Shoreline Street Ends Program

Shoreline street ends are City Council designated areas for public access and occur where streets meet a shore. Our program collaborates with community partners on maintaining and improving shoreline street ends for public use.

Goals

Our goals are to:

Equitably improve and maintain shoreline access and enjoyment across a broad spectrum of Seattle's neighborhoods
Enhance shoreline habitat by including, where possible, ecological benefits such as native plantings and green stormwater treatment
Build partnerships and encourage stewardship through an extensive network of community partners
Support the maritime industry
Raise neighborhood awareness of shoreline street ends Explore new opportunities to leverage resources

A paved Shoreline Street End

E Allison Street in Eastlake

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Background

In 1889, Washington became the 42nd state and was given ownership of its lands, including more than 3,000 miles of shoreline. To generate revenue for the newly- formed state, the legislature authorized the sale of public tidelands. An estimated 60% of all tidelands had been sold into private ownership by the time the State overturned its decision in 1971. As a result, public shorelands in Seattle are precious assets to be protected and enhanced.

Seattle has several parks adjacent to the water, but there are significant gaps in waterfront parkland. In the early 1990s, community groups began embracing the opportunity to increase public shoreline access in Seattle by improving the spaces where streets, the public right of way, are platted into the water. In 1996, City Council approved Resolution 29370 designating shoreline street ends for "public uses and enjoyment." The resolution was followed by Ordinance 119673 that codified special permit fees to discourage private uses of shoreline street ends, directing the revenue produced toward the maintenance and improvement of shoreline street ends.

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Project Sites Map

Use our interactive map to find your local shoreline street ends or to explore beaches across the city.

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Current Shoreline Street Ends Capital Projects

We are constructing public shore amenities at the following locations:

6th Ave W Access and Habitat Improvements

Project Overview

We are proposing improvements to the 6th Ave West shoreline street end located at the intersection of 6th Ave W and W Ewing St. This project will provide public access and shoreline habitat improvements along the south shore of the Lake Washington Ship Canal.

Project Map

A map of the 6th Ave Shoreline Street End (indicated with a bright blue box), at the intersection of West Ewing Street and Sixth Avenue West.

Map of Intersection of 6th Ave W and W Ewing St. General site area is indicated near the shoreline of the Lake Washington Ship Canal

Map of the project area on 6th Ave W. Site area is outlined in yellow and located where the street ends along the Lake Washington Ship Canal

Project Scope

The proposal includes the following improvements:

Replacing the informal parking spaces along the shoreline with habitat and pedestrian amenities
Removal of compacted gravel and contaminated soil
Regrading the shoreline to create an expanded beach area
Installing of anchored logs and native plantings to help protect the shoreline from erosion
Installing native landscaping, gravel beach, and enhancing an existing swale
Adding informal seating elements such a flat top logs and boulders
Installing a walking path from the South Ship Canal Trail to the street end. The path will be located on the existing asphalt surface, protected by curbing, and striped to indicate pedestrian use only
Regrading the surrounding area to direct stormwater to an existing swale
Repairing potholes at the intersection of 6th Ave W and W Ewing St

Project Background

So far, we have completed a survey of the site, conducted soil testing, and nearly completed the design process. We are about to begin the environmental permitting phase of the project. We estimate the project will be completed in the fall of 2024. As details of this project become available, we will share information with the community.

Schedule

Date	Milestone
Fall 2022	Concept Design
Spring 2024	Final Design
Fall 2024	Approximately 6 Weeks of Construction Completed

Outreach

Concept Design Open House | Monday, November 14, 2022 | 6 P.M. - 7:30 P.M.
Concept Design Q&A Session | Thursday, November 17, 2022 | 6 P.M. - 7:30 P.M.
Concept Design Survey | Survey Link | Closes on Sunday, December 11, 2022
Design Development Open House | Tuesday, February 7, 2023| 6 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.
Design Development Q&A Session | Thursday, February 9, 2023| 6 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.
Construction Documents Open House | Tuesday, April 30, 2024 | 6 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.
Construction Documents Q&A Session | Thursday, May 2, 2024 | 6 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.

Materials

11th Ave NW Erosion Control Improvements

Project Overview

We are making improvements to the 11th Ave NW shoreline street end located south of the intersection of 11th Ave NW and NW 45th St along the shoreline. The project will protect the shoreline from erosion and improve visual public access to the shore.

Project Map

Map of the intersection of 11th Ave NW and NW 45th St. The general site area (indicated with a blue text box) is near the shoreline of the Lake Washington Ship Canal

Map of the project area on 11th Ave NW. The site area is outlined in a yellow dashed line and located where the street ends along the Lake Washington Ship Canal

Project Scope

The initial proposal includes the following improvements:

Installing erosion and sediment control soft shore armoring such as anchored logs and some boulders
Installing salmonoid habitat gravel placement along the shoreline
Adding additional native landscape plantings
Removing existing decking and replacing it with a plaza and overlook railing
Upgrading existing gravel pathway to hardscaping along the shoreline andsurrounding the existing swinging bench for better accessibility

Project Background

The existing decking at the 11th Ave NW shoreline street end was designed and built by University of Washington Landscape Architecture Students in 2015. In 2019, we installed some temporary erosion control measures. The deck has been heavily battered by time and the shore continues to be severely eroded by wakes in this busy section of the Lake Washington Ship Canal.

Schedule

Date	Milestone
Fall 2022	Concept Design
Spring 2024	Final Design
Fall 2024	Approximately 6 Weeks of Construction Completed

Outreach

Concept Design Open House | Monday, November 14, 2022 | 6 P.M. - 7:30 P.M.
Concept Design Q&A Session | Thursday, November 17, 2022 | 6 P.M. - 7:30 P.M.
Concept Design Survey | Survey Link | Closes on Sunday December 11, 2022
Design Development Open House | Tuesday, February 7, 2023| 6 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.
Design Development Q&A Session | Thursday, February 9, 2023| 6 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.
Construction Documents Open House | Tuesday, April 30, 2024 | 6 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.
Construction Documents Online Q&A Session | Thursday, May 2, 2024 | 6 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.
- Microsoft Teams Link

Materials

Project Mailer | September 2022
Concept Design Survey | Survey | Survey Closed on Sunday December 11, 2022
Concept Design Project Overview Flyer
Concept Design Open House Presentation
Construction Documents Open House Presentation

E Martin Street Stormwater and Access Improvements

Project Overview

We are making sidewalk, vehicular parking, bike parking, and stormwater improvements to the East Martin Street shoreline street end, also known as Good Turn Park. The project will improve public access to the shore with a sidewalk extending across the width of the park and another sidewalk extension extent ending at the picnic area. The rain garden will be located where the informal head-in parking is located today. Following the completion of our city led project, the Eastlake Community Council has proposed some additional minor landscape and seating improvements to the interior of the street end.

Project Map

Map of the intersection of East Martin Street and Fairview Avenue East. The general sire area (indicated here with a blue text box) us near the shoreline of Lake Union

Map of the East Martin project area identifying the locations of the scope items, which are listed below

^{SDOT Project}

^Hardscape

^{A. New concrete sidewalk minimum 5-feet}

^{1. New concrete sidewalk minimum 6-feet}

^{2. Concrete Wheel stops}

^{3. Logs seating}

^{4. Boulders}

^Irrigation

^{5. Private irrigation extended to rain garden}

^Landscape

^{6. Rain Garden}

^{Eastlake Community Council Project}

^Hardscape

^{B. Add sand or gravel.}

^{C. Possible art placement location}

^{D. Regrade area for sandy tr}

^{E. Logs for play, for seating}

^{F. Boulders}

^Irrigation

^{G. Extend irrigation to new planting beds}

^Landscape

^{H. New taller tree}

^{I. Small tree(s) - Vine Maple}

^{J. Shrubs area}

^{K. Perennials / grasses area}

Project Scope

The initial proposal includes the following improvements:

Extend 6’ wide asphalt sidewalk across East Martin Street
Create a rain garden between the sidewalk extension and the street
Relocate the bike parking to a new pad new sidewalk
Make minor regrades between the project site and the surrounding landscaping
Install a precast curb that will extend across the project area to protect the landscaping.
Install 4-hour parallel parking on Fairview Ave S

Project Background

This site has seen a series of improvements over the years, with plans prepared by Tom Zachary Landscape Architects in 1988 and 1997 and has resulted in a thoughtful landscaped area with pathways and picnic areas. Our proposal will improve the entry to this public shore with improved access and stormwater improvements to prioritize the pedestrian experience along Fairview Ave E.

The Eastlake Community has hired Karen Kiest Landscape Architects and who are picking up where Tom Zachary Landscape Architects left off and proposing small adjustments to bring new life to this public shore by improving visibility into the park, providing seating elements and additional native landscape plantings.

Schedule

Date	Milestone
Fall 2022	Concept Design
Spring 2023	Final Design
Summer/Fall 2023	6 Weeks of Construciton Completed

Outreach

Eastlake Community Council Meeting | Tuesday, August 23, 2022
Concept Design Open House | Wednesday, September 7, 2022 | 6 P.M. - 7:30 P.M.

Materials

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Funding

This program is funded solely by permits for private uses of shoreline street end sites. The revenue generated is directed back to program sites for program management, site maintenance, and for improvements to public access and habitat.

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Permit for Private Use

A shoreline street end permit allows for the long-term private use of a designated shoreline street end by adjacent property owners. For more information, refer to the Permitted Private Uses section of the SDOT Director's Rule 12-2015.

Details for how to apply for a shoreline street end permit can be found on our SSE Permit Page.

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Community Projects

Community organizations or groups may request permission to have work parties or to open street end for public use. To get started, contact our SSE Program Coordinator at publicspace@seattle.gov.

Friends of Street Ends is a volunteer-led group that advocates for public shore access throughout the city. They have led several street end public access projects and lead cleanup parties throughout the year.

Group working on a Shoreline Street End

E Prospect St Habitat Restoration Volunteers

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Materials

Use our interactive map to find your local shoreline street ends or to explore sites across the city.

For a quick summary of the program, download our factsheet in English or Spanish.

For in-depth details about the program, download our 2017 Work Plan Update.Program summary video recording of a presentation given to Seattle City Council's Sustainability and Transpiration Committee in 2019. The presentation begins at 47:47.

SDOT Director's Rule 12-2015 is the document that sets the official rules and guidelines for the program and permits.

City Council Resolution 29370 designated shoreline street ends for "public uses and enjoyment."

Seattle Municipal Codes:

SMC 11.16.125 (D): Gives the Director of Transportation the authority to close or authorize the closure during hours of darkness of any shoreline street end.
SMC 15.02.046 (N): Shoreline street end definition.

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Shoreline Street Ends Program