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RapidRide G Line coming to Madison Street in 2019

Busing and biking up Madison could get easier and faster

By Sarah Anne Lloyd
A rendering of how the intersection of 24th Avenue East, East John Street, and East Madison Street could look under current plans.
SDOT

Madison Street Bus Rapid Transit is coming, and with it, RapidRide G and a host of redesigned streets around the stops. Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is seeking public comment on the current plan for the project through March 22.

Like the other RapidRide buses, the service comes with real-time arrival information at stops and ways to pay with an Orca card before boarding. RapidRide G has a few other bells and whistles, though, like buses with more doors that allow riders to board from either side.

The G line will run up Madison Street between 1st Avenue, by the Downtown ferry dock, and make 21 stops on its way to Martin Luther King, Jr. Way. Buses will run every six minutes during peak hours—and corridor design includes bus-only lanes. SDOT estimates that the RapidRide line will cut down travel times by more than 30 percent.

Under the current plan, streets along the corridor get a makeover, too: Near stations, some improvements to curbs and sidewalks are aimed at improving safety to pedestrians. Bike improvements are planned along the route, too, including protected bike lanes on East Union Street between 11th and 14th Avenue.

A rendering of what the intersection of 12th, Union, and Madison could look like
SDOT

Some key city intersections along the route will also get a redesign. As Capitol Hill Seattle points out, the project means a one of Capitol Hill’s most intense intersections, 12th Avenue, Madison Street and Union Street, may be tamed a little.

24th, Madison, and John; Terry and Madison (by Hotel Sorrento); 4th and Spring (by the library); and the bus layover near Madison Street and MLK Way will also see some changes.

In addition to an online open house, there’s still another in-person open house to attend this Wednesday, March 15 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at First African Methodist Episcopal Church. Online feedback will be accepted through March 22.

Construction is scheduled to begin on the project in early 2018, with service estimated to start in late 2019.