Construction on the century-old water main beneath Fremont Avenue North between North 34th and 35th streets resumed last week after crews addressed complications from old trolley tracks discovered beneath the pavement.
According to HistoryLink, the trolley remnants date to the Woodland Park Railway, which ran streetcars from Fremont north along what was then called 5th Street (now Fremont Avenue) starting in 1890. After Phinney died in 1893 and economic troubles hit, the trolley service ceased around 1899. The abandoned tracks sat dormant for seven years before Seattle Electric Company revived the route in 1906.
The water main work, originally scheduled to start last month, involves trenching along the center of Fremont Avenue North with lane reductions to one lane in each direction. Construction hours are Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., with occasional nighttime and weekend work to minimize traffic disruption. Residents can expect noise, dust, heavy vehicle traffic, and temporary parking restrictions as crews replace the 100-year-old waterline. Future water shutoffs will be announced at least one week in advance through the project email list.
Thanks to reader Heather Pihl for sharing photos of the trolley tracks.
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