Beacon Hill’s New Bike Lanes: A Decade of Advocacy, A Community Win
- JoshHolland
- Sept. 15, 2025
For over a decade, Beacon Hill Safe Streets has been organizing, advocating, and fighting for safer streets in Southeast Seattle. This month, that work is paying off in a big way with the opening of new bike lanes and pedestrian improvements along 15th Ave S and Beacon Ave S—transforming a critical corridor for people biking, walking, and riding transit.
How We Got Here
Back in 2019, things looked grim. Then-Mayor Jenny Durkan had just cut many planned bike projects from SDOT’s work plan, leaving the South End with zero all-ages-and-abilities bike connections to Downtown. This was a huge breach of trust, especially since voters had been promised major investments in safe biking routes across Seattle.
But the community didn’t sit idly back and allow these promises fall by the wayside. Seattle’s bike community rallied—literally. People took to the streets with protest rides, packed public hearings, and flooded decision-makers with a clear message: the South End deserves safe bike connections.
That advocacy worked. In direct response to neighborhood and community voices, SDOT designated funding for a protected bike lane on Beacon Ave.
A Bigger South End Bike Network
Fast forward six years, and South Seattle is seeing major progress on our bike network. Thanks to relentless community advocacy, we now have:
- The Rainier Valley Greenway, connecting all the way to the I-90 Trail
- New bike lanes on MLK Jr. Way S from Judkins to Mt. Baker
- A safer Jose Rizal Bridge, linking the I-90 Trail to downtown
- Improvements to the Beacon Hill Neighborhood Greenway
And more safe routes in SODO and the Duwamish Valley are on the way:
- Next Week! Celebrate the opening of Duwamish Valley connections on Saturday, September 28, from 12:00 - 2:00 pm at Mini-Mart City Park in Georgetown. More info here.
- A new Stadium connection linking the Chinatown-International District to the SODO Trail and Georgetown
- E Marginal Way, creating a safer route from Pioneer Square to the West Seattle Bridge
Why Beacon Hill Matters
The Beacon Hill project isn’t just about bike lanes. It’s about a safer, more connected community. The improvements include:
- A direct, protected bike route connecting the business district, library, schools, and Jefferson Park
- Dramatic pedestrian upgrades, including sidewalk improvements and safer crossings
- Transit improvements for Metro Route 36
- Full street repaving, giving the corridor new life
This is about making Beacon Hill a safer, healthier, and more welcoming place for everyone.
And the work isn’t done. Advocacy continues to push the project all the way south to 39th Ave S, completing the vision of a truly connected Beacon Hill.
Celebrate With Us!
Come celebrate this milestone with neighbors, advocates, and community leaders this Friday:
Roberto Maestas Plaza (2601 17th Ave S, Seattle)
Friday, September 19
4:00 PM – Free food, music, and community stories
5:30 PM – Community bike ride (2.5 miles, all-ages-and-abilities pace, entirely on protected infrastructure)