Pike and Pine Streetscape Improvements

Seattle, WA

Project Summary

The Pike Place Market serves as the core of downtown Seattle’s business, tourism, and cultural communities, attracting the highest pedestrian volumes in the city. To provide a vibrant pedestrian and bicyclist experience on the streets between the Market, surrounding neighborhoods, and the new Elliott Bay waterfront, Toole Design led civil engineering for the Pike and Pine Streetscape and Bicycle Improvements project.

Thanks to a collaborative approach between engineering and urban design, we developed streetscape concepts and designs that prioritize the safety and comfort of all users. These designs include features like more visible and accessible crosswalks, wide sidewalks, protected bike lanes, additional seating and street activity, and an increased amount of greenery. As a result, Pike and Pine streets now have a cohesive look and feel in this 23-block area of downtown Seattle.

Expertise Applied

phase one

Our multidisciplinary team developed concurrent plans supporting two separate project phases. For the first phase of this project, Toole Design oversaw the rapid implementation of safety features along the Pike-Pine corridor, including the introduction of interim protected bike lanes and the addition of nearly 4,000 square feet of public, pedestrian space in the heart of the City. This proof of concept, completed in 2018, allowed the public to experience the street space reallocation benefits before investing in the larger second phase.

During Phase 1, we implemented temporary safety features like this buffered bike lane.
We also added nearly 4,000 square feet of public, pedestrian space in the middle of downtown.

PHASE TWO

The second phase of the project involved significant civil reconstruction to enhance the corridor and make it a more enjoyable place to work, shop, and relax. Toole Design led the development of construction documents, specifications, and cost estimates for extensive changes to the streetscape, including permanent bikeways, flexible curbless streets, new plazas and gathering spaces, upgraded signals and crossings, artistic bridge railings over Interstate 5, and enhanced greenery. A signature element is the curbless, shared-use street near Pike Place Market, which re-prioritizes pedestrian access and creates space for public events, supported by decorative paving, tactile wayfinding, and vibrant landscaping. We supported the City with construction administration services throughout implementation.

Sidewalk improvements under construction.
Newly redesigned streetscape featuring a protected bike lane.
A bicyclist uses the newly installed infrastructure.

Throughout both phases, we navigated the complexities of rebuilding a major corridor in a densely urbanized area. Our civil engineering team delivered a final design that met the City’s high standards for safety, beauty, and maintainability — achieving a construction bid just 3% under the engineer’s estimate on this $17 million project.

From a temporary proof of concept in 2018 to construction completion in Summer 2025, the Pike-Pine corridor is now fully open to the public. These streets serve as a gateway to the Market and waterfront, centering on a safe, vibrant experience for all residents and visitors.

In 2026, the project won an Engineering Excellence Local Silver Award from ACEC Washington State.

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