Seattle Streetcar/Culture Connector

Next Stop: Culture Connector

The Culture Connector streetcar is uniquely poised to be a catalyst for economic vitality in Downtown. This project was formerly called the Center City Connector. The name-change reflects how this new line will connect people from Downtown to Seattle’s cultural offerings in surrounding neighborhoods. Destinations like restaurants, bars, museums, entertainment venues, retail spaces, services, and diverse places to live would be even more accessible. And it would empower locals and visitors to explore our city without a car.  

In 2023, we are taking steps to resume planning on this project to make it a reality.

^{Stops and Destinations along the Culture Connector line}

The destinations are endless:

• Hundreds of unique local dining, nightlife and shopping experiences 
• Museums that share Seattle’s vibrant character, history and culture 
• Music venues, galleries and theaters where local and national artists can perform
• A seamless link between downtown, Pike Place Market, and the waterfront
• Stadiums and arenas attracting major global events

Why We're Resuming the Project Now

We began doing utility work underground a few years ago in Pioneer Square. But we had to pause the project in 2020 due to COVID-19 budget restrictions. Now that COVID restrictions are over, we are resuming the project!  

The Connector will help reinvigorate downtown at this crucial time. Mayor Harrell’s Downtown Activation Plan (DAP) envisions Downtown as the heart of the city. In other words, it's more than a place where people work. But for the past three years, where, when, and how people work has changed. Remote and hybrid work models became more popular. So people would commute to and from downtown less. As a result, people visited restaurants and entertainment venues less, causing a significant impact to downtown businesses. Which makes the Culture Connector a key part of the DAP. The Connector could reconnect people to their jobs, schools, restaurants, and so much more: 

• Connect surrounding neighborhoods to services in Downtown and CID 
• Connect the existing South Lake Union (SLU) and First Hill Streetcar (FHS) lines
• Attract people to major events without the hassle of congestion
• Provide reliable north-south transit along the redeveloped waterfront
• Build resiliency in our transit system by expanding connections to regional transit options like Link, Amtrak, Sounder, etc.
• Provide easy-to-use, low-cost transit. People will soon be able to hop on and off all day using their smartphone 

^{Map of the Culture Connector, which will connect the SLU and First Hill streetcar lines.}  

^{Map Legend}

What's Next?

A delivery assessment is underway to help us know what we need to restart the project. The assessment will be complete and available in Fall 2023. After that, we will share our findings with community members, stakeholders, and elected officials.