Seattle’s new Elliott Bay Connections greenway is getting its first public test run Friday, giving Belltown pedestrians and cyclists a short window to try a freshly paved stretch of trail between Blanchard and Wall streets. The privately funded path replaces dormant waterfront streetcar tracks and is set to serve as a full detour for bike riders while cruise ships load at nearby piers. The sneak preview lands just days before the project’s full grand opening next Tuesday.
As reported by The Urbanist, the greenway will be open for only a few hours Friday during cruise ship loading and will offer a continuous route between Pier 62 and the Olympic Sculpture Park. According to The Urbanist, the segment runs along the east side of Alaskan Way and will feature diagonal bike signals so riders can more easily transition across the street.
Funding and partners
Private philanthropy, including gifts from Melinda French Gates, MacKenzie Scott and Barry Diller, is underwriting roughly $45 million in waterfront upgrades, according to the Downtown Seattle Association. The Elliott Bay Connections project site confirms that the work is being delivered through private donations rather than taxpayer dollars. Local coverage of the project's launch last year traced how the public private partnership came together.
What you'll find on the trail
The greenway is about 11 feet wide with two foot shoulders along most of its length and comes with planting beds, benches and reclaimed Puget Sound logs set in oyster shells, The Urbanist reports. New ADA parking stalls will offer direct access to the trail at several locations, and the route takes over the old waterfront streetcar right of way. The design is meant to support both leisurely waterfront strolls and daily bike and pedestrian trips.
How the detour will work for riders
The city plans to use the east side greenway as a dedicated detour whenever the Alaskan Way protected bike lane closes for cruise ship loading, shifting riders across at Blanchard and other crossings so people on bikes can stay off the main roadway, according to SDOT. SDOT notes that the greenway is designed to complement the Alaskan Way Safety Project’s two way protected lane on the west side, creating a paired east west system that keeps bike traffic moving along the waterfront even during peak cruise operations.
Timeline and World Cup readiness
Project partners say most waterfront work, including upgrades in Myrtle Edwards and Centennial Parks, is on track to wrap up in time for Seattle to host the FIFA Men’s World Cup this June, according to the Mayor’s Office. City materials describe the greenway’s roughly mile long route from Pier 62 toward the Olympic Sculpture Park and frame the work as part of a larger effort to knit together about 50 acres of waterfront parks.
Officials say construction will continue in phases and that project partners are posting updates and contact information on their websites, according to the Downtown Seattle Association. Jon Scholes, president of the Downtown Seattle Association, has called the new greenway “a game changer” that should help pull more people back to downtown while supporting both everyday trips and year round waterfront programming.
