Neighborhood Greenways

Updated: January 20 , 2023

Program Overview

Seattle is building a network of neighborhood greenways. Neighborhood greenways are safer, calm residential streets for you, your family and neighbors. On streets with low car volumes and speeds a greenway can:

  • Improve safety
  • Help people cross busy streets
  • Discourage cars from using neighborhood streets to avoid main streets
  • Protect the residential character of our neighborhoods
  • Keep speeds low
  • Get people to where they want to go like parks, schools, shops and restaurants

What's a Neighborhood Greenway?

Neighborhood greenways are safer, calmer residential streets for you, your family, and neighbors. We make people walking and biking the priority.

Neighborhood greenways can include:

  • easier crossings of busy streets with crosswalks, flashing beacons, or crossing signals
  • speed humps to calm traffic
  • stop signs for side streets crossing the greenway
  • signs and pavement markings to help people find their way
  • 20 mph speed limit signs

Greenway features and elements graphic

Click to enlarge
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A group of children bicycling on a neighborhood street

Once built, neighborhood greenways can:

  • Create safe pathways for students to walk to school
  • Strengthen communities around safer streets
  • Create neighborhood placemaking
  • Connect you and your neighbors to popular destinations such as schools, parks, business districts, and the city-wide bicycle network
  • Provide alternative options of getting around your neighborhood by walking or biking

Active Projects

Read our Frequently Asked Questions to learn more.

Resources

Bike Web Map

The Bike Web Map is intended to aid people biking in the City of Seattle by showing the locations of our various bicycle facilities and related amenities. The map has been updated with the most current information that we have available; if you find that a bicycle facility is missing or incorrectly identified, please contact us at walkandbike@seattle.gov with a description of the facility that needs to be updated, along with any missing information.

Bicycle Master Plan - 2021 to 2024 Implementation Plan

In May 2021, the Bicycle Master Plan (BMP) 2021 to 2024 Implementation Plan was delivered to City Council. It identifies projects and programs which, combined with existing facilities, will deliver a robust connected citywide bike network. Using a combination of protected bike lanes, trails, neighborhood greenways, and funding for bike parking, encouragement programs, and safety education, biking will be a healthy, affordable travel option for people of all ages and abilities.

Healthy Streets

We introduced Healthy Streets during the pandemic in 2020 as a way for Seattleites to get outside safely and stay active in local neighborhoods throughout the city. Healthy Streets are open for people walking, rolling, biking, and playing, and closed to pass-through traffic. Visit the Healthy Street Program webpage to learn more about next steps with the program.

Funding

Levy to Move SeattleLevy to Move Seattle

Approved by voters in November 2015, the 9-year, $930 million Levy to Move Seattle provides funding to improve safety for all travelers, maintain our streets and bridges, and invest in reliable, affordable travel options for a growing city.

The levy provides roughly 30% of the City's transportation budget and replaces the 9-year, $365 Bridging the Gap levy approved by voters in 2006.

The levy aims to take care of the basics, while also investing in the future with improvements to move more people and goods in and around a growing Seattle.
An oversight committee made up of Seattle residents, appointed by the Mayor and City Council, will monitor levy expenses and revenues, review program and project priorities, and make recommendations to the Mayor and City Council on how to spend levy proceeds.

Transportation

Greg Spotts, 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.