Reconnect South Park
What's Happening Now?
Reconnect South Park grew out of the advocacy and visioning efforts of South Park residents wanting to rethink the segment of State Route 99 that currently divides their neighborhood in two.
The Reconnect South Park Coalition—a group of Duwamish Valley community leaders, community-based organizations, nonprofits, and other community-serving organizations—is currently leading a community engagement process to develop a Community Vision Plan for the future of SR-99 through South Park. The Community Vision Plan will detail strategies for improved mobility, health, economic opportunity, environmental quality, and well-being, supported by both engagement findings and technical analysis
The City of Seattle is currently supporting this work with funding appropriated by the Washington State legislature. In February 2023, Reconnect South Park was selected as one of 45 projects across the country to receive funding through the new federal Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program. The City will use this funding to support future phases of this work, including further technical analysis, equitable development planning, and continued community engagement.
Visit the new Reconnect South Park Story Map to learn more about the project.
View the Reconnect South Park Community Coalition's engagement calendar on their website.
The Coalition also developed a survey in English and Spanish.
Reconnect South Park Story Map
South Park is a unique neighborhood and cultural community in the Duwamish Valley. The majority of South Park residents are people of color, and about 25 percent are recent immigrants. South Park also has the most youth per capita of any neighborhood in the city.
State Route 99 cuts diagonally across South Park’s street grid and divides the neighborhood in two. The highway contributes to public safety concerns and makes it difficult to walk or bike in the neighborhood. There is currently only one at-grade crossing point on a busy freight route and one pedestrian overpass.
Living near highways has been shown to be harmful to health and well-being, especially for youth and the elderly. Every place where neighborhood children congregate—the elementary school, two parks, the library, and the community center—is directly adjacent to State Route 99.
South Park residents face other significant environmental challenges, including pollution from nearby industrial activity, highways, and overhead flight paths. Cumulatively, these environmental burdens cause South Park residents to have a 13-year shorter life expectancy than residents of other Seattle neighborhoods.
October 2022: Consultant contracts awarded
November 2022: Community engagement work begins
January 2025: Final consultant reports published
