Go Ride–and Celebrate–Seattle’s Expanding Bike Network
- Seattle’s network of protected bike routes is rapidly expanding in early 2025.
- Join us on a photo journey of new and coming bike infrastructure in Eastlake, Montlake, Beacon Hill, SODO, Downtown, and the Waterfront.
Paul Tolmé
Riding across the new Montlake bike and pedestrian bridge is one of the great joys of my bike life in early 2025.
Opened by the Washington State Department of Transportation in December, the bridge allows people to bike and walk over 12 lanes of speeding SR 520 traffic on a 14-foot-wide trail of smooth black pavement sandwiched between landscaped earthen berms.
With its views of Lake Washington, the East Side, and the Cascade Range in the distance, the bridge is a jewel in Seattle’s rapidly expanding bike network.
Big improvements are coming to Seattle’s bike network this year, including completion of the waterfront bike path along Alaskan Way that was a major priority for Cascade.
Seattle Policy Manager Tyler Vasquez and I took a ride to review progress on Alaskan Way, Beacon Hill, SODO and elsewhere. Check out our photos below of some new bike infrastructure that we encourage you to go ride in early 2025.
“It’s important to celebrate progress,” Vasquez says, “even as we continue pushing and advocating for speedier completion of Seattle’s bike network–especially in South Seattle.”
East Marginal Way
When I moved to Seattle in 2015, East Marginal Way was horrific. People on bikes had to pedal alongside massive freight trucks or on a glass-strewn sidewalk.
Now this crucial route between Downtown, the West Seattle Bridge Trail, and Georgetown is rapidly improving. Thanks to the East Marginal Way Corridor Improvement Project begun in 2024, there will be a protected bike lane and multi-use path along East Marginal Way from the West Seattle Bridge to the Waterfront and Elliott Bay trails.
Portions of the multi-use path along East Marginal Way are already complete.
Even the segments that remain under construction already feel safer to ride, thanks to the temporary bike lanes SDOT has created with concrete barriers and orange construction barrels.
Alaskan Way Waterfront
A half-mile-long protected bike lane is being installed on the waterfront as part of the Alaskan Way Safety Project. When completed in summer 2025, this route will link the Elliott Bay Trail to the north with the East Marginal Way bike path under construction to the south.
“This project brings Seattle the world-class waterfront it deserves, one that functions as both a beautiful destination for strolling and rolling, and also as a seamless transportation corridor through downtown,” Cascade Executive Director Lee Lambert said in a project announcement from the Seattle Department of Transportation.
“SDOT and the Port deserve recognition for partnering with Cascade to come up with a solution that benefits everyone, and which moves the protected bike lanes to the waterfront side of Alaskan Way–with detours only during the hours when cruise ships are loading or unloading.”
Once completed this summer, the combined East Marginal Way, Alaskan Way, and the Waterfront projects will connect to the Elliot Bay Trail to create a separated bike path from West Seattle all the way to Magnolia. That's nearly 10 miles! Watch the video below of Hanoch Yeung pedaling the mostly completed Alaskan Way bike lanes on Best Side Cycling.
Montlake Bike and Pedestrian Bridge
Years in the making, the new bike bridge over State Route 520 makes crossing through this busy highway interchange safer and far more pleasant. I now use this bridge, which links to the Montlake Bridge and University of Washington Campus, whenever I commute to the Cascade office in Magnuson Park.
Cascade advocated for this safer crossing, and Seattle Policy Manager Tyler Vasquez spoke at the grand opening. Go check it out if you live nearby, and watch the Best Side Cycling video of the grand opening.
Eastlake Avenue
Eastlake Avenue is currently being torn up for water main work that precedes the bike lanes and bus improvements coming as part of the Rapid Ride J project. But there’s progress to report: Anyone headed to or from REI’s flagship store can ride on the new separated bike lanes on both sides of Eastlake Avenue between Fairview Avenue and John Street.
When completed, this project will add three-and-a-half miles of protected bike facilities, connecting downtown Seattle with the neighborhoods of Belltown, South Lake Union, Eastlake, and the University District.
Beacon Hill
Construction of the Beacon Avenue South and 15th Avenue South Safety Project is underway.
Once completed, there will be a continuous bike route from the Jose Rizal Bridge to the Beacon Hill Light Rail station.
Meanwhile, sections of protected bike lane have been completed along 15th Avenue South and Golf Drive.
The completed segment could use a good sweeping, however, to clear fallen leaves and debris. Thanks to passage of Proposition 1, the Levy to Keep Seattle Moving, the city will allocate more money to cleaning and maintaining bike lanes.
Breaking Ground on Long-Awaited Projects
These improvements are long overdue because Seattle residents want and deserve safer bicycling conditions. People made more than six million trips by bike and scooter share in 2024, a new record, and surveys of Seattle residents show that a majority of residents want to ride bikes more. It’s just been too sketchy in the past.
Finally, we see transformational change coming.
“Cascade and the bike advocacy community have worked hard to win approval for these bike network improvements, and it’s rewarding to see the progress being made as workers lay new pavement and concrete to help more people ride bikes,” Vasquez says. “Now we must continue advocating for speedy completion of the South Park to Georgetown Protected Bicycle Lane and more investment in South Seattle neighborhoods.”
According to a recent report in the Seattle Times, car ownership hit record lows in Seattle in 2023, especially among renters. Our top priority for 2025 will be to ensure non-drivers and people who bike can navigate the Emerald City safely and comfortably.
If you’re interested in meeting more people who bike and want safer streets in your neighborhood, take action through this link and we will communicate future events and advocacy training that we are planning for 2025.
Share this post
