5th Ave NE and Banner Way NE

We have refined the design to set the stage for improved bike connections and walking routes. This includes:

• 8th Ave NE Neighborhood Greenway: We are planning a connection to the planned 8th Ave NE greenway via NE 79th St.  
• More Marked Crosswalks: We are adding marked crosswalks across 5th Ave NE at NE 79th St to improve connections between the new signal and the planned Neighborhood Greenway. 
• Traffic Calming: We are looking at ways to slow traffic on 5th Ave NE. Subscribe to our email list to get updates when we know more!

We have refined the design to minimize impacts on on-street parking while improving bike connections and meeting safety and accessibility needs:

• More Parking Preserved on 5th Ave NE: We shortened the protected bike lanes by one block. This retains most legal on-street parking along 5th Ave NE between NE 79th St and NE 80th St, while still improving neighborhood bike connections and meeting safety and accessibility needs.
• Intersection Visibility (Daylighting): Parking will be removed within intersections and near legal crosswalks where it isn't allowed per Washington State Law. This is part of a citywide effort to improve visibility and safety at intersections.
• Parking Removed for Bike Facilities: Parking will be removed along 5th Ave NE between Banner Way NE and NE 79th St, as well as 1–2 legal spaces on the east side of 5th Ave NE at NE 76th St, to accommodate the upgraded bike lanes. Read more about how we prioritize curb space.
• Potential Parking Removed for Traffic Calming: We are looking at ways to slow traffic on 5th Ave NE near the new crosswalks at NE 79th St. Traffic calming may require the removal of about 2 parking spaces on the east side of 5th Ave NE near NE 79th St. Subscribe to our emails for updates.
• New Parking Added: 17 new parallel parking spaces remain proposed on the north side of Banner Way NE between 5th Ave NE and NE 80th St for an overall increase in neighborhood on-street parking.

The project team refined the design proposal between July and September 2026 in response to community input. The changes improve neighborhood connectivity to current and planned bike facilities while retaining more street parking than the previous design. 

The new design includes improvements that help connect the protected bike lanes on 5th Ave NE to a planned neighborhood greenway on NE 79th St and 8th Ave NE.  

Neighborhood Greenways are safer, calmer neighborhood streets for you, your family, and your neighbors where we make people walking and biking the priority. These streets work together with trails and protected bike lanes to provide connected routes to bring people to the places they want and need to go as part of Seattle’s all-ages and abilities bicycle network.  

Neighborhood greenways are defined by three elements: 

1. Safer Crossings of Busy Streets
2. Walking and Biking Priority
3. Wayfinding

We chose NE 79th St for the greenway connection rather than NE 78th St because it provides a safer and more comfortable route. The intersection at NE 78th St and 5th Ave NE sits near Banner Way NE, which could lead to conflicts between people biking and people driving. NE 78th St also has a steeper grade than NE 79th St. For these reasons, NE 79th St is the safer and more comfortable choice for people biking and rolling.

The intersection of 5th Ave NE and NE Banner Way is famous in Seattle for being a challenging, busy four-way-stop. During community engagement for the Seattle Transportation Plan, we heard from many residents how this intersection wasn’t working well. Drivers were confused and frustrated, and people walking, rolling, and biking went out of their way to avoid it because it didn’t feel safe. The 2024 Seattle Transportation Levy delivery plan included an upgrade to this intersection due to popular demand.   

We are adding these bike lanes now because SDOT's Complete Streets Policy directs us to use project opportunities, like installing a new traffic signal, to deliver safety improvements for people who walk, bike, roll, and take transit. Building these improvements today also helps us prepare our streets for the future.  

The proposed bike lane upgrades on 5th Ave NE connect to existing bike lanes on 5th Ave NE, south of NE 76th St and to a planned neighborhood greenway on NE 79th St and 8th Ave NE. This would be a key connection over I-5 between Green Lake and residential areas in northeast Seattle.

The proposed bike lanes on Banner Way NE will connect to the 80th St overpass and tie into existing bike lanes further east on NE 75th St, which is a key east/west route. 

The Seattle Transportation Plan (STP), the City's long-range plan for our streets, names 5th Ave NE as a priority biking corridor. The Seattle City Council unanimously adopted this plan in April 2024. The bike lanes on 5th Ave NE remain part of our long-term plans for Seattle. However, there isn’t currently funding allocated to design and build them.

These turns are restricted because they would cause delays and backups at the intersection, and because larger vehicles wouldn’t be able to make the turn without going into the bike lane or the oncoming travel lane. To improve traffic flow and increase safety, we recommend using the alternative route shown in the graphics above. 

Yes, signal timing at this intersection can be adjusted. We will monitor traffic at the NE 80th St & Banner Way NE, NE 80th St & 5th Ave NE, and 5th Ave NE & Banner Way NE intersections after the new signal is working and adjust timing as needed to support traffic flows by time of day. 

Yes. The signal will operate under a “split phase,” meaning that all southbound movements (through traffic, right turns, and left turns) will have their own green light for a dedicated signal phase. Northbound movements (through traffic, right turns, and left turns) will also have a dedicated signal phase. Northwest-bound and southeast-bound traffic will travel through the intersection at the same time. After looking into many different signal phasing options based on vehicle volumes, this one was chosen because it reduces delay and improves safety the most.     

We are evaluating whether speed cushions are possible on 5th Ave NE. 

Speed cushions are a traffic-calming tool that slow passenger vehicles while still allowing larger vehicles, like buses and emergency responders, to pass through. We will share more information as the design progresses. 

Yes, you can park in your driveway in front of your garage as long as your vehicle does not obstruct the sidewalk. You cannot park in front of or within five feet of your driveway curb cut.