thinking it hurts. It’s about tax cuts.
there have been no local tax cuts
I vote yes for construction of massive bridges over the interstate highway which will eventually become green space.
And i vote yes for the lighting, fire suppression, and drainage system necessary for this work.
And I vote yes for the eminent domain seizures of adjacent properties for structural right of way.
And I vote yes for the additional taxes for adjacent land owners for the improvement zone.
And I vote yes for the additional property taxes to fund this effort.
And I want a f___ing pony.
PS Fix the streets, hire some cops, and house the homeless: maybe, after I get my pony.
I’ll buy you a pony if you promise to ride it out of town
If you can’t say something nice, say something surrealistic.
you are the one asking for ponies.
Ponies? I want my Jetpack, let’s get jetpacks for everyone. They would solve all this LightRail, lids-to-homeless-camp,… Jetpacks for everyone.
They should strart small and cap the triangle on the east side of Boren and Pine intersection. It’s adjacent to the little off leash dog park and the Pillars Park so would be well used.