SEATTLE — Five new blocks of Alaskan Way along the Seattle waterfront opened to traffic Tuesday morning.
Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) crews shifted the roadway east overnight Monday to the newly rebuilt street, which opened before 6 a.m. Tuesday.
The lane shift allowed crews to open two lanes in each direction south of Union Street, one lane in each direction north of Union Street, along with parking and loading areas.
New wider sidewalks on the east side of Alaskan Way and landscaped areas also opened to the public.
The SDOT said the improvements allowed crews to shift attention west to the park promenade and protected bike lanes.
Crews working on the waterfront program have been building a new Alaskan Way since late 2019. The work on the waterfront followed the demolition of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, which was torn down over the course of 10 months in 2019.
The SDOT has opened new travel lanes in phases as sections of the new Alaskan Way are completed.
Next year, the SDOT plans to open an elevated road north of Union Street and complete the shift over to the new Alaskan Way, which will be in the footprint of the former viaduct.
Work on Alaskan Way in Pioneer Square between South Main Street and Yesler Way cannot be completed until the Washington State Ferries finishes the majority of its work to replace the Colman Dock ferry terminal. Construction on Alaskan Way in that area is expected to resume in 2023.