Route 8 improvements underway and on the horizon

Route 8 is among King County Metro’s busiest and most challenged routes. For frustrated riders, the struggle is real. Buses routinely slow to a crawl through heavy Seattle traffic on Denny Way, which remains a tight and congested corridor due to high travel demand, ongoing development and construction, and its connection to I-5. Despite numerous investments by Seattle and Metro through the years, Route 8 remains constrained and reliability has been getting worse.

We’ve heard clearly from riders that something needs to be done. Metro and the City of Seattle have increased service and tackled travel time delays due to traffic in several phases in recent years. There’s more change on the horizon as Metro and the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) continue to work to improve Route 8, including new work underway.

Past efforts included transit-only lanes, longer green lights for buses

To improve service for Route 8 riders, Metro and SDOT implemented numerous solutions over the years.

• In 2016, Metro split Route 8 into the Route 8 and the Route 38 to shorten the route and improve on-time performance. Later, Route 106 replaced Route 38 as part of a Southeast Seattle service restructure.
• In 2017-2018, Metro and SDOT implemented a series of measures including:
  • adding a transit-only lane from Fairview Avenue to Stewart Street,
  • longer green light times where Denny Way meets Fifth and Sixth avenues,
  • street channelization improvements, left-turn restrictions, parking removal, and
  • new bus bulbs in the Capitol Hill area.
• In 2021, as part of the Climate Pledge Arena street improvement requirements, transit lanes were installed on Queen Anne Avenue North and First Avenue North.
• More weekend service was added in 2025 thanks to Seattle Transit Measure, ensuring the route runs at least every 15 minutes, 7 days a week.

The current SDOT Denny Way Paving Project repaves the roadway, repairs sidewalks and builds pedestrian ramps. The project also includes consolidating two bus stops to reduce delays and improves pedestrian access to the bus. Construction is happening now and is expected to conclude later in 2025.

While these efforts have helped, more work is needed.

New work underway

1. SDOT has launched a technical evaluation to identify additional transit priority spot improvements along Denny Way, which could assess extending bus-only lanes. Results are expected later this year.
2. Metro is conducting analysis of operational and service options that could increase reliability. This includes evaluating changes in service levels, routing, and operational management strategies. This work is underway and initial results are expected later this year.

In addition to these efforts, Metro and SDOT are actively coordinating on strategies to manage the impacts of the upcoming Revive I-5 project. Together, we are assessing how best to mitigate disruptions for transit riders.

We’ve been meeting with community groups like “Fix the 8” to discuss potential solutions, and we’re grateful for your input. SDOT has allocated funds for Route 8 improvements in the 2024 Seattle Transportation Levy, and we’ll continue prioritizing investments that align with Seattle’s and King County’s climate and transportation goals. We appreciate your patience as we carefully evaluate and plan these improvements. We expect to be able to share more by the end of 2025 once current construction wraps up and analysis and planning work advances. Collaboration and thorough planning are key to ensuring that changes are effective and sustainable. Thank you for your advocacy and for helping us make transit better for everyone.