Pedestrian Refuge Islands

December 3, 2025 

What's Happening Now?

As of December 2025, we have begun construction. You can learn more about where we are starting work on this webpage. You can also sign up for email updates if you want to stay in the know about our construction.  

Project Overview 

Crosswalks allow you to travel (i.e., walk, roll, jog, shuffle, etc.) from one side of a street to the other. Basically, they help you get safely from Point A to Point B. Sometimes, a crosswalk could be safer, though. Sometimes pedestrians take longer to cross.  Other times, travelers are not as visible to people in cars or on bikes.  

We have a few different ways to make crossing safer. One is by installing a Rectangular Rapidly Flashing Beacon (or RRFB). This is a sign with a flashing light that alerts drivers when a pedestrian enters the crosswalk. You’ll see these typically with a pedestrian push-button (or as we call it, a PPB) so that people can press the button and the light begins flashing.

A crosswalk with a Rapidly Flashing Beacon.
  
Another way we make crossings safer is by installing pedestrian refuge islands (see the example above). These concrete medians let travelers cross streets with many lanes. Pedestrian refuge islands are usually out on streets where traffic flows in opposite directions. To use them, a person would cross the first part of the street to reach the island. After that, they would either continue or wait for traffic to allow them to cross to the other side. 

A crosswalk on a busy street with a pedestrian refuge island.

Project Locations 

^{A map of Seattle, with eight sites around the city numbered. Orange sites are actively being built.}

1. 11th Ave & E Pike St (Capitol Hill)
   • + Pedestrian Ramps  
2. 6th Ave W & W Nickerson St (Queen Anne)
   • + Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons, and Pedestrian Push-Buttons
3. 12th Ave & E Alder St (First Hill)
   • + Pedestrian Ramps, and Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons 
4. 23rd Ave S & S Main St (Central District)
   • + Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons
5. Stone Way N & N 41st S St (Wallingford)
6. 2nd Ave NE & NE 45th St (Wallingford)
   • + Pedestrian Ramps, Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons, and Pedestrian Push-Buttons
7. Meridian Ave N & N 107th St (Northgate)
8. College Way N & N 103rd St (Northgate)

Project Schedule 

Construction has begun at Site 1. We have completed installing one corner’s pedestrian ramps of the 11th and Pike (Capitol Hill) location and will return to complete the remaining curb raps and refuge island in January 2026.  

Funding 

• 2020 WSDOT City Safety Grant
• Vision Zero  

Outreach Materials 

We will share outreach materials when they are available.  

• Construction Mailer (December 2025)