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 the Pike and Pine Streetscape and Bicycle Improvements project.
Thanks to a collaborative approach to 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 will have a cohesive look and feel in this 23-block area of downtown Seattle.
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.
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. This phase included the development of full construction plans, specifications, and estimates for extensive changes to the streetscape, including permanent bikeways, sidewalks, signal upgrades, and urban design elements that contribute to a pleasant and welcoming public space. These improvements include new trees and enhanced planter areas, improved lighting, a section of a flexible curbless street near Pike Place Market, landscaped protected bike lanes, artistic railings, and improvements to the bridges over Interstate 5.
All these enhancements were carefully designed to address the challenges of civil reconstruction in a densely urbanized area. Toole Design managed the design phase and led civil engineering on the project, resulting in a low bid that was less than 3% under the engineer’s estimate on this $17 million project. The project is currently under construction, and Toole Design is supporting the city with construction phase services. When completed, Pike and Pine streets will serve as a gateway to both the Market and the waterfront, centering on a safe, vibrant experience for all residents and visitors.
