“I’m so incredibly happy we are finally getting bus lanes on Denny. The 8 is one of the most important routes in the system, it is time to treat it that way. Now lets continue making it better” — @harlander.bsky.social
The mayor’s plan to reconfigure Denny Way to speed the L8 will include nine blocks of a new eastbound Business Access and Transit lane joining an existing short stretch already in place toward Capitol Hill, new turn restrictions including changes for drivers headed to I-5, and safety improvements at key intersections to protect pedestrians.
The work is expected to be completed by August.
Mayor Katie Wilson unveiled the highly anticipated plan to speed up King County Metro’s Route 8 at a Wednesday event in front of the Westlake Whole Foods.
“I promised we would move quickly to make transit move more quickly, and that’s exactly what we’re doing,” Wilson said in a statement. “I’ve been one of the Route 8’s 8,000 daily riders and I know how frustrating it can be when buses are stuck in traffic – and you’re stuck wondering if you’re ever going to get to your destination. That’s why I’m so excited to be rolling out nine blocks of red carpet for transit riders on Denny Way.”
The Wilson plan will include two phases:
Phase 1 (West End – Planned for May 2026):
The first phase includes three blocks of eastbound bus lanes from Queen Anne Ave N to 2nd Ave at the west end of the street serving riders on seven routes – the 1, 2, 8, 13, 24, 33, and the D Line – carrying nearly 26,000 riders each day. This phase also extends an existing southbound bus-only lane on Queen Anne Ave to Denny Way and adds a bus queue jump at 2nd Ave to help bus riders move ahead of traffic at the intersection. These improvements are designed to help buses move more smoothly through congested intersections and streets. Installation is scheduled for May.
Phase 2 (East End – Planned for August 2026):
Additional improvements are planned east of 5th Ave, including an extension of the eastbound bus lane and intersection changes to better support transit operations along the corridor.
The next phase includes the following:
- Installing nine blocks of new Business Access and Transit (BAT) lane from 5th Ave to Fairview Ave N in the eastbound direction.
- Shifting the eastbound bus lane between Fairview Avenue and Stewart Street to a curb side bus lane.
- Restricting turns at select locations, including eastbound left onto Dexter Avenue and right onto Yale Avenue, and westbound left turns onto Lenora Street and Boren Avenue.
- Closing the Yale Ave slip lane where right turn is restricted.
- Reconfiguring the intersection at Lenora Street and Boren Avenue to enhance pedestrian safety.
Full details of the Denny Way Bus Reliability Project have been posted here.
Work will include lots of new red paint for the dedicated transit lane as well as what will be a large set of new no-turn sign installations along Denny. The Seattle Department of Transportation will also set about reconfiguring the Lenora and Boren intersection to improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and scooter riders. Changes at Yale will alter the route drivers take headed for the I-5 southbound onramp.
The 8 has been a drag for thousands of riders for decades with the lowest on-time performance of any line in Seattle. While King County Metro sets a target of 80% on-time performance, Route 8 has historically fallen far short.
During peak rush hour periods, the bus has been documented moving as slow as 3 miles per hour due to congestion on Denny Way.
Advocates, including Central Seattle Greenways and the Transit Riders Union, have used these metrics to lobby for “red carpet” bus-only lanes on Denny Way to decouple the bus from traffic.
CHS reported here on Wilson’s move to target the line as the mayor has taken more aggressive progressive approaches to select issues in the city including increasing emergency shelters by expanding the Tiny House Village system and speeding up the effort to increase housing and affordability in the city with surgical rezoning and policies focused on key blocks and opportunities.
Meanwhile, Wilson may be eyeing other key routes in the city for similar upgrades. A SDOT memo to the mayor outlines nine other areas of the city where reconfiguration could boost transit performance including Routes 48 and 43 on a half-mile stretch of 24th Ave E from Boyer to Roanoke, The Urbanist reports.
The plan for the 8 released Wednesday did not address enforcement changes. While the Seattle Police Department has mostly moved completely away from standard traffic stops, Seattle has begun to slowly add transit lane enforcement cameras to core areas.
The Wilson administration also did not announce goals or metrics they are hoping to achieve with the work but promised they would continue to “make adjustments” to speed the key route.
“These improvements are designed to help move thousands of bus riders through this busy corridor more efficiently,” the mayor’s statement reads. “Once these changes are in place, SDOT will monitor how the corridor is performing and make adjustments as needed.”
The project’s construction and ongoing monitoring for adjustments is being paid for with a planned $4 million in funding from the Seattle Transportation Levy.
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