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Mayor Harrell, City and Community Leaders Celebrate Groundbreaking of Seattle Waterfront’s Bell Street Improvements Project 

Final piece of the Seattle Waterfront revitalization breaks ground—connecting Belltown to Waterfront Park with safer streets, expanded walkways, and improved access 

Seattle (February 4, 2024)– Today, Mayor Harrell joined the City of Seattle’s Office of the Waterfront, Councilmember Bob Kettle and community leaders to celebrate the start of construction on the Bell Street Improvements project, between Elliott Avenue and 1st Avenue. As part of the City’s Waterfront Seattle Program, the project will improve access for people walking and biking between Belltown and the 20-acre Waterfront Park, creating a more active, green and safe space. Of the $806 million being invested in the total Waterfront Park project, $5.2 million is supporting the Bell Street Improvement Project. 

“Today we celebrate an exciting milestone as we break ground on one of the final parts of our reimagined world-class waterfront, seamlessly connected to our downtown,” said Mayor Bruce Harrell. “Downtown is powered by people, and re-imagining public space is core to our Downtown Activation Plan. The new and improved pedestrian and bicycle connections between Belltown and the waterfront are crucial to increasing foot-traffic, providing benefits for community members and local businesses, and creating safer routes for cyclists traveling throughout downtown. These improvements reflect the community’s vision of what Belltown wants and needs. We are one step closer to realizing our vision of our waterfront and a stronger downtown.”   

Informed by feedback from over 850 community members, the final design of the project reflects community priorities—wider pedestrian pathways, protected bike lanes and improved accessibility. Key changes to the area will include Bell Street narrowing to one traffic lane to create additional space for pedestrians and greenery; creating a new two-way protected bike lane between Elliott Avenue and 1st Avenue and improvements to existing bicycle improvements along Elliott Way that opened to the public in 2023; widening sidewalks, addition of native flowers and grasses, and new seating near the intersection of Bell Street and Western Avenue.  

“The City’s Waterfront Seattle team is excited to be starting construction on an important project that reconnects Belltown with our new waterfront,” said Angela Brady, Director, Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects. “Our planned multi-modal improvements to Bell Street will create a more accessible connection between Belltown and Waterfront Park, drawing local and international waterfront visitors to businesses in Belltown, and create moments for pause with views of the waterfront and Mt Rainier on a clear day. We are very thankful for the Belltown community’s partnership – they have played a big role in shaping the design for this project.” 

In partnership with the Washington State Department of Transportation, the city has salvaged a sign bridge from the historic Alaskan Way Viaduct that was originally located near the off-ramp exit into the Belltown neighborhood.  As part of the improvement project, the city will restore the original sign bridge with new lighting, reinstall it in a prominent location in Belltown to arch over Bell Street, just east of Western Avenue, serving as a new gateway to the neighborhood.

Project construction will be completed in early Summer 2025. 

Visit the Waterfront Seattle website to learn more about the Bell Street Improvements project. 

Images and materials are available using this link.