City officials, transit advocates, and neighborhood leaders gathered in Ballard Oct. 29 to mark the completion of the Route 40 Transit-Plus Multimodal Corridor Project.
The Route 40 project added bus lanes, crosswalks, sidewalk repairs, and protected bike lanes in Fremont, Ballard, and Westlake.
The bus route is one of King County Metro’s busiest routes and now averages nearly 9,000 weekday boardings. Early data shows northbound trips between the Fremont Bridge and Ballard are already 11% faster.
After Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and King County Executive Girmay Zahilay addressed attendees, Lydia Heard, secretary of the Fremont Neighborhood Council board, gave a speech where she described the project’s impact on Fremont.
“Perhaps the biggest transformation is where the dedicated bus lane reduced 36th to one general travel lane in each direction,” Heard said. “This stretch of street, lined with popular businesses and often teeming with foot traffic, feels quieter and calmer most of the day. It is a much more enjoyable walking experience, and it is easier to cross the street.”
Heard traced the project’s journey through the neighborhood. There was a notable opposition campaign when SDOT presented plans to the Fremont community in January 2024. By early 2025, support had grown, particularly for the new bike lane and water main replacement. Construction began in spring 2025.
The project delivered extensive new sidewalks designed to save street trees, improved intersections and crosswalks, intersection daylighting, new bus bulbs with lighting, and a protected uphill bike lane on Fremont Avenue North, Heard said.
She also noted that the reconfigured intersection at North 35th Street and Fremont Place North has had a calming effect where public activation events are now being planned.
“I think this is what most of us want for our community,” she added.
As Fremont Neighbor reported in August 2025, the Fremont Chamber of Commerce questioned whether 24/7 bus lanes were justified given post-pandemic ridership levels and raised concerns about traffic impacts on local businesses. In a statement included in SDOT’s blog post on the project’s completion, the Chamber struck a different tone, saying it “is proud to see the City of Seattle and SDOT’s investment in improving the quality of life for the Fremont Community.”
Paul Shamrock, owner of Stampede Cocktail Club and Twist of Fate on North 36th Street along the Route 40 corridor, spoke at the event. “There’s still challenges on the street, but it’s working,” he told Fremont Neighbor.
Shamrock, who also lives along the route, said he sees the transit benefits firsthand. When friends visited from out of town recently, “they hopped right on the bus and went right to Pike Place Market,” he said. “It’s pretty great.”
More information is available on the SDOT project page.
Leave a Reply