With reporting by Jadenne Radoc Cabahug, CHS intern
Construction has reached about 40% completion on the project to transform Madison between the waterfront and Madison Valley across downtown, First Hill, and Capitol Hill into a new “rapid bus transit” corridor. The three-year project is a surprisingly complete overhaul with everything from the city’s sidewalks and intersections to its water and sewer mains being ripped up and replaced along the 2.4-mile route.
For those living and doing business in the area, the planned 2024 completion of the project will bring major benefits including six minute service during most hours of the day between 1st Ave downtown and MLK Jr Way in Madison Valley with stops across First Hill and Capitol Hill along the way.
But the road to getting there is rough. Crossing Madison as the city’s planned waves of construction pass through different areas of the route can be a tricky endeavor as the project has continued to allow street traffic to use sections of Madison in a regularly shifting maze of barriers and work zones. The city says its contractors have planned their work with effort to try to keep disruptions to pedestrians, traffic, and businesses as limited as possible.
But the work on the $134 million project boosted with a huge influx of federal funding runs deep. Along Madison’s path, the city is also taking advantage of the construction schedule to make massive infrastructure changes with work on underground water and sewer mains. SDOT has said it crews are providing local access for businesses and residences located in the areas while Seattle Public Utilities completes infrastructure work and contractors begin the effort to build the new lanes and stations for the RapidRide G bus route. Continue reading