TRANSFORMING SEATTLE’S WATERFRONT
The City of Seattle is rebuilding Seattle’s central waterfront. Now that the Alaskan Way Viaduct removal is complete, the City is constructing a park promenade along the water, building a new surface street along Alaskan Way, rebuilding Pier 58 and Pier 62, building an elevated connection from Pike Place Market to the waterfront, and improving east-west connections between downtown and Elliott Bay. This effort, called Waterfront Seattle, is a $806M, multi-year investment between now and 2025. It is led by the City of Seattle’s Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects.
GUIDED BY THE COMMUNITY
The Waterfront Seattle Program began as a community vision to remove the Alaskan Way Viaduct and reconnect the city to its waterfront. Since 2010, over 10,000 people have participated in visioning sessions, community meetings, walking tours and environmental reviews to shape the project we are now building.
THE PROGRAM'S HISTORY
2010
Waterfront Seattle Program begins
2011
Guiding principles established
The Mayor and Seattle City Council establish the guiding principles of the program in Resolution 31264
2012
First design milestone
The Mayor and City Council endorse the Waterfront Concept Design (79.5 MB PDF), Framework Plan (49.3 MB PDF) and Strategic Plan (4.3 MB PDF)
2014
Friends of Waterfront Seattle established
Our nonprofit partner leads programming, fundraising and more
2017
MarketFront opens
The first piece of the new pedestrian connection between downtown and the waterfront
Seawall construction complete
The foundation for the new waterfront
Pier 62 rebuild begins
2018
Prepare for viaduct removal: early utilities
Marine habitat enhancements south of Colman Dock
2019
WSDOT removes viaduct
Construction of Columbia Street two-way transit corridor began
Construction of the new Alaskan Way began
2020
Columbia Street two-way transit corridor opened
Pier 62 opened
Pier 58 removal began
2021
Union Street pedestrian bridge construction began
New traffic and transit lanes on Alaskan Way between S King and Columbia streets opened
2022
Open new traffic lanes on Alaskan Way between Marion and Union streets
Begin Marion Street Bridge construction
Begin Overlook Walk construction
Begin Pier 58 rebuild
Open Union Street Pedestrian Bridge
2023
Begin Pike + Pine Streetscape and Bicycle Improvements
Open Marion Street Pedestrian Bridge
2024
Begin Pioneer Square East West Pedestrian Improvements
Begin public restroom construction
Begin Bell Street improvements
Complete Pike + Pike Streetscape and Bicycle Improvements
Complete Overlook Walk
Complete Park Promenade and protected bike lane
Complete Pioneer Square East West Pedestrian Improvements
All permanent artworks installed
2025
Complete Pier 58
Complete Bell Street improvements
Complete public restroom
Complete Waterfront Seattle Program construction
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Environmental process overview
In accordance with the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), the City of Seattle has completed evaluation of the potential impacts to the natural and built environment that could result from the planned improvements to the waterfront.
As of 2019, the City of Seattle has released the Final Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) for Alaskan Way, the park promenade and bike path, the Overlook Walk and the Seawall. Other infrastructure improvement projects along the waterfront, such as the public piers, will undergo SEPA review in the future as design progresses. More information will be added to this page as environmental review for these projects begins.
To learn more about the environmental review process, read our Environmental Process 101 fact sheet.
Alaskan Way, Promenade + Overlook Walk
Environmental review of Alaskan Way, Promenade and Overlook Walk began with EIS scoping in 2013, continued with the release of the Draft EIS in 2015 and the Supplemental Draft EIS in 2016, and concluded in 2016 with the release of the Final EIS.
- Environmental schedule (PDF, 398 KB)
- Final EIS Executive Summary (PDF, 1.9 MB)
- Full Final EIS (PDF, 24.9 MB)
- Supplemental Draft EIS Executive Summary (PDF, 1.1 MB)
- Full Supplemental Draft EIS (PDF, 15.5 MB)
- Draft EIS Executive Summary (PDF, 2.3 MB)
- Full Draft EIS (PDF, 19.6 MB)
- Public meeting boards (PDF, 42 MB)
- Scoping summary (PDF, 9.8 MB)
Seawall
Environmental review of Seawall began with EIS scoping in 2010, continued with the release of the Draft EIS in 2012, the Final EIS in 2013, the Draft Supplemental EIS in 2013, and concluded in 2014 with the release of the Final Supplemental EIS.
- Final SEIS in Focus (6.8 MB PDF)
- Final SEIS Executive Summary (1.3 MB PDF)
- Draft SEIS in Focus (6.1 MB PDF)
- Draft SEIS Executive Summary (7 MB PDF)
- Final EIS in Focus (8.6 MB PDF)
- Final EIS Executive Summary (2.8 MB PDF)
- DEIS Executive Summary (18.5 MB PDF)
- Scoping Summary Report (200 KB PDF)
- USACE Existing Conditions Report (18.82 MB PDF)