I-5 Lid Feasibility Study

What's Happening Now?

In January 2025 we announced the authorization of $2.2 million in state and federal funding for the next phase of the I-5 Lid project. This funding will support continued planning and move us closer to transforming the I-5 corridor into a healthy, connected, thriving space for all.

The I-5 Lid project seeks to reconnect neighborhoods in Downtown Seattle by constructing a “lid” over the interstate. This initiative, which began as a grassroots effort, aims to create new public spaces, strengthen community connections, and provide opportunities for housing and development.

Read our blog for more information on the announcement.

The Lid I-5 Coalition is a group of Seattle residents and volunteers advancing the concept of lidding Interstate 5 citywide for parks, schools, affordable housing, and other important public uses. They are sponsored by the Seattle Parks Foundation, a philanthropy-based organization that encourages public-sector investment and private-sector giving to help create, activate, and care for public spaces throughout Seattle.

I-5 Lid Feasibility Study (December 2020, Revised March 2021)

• Summary Report
• Economic and Financial Feasibility Memorandum
• Existing Conditions and Context Memorandum
• Real Estate Market Scan
• Technical Feasibility Memorandum
• Test Case Memorandum
• Department of Neighborhoods outreach report 

Committee Meetings

• Committee Work Session (December 11, 2019)
  • Agenda
  • Presentation
  • Workbook
• Preliminary Structural Feasibility Workshop (August 22, 2019)
  • Agenda
  • Presentation
  • Small group materials
    
  • Summary
• Guiding Principals and Key Study Assumptions Workshop (June 11, 2019)
  • Agenda
  • Presentation
  • Small group materials
  • Look-ahead
  • Work plan
  • Summary
• Orientation and Overview Meeting (March 26, 2019)
  • Presentation
  • Summary

Outreach

• I-5 Lid Outreach Report (August 2019)
• I-5 Lid Outreach Report (July 2019)
• I-5 Lid Feasibility Study Fact Sheet
  • English
  • Chinese (Simplified)
  • Chinese (Traditional)
  • Somali
  • Spanish
  • Vietnamese

Consultant Work

• Questions and Answers (January 2019)

Pre-Submittal Conference

• Meeting at City Hall (December 20, 2018)
  • Summary
  • Sign-in sheet

I-5 Lid Request for Proposals

• I-5 Lid Feasibility Study RFP (December 2018)
• RFP Inclusion Plan Evaluation
• Lid I-5 video with former OPCD Director Sam Assefa (November 2018)

University of Washington Student Studies

• UW Department of Urban Design and Planning Study (New)
  Reconnecting the Emerald City - Analysis and Design Guidelines for the I-5 Lid
• UW Real Estate Finance Study
  Financing options for various lid scenarios developed by students of the University of Washington Runstad Center for Real Estate.