STATUS:  Study conducted in 2015-2016
Page Last Updated:  May 21, 2018

Final Corridor Report and Vision

The 145th Street Multimodal Corridor Study Final Report was completed in 2016 and includes the preferred design concept adopted by Shoreline Council on April 11, 2016, establishing the vision for improvements along this corridor.  The staff report provided background on the year-long study. 

Other significant action for this corridor was the Shoreline Council adoption of the 145th Street Station Subarea Plan on September 26, 2016 which revised zoning in the vicinity of the future light rail station, at 145th Street and I-5, targeting growth in this area.

Three Projects Result from the Corridor Study

The corridor study has generated City projects for two of the segments along the 145th Street corridor. These two projects are currently in the design and environmental phase. Please visit the SR-523 (N/NE 145th Street) & I-5 Interchange Project and the SR-523 (N/NE 145th Street) Aurora Avenue N to I-5 Project webpages for additional information on each.

In November 2017, a third portion of the corridor was approved for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) as one of the Sound Transit 3 Plan projects. Start of service is scheduled to be 2024. There will be a public outreach process by Sound Transit and Shoreline will share information as it becomes available.

The City will continue to work to secure funding for improvements along the 145th corridor.

Historical Overview

In early 2015, the City began a year-long process to prepare a corridor study for the 145th Street (SR 523) Corridor. The corridor is a key east-west connection for the region linking bus rapid transit on Aurora, light rail, and I-5. In need of significant upgrades, the corridor study will include development of a master plan for improving pedestrian and bicycle mobility, safety and operations, transit speed and reliability, and freight mobility on the corridor.

A major obstacle to addressing these issues in the past has been the multijurisdictional nature of 145th Street’s location and function. The southern border of the City of Shoreline ends where the northern edge of the sidewalk begins on 145th Street. It is also a state highway (SR 523) from I-5 to Bothell Way NE (SR 522). As the diagram shows, the complex arrangement of ownership and regulatory authority for the roadway includes the City of Seattle, King County, and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).

Image showing which government agencies have jurisdiction over 145th Street. 

Shoreline does not own any of the right-of-way but experiences significant traffic and safety issues associated with this street. Traffic volumes on this street are anticipated to increase due to highway tolling on the Lake Washington bridge(s), regional growth, and the future light rail station at NE 145th Street and I-5. As a result, upgrades will be needed to accommodate these volumes, as well as improve safety for bicycles and pedestrians, and speed and reliability for transit. At this time, improvements can only be made by WSDOT, King County, or the City of Seattle; all of which have stated that improvements to 145th Street are not a priority.

The best way to achieve effective multi-modal improvements that address the needs of all users is to implement them corridor wide.  Over the past years, Shoreline has been working and will continue to work closely with WSDOT, King County, Sound Transit, and the City of Seattle to make improvements along this corridor.

 145th Street in need of significant improvements
Image showeing utility pole in the middle of the sidewalk. Image showing a street sign stating walkway not accessible for wheelchair use. Image showing the poor roadway condition.
Some of the many sidewalk impediments Sign clearly states one of the issues Poor condition of roadway