Central District Healthy Streets

Updated March 2025

What's Happening Now?

Take Our Survey!

Before the permanent improvements are made in 2025, please let us know how comfortable you feel walking & biking on E Columbia Street:

Safety improvements on 22nd Ave between E Union St to E Columbia St are complete!

We have finished installing the permanent Healthy Street on 22nd Ave in the Central District! Between E Columbia St and E Union St we installed Healthy Street entrance treatments, signs, painted curb bulbs, and planters. Later this year we will provide plants to the neighbors who volunteered to maintain a planter.

The permanent Healthy Street includes a new diverter on 22nd Ave at the intersection with E Union St. People driving are no longer allowed to enter the south leg of 22nd Ave at this intersection, but it remains open for people biking and walking. People driving can still exit 22nd Ave onto E Union St by making a right turn. These changes help reduce vehicle traffic on the Healthy Street to make it safer for people walking and biking.  

Two photos showing a street intersection. Arrows indicates that the photo on top is Before and the photo on bottom is After

Photo comparison of the intersection of 22nd Ave E and E Union St before the permanent Healthy Street intersection improvements were built and after. 

Later this year, we will build additional safety improvements on E Columbia St from 12th Ave to 22nd Ave. 

Project Map & Overview

Central District Healthy Street Map

**Click here to view map as a .pdf

We’ve been updating our Healthy Streets across Seattle based on trends we’ve seen, and data collected for community use and public feedback. Now we are making some locations permanent Healthy Streets, returning some locations back to neighborhood greenways, or continuing to evaluate and gather additional input from neighbors on the Healthy Street location.

In 2022, we conducted evaluations of Central District Healthy Streets at three locations:

22nd Ave East
25th Ave South
East Columbia Street

Based on these mixed evaluation results and public feedback, we continued our review of the Central District Healthy Street locations and conducted more outreach to determine next steps. In Winter 2024, we announced permanent features for the segment on 22nd Ave from E Union St to E Columbia St will be installed as soon as summer 2024; and we plan to install permanent features on E Columbia St from 12th Ave to 22nd Ave in 2025. Evaluation is continuing on the remaining segments and those locations will remain Healthy Streets until further notice. If you have questions or comments please email us at Healthystreets@seattle.gov.

Design Elements

22nd Ave and E Union St

  • New median with bike cut through on south side of intersection
  • Southbound motor vehicle access onto 22nd Ave will be restricted
  • Left turns will be restricted in both directions from 22nd Ave onto E Union St
  • Left turns will be restricted in both directions from E Union St onto 22nd Ave
  • Existing markings for bike lanes, crosswalks, and parking remain as currently marked

Graphic showing design plan for intersection

**Click here to view above graphic as a .pdf

Permanent Treatment Options

Permanent Healthy Street signs on Ballard Healthy Street

Example of permanent Healthy Street sign base and planter from the Ballard Healthy Street.

Schedule

  • Spring 2023: Additional outreach to determine permanent Healthy Street status or reversion back to a neighborhood greenway.
  • Fall 2023: Permanent announcement for two segments of the Healthy Street: 22nd Ave from E Union St to E Columbia St and E Columbia St from 12th Ave to 22nd Ave, and continued evaluation for the remaining segments.
  • Fall 2024: Install permanent Healthy Street features on 22nd Ave from E Union St to E Columbia St and continue evaluation for the remaining temporary segments.
  • 2025: Install permanent Healthy Street features on E Columbia St from 12th Ave to 22nd Ave.

Materials

Transportation

Adiam Emery, Interim Director
Address: 700 5th Ave, Suite 3800, Seattle, WA, 98104
Mailing Address: PO Box 34996, Seattle, WA, 98124-4996
Phone: (206) 684-7623
684-Road@seattle.gov

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The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is on a mission to deliver a transportation system that provides safe and affordable access to places and opportunities for everyone as we work to achieve our vision of Seattle as a thriving, equitable community powered by dependable transportation.