Stairway Maintenance Program
Last updated: January 2025
Seattle is hilly! That’s why we have stairways connecting streets throughout our neighborhoods. There are over 500 stairways in Seattle, and most were built in 1930-1950. These stairways total over six miles.
People use these stairways to get from one street to another, and they often serve a public area such as schools, parks, playgrounds, senior centers, and bus stops. Some neighbors even use stairways as a place to exercise.
To keep our stairways safe and accessible, SDOT inspects the condition of each public stairway across the city and identifies repairs. Repairs range from replacing the handrails to replacing the stairway altogether.
Stairway Projects
Project Gallery
Examples of stairway projects around Seattle
Project Gallery
Examples of stairway projects around Seattle
A brightly painted stairway at 12th Ave S and S Trenton
BEFORE: Stairway on Letitia Ave S and Adams St.
AFTER: Stairway on Letitia Ave S and Adams St.
Crew members working on Bonair Dr. SW
New stairs being put in on Bonair Dr. SW
Top of stairs at 50th Ave SW and SW Admiral Way
Upcoming Projects
Thank you, Seattle! With funding from the Seattle Transportation Levy approved by voters in 2024, we are designing repairs to these stairways for later construction:
- 15th Ave and Boston - Howe
- 21st Ave SW and SW Dakota St
- Garfield St and 5th Ave N
- S Brandon St and 39th Ave S
- S Atlantic and 15th Ave S
- 20th Ave NE & NE 98th
- SW Thistle & Northrop Pl SW
- S Brandon St & 39th Ave
Completed Projects
We repaired 6 stairways in 2024, located at:
- Bonair Dr SW
- Portage Bay Pl E
- S Norman St
- 50th Ave SW
- SW Hudson St
- W Bertona St
Map of stairways in Seattle
Hearing from you & your neighbors
We are thankful to our neighbors for responding to fact sheets that were posted at stairways. Here is what we have learned about how people like to use stairways, receive information about projects, and what else they’d like to see:
- Respondents mainly use the stairways for exercise and recreation or to get to transit and parks
- Most respondents find flyers posted at the stairway the best way to get information, followed by email and neighborhood blogs
- Respondents requested even steps, vegetation removal, and garbage cleanup
Funding
SDOT's Stairway Maintenance Program is funded through SDOT's Operations and Maintenance budget and the 2024 Seattle Transportation Levy.
Stairway Maintenance - Frequently Asked Questions
- Usually, we need to close the stairways as we’re reconstructing them to allow space to demolish the stairway and rebuild a new one. We post detour maps at the top and bottom of the stairway so people know of nearby options.
- If we’re doing smaller maintenance work, like replacing a handrail, we’re usually able to keep the stairway open. In general, crews work to keep the stairways open as much as possible.
- Rebuilding a stairway generally takes about 2 months to complete. That work includes clearing the adjacent vegetation, demolishing the old stairway, pouring new concrete, and fabricating and installing new handrails.
- Some projects take longer for various reasons. Projects that include retaining walls – to prevent landslides – take more time to build. Also, SDOT’s stairway crews are the same crews that complete emergency maintenance work around the city, so sometimes the work schedule needs to be adjusted so crews can complete emergency work.
We work to inform neighbors of stairway work in various ways including:
- Notifying neighbors through local blogs
- Posting notices at the top and bottom of the stairway before work starts
- Delivering notices to neighbors adjacent to the stairways as well as nearby community centers, libraries, and neighborhood bulletin boards
- Updating this webpage with the latest status on each stairway