Rainier Avenue S Phase 4

Announcement

Heads up! Beginning Monday, June 30 the intersection at Rainier Ave. S. and S. 2nd St. will temporarily operate as a 3-way stop for the next month. Suggested routes are noted below. Sign up for our weekly newsletter. For all traffic impacts for the week, visit rentonwa.gov/traffic.

Last updated: June 26, 2025

Expect congestion at Rainier Ave. S. and S. 2nd St. starting June 30

Beginning Monday, the intersection at Rainier Ave. S. and S. 2nd St. will temporarily operate as a 3-way stop for the next month. Uniformed Police Officers (UPOs) will be stationed during the day to help direct traffic and ensure safety while work is underway on the traffic signal and rebuilding the concrete road over the Seattle Public Utilities waterlines.

Suggested routes to consider when commuting:

Northbound on Rainier, traffic could take Lake Ave. S.
Southbound on Rainier, traffic could take Shattuck Ave. S.

Upcoming closures June 27-July 4

South Tobin Street intermittent daytime closure is ongoing through Friday, June 27.
Nelson Place NW full daytime closure for paving from Monday, June 30 for roughly a week.

Full schedule available here: Rainier Ave Schedule Update(PDF, 604KB) (updated 6/4/2024)

Project history & overview

Rainier Avenue South is a critical regional transit corridor. It manages high transit use and pedestrian and cyclist traffic volumes daily. The project improves overall functionality to support traffic demands, enhance walkability, and provide transit access without impacting traffic flow. A project at this scale requires a phased approach over several years, with the primary challenge being securing funding.

When grant funding was awarded to the projects, the city could take action on Phase 4 of Rainier, which focuses on safety, improving traffic flow, and access.

Safety for walkers and bicyclists with wider sidewalks and new bike lanes. Safety for drivers trying to get in and out of businesses. Access for transit, walkers, and bicyclists to make stops or access businesses without resulting in traffic delays or collisions.

After Phase 4, expect to see:

Sidewalk widening with streetscaping
Pedestrian-scale lighting
Extension of the Lake Washington Loop Trail
Pedestrian-activated traffic signals
Upgrading existing traffic signals
Transit improvements, including an extended Business Access and Transit lane (BAT lane)
Planted buffer strips and landscaped medians

Project status

Traffic signal was added and turned on at Airport Way (May 2025).
HAWK signals added and turned at the below locations at Victoria and NW 3rd Pl. (May 2025).

Project look-ahead schedule

June 23-27
- Daytime work repairing trench patching, forming and pouting curb & gutter, sidewalk, driveways.
- Impacts: The closures noted above and lane closures as follows: WB S 2nd St right lane closure and one lane each way from 2nd to Airport Way.
June 28-July 4
- No work on the Fourth of July
- Daytime work preparing subgrade for paving on east side between 2nd and Tobin and working on building signal out on S. 3rd.
- Impacts: One lane each way from 2ndto Airport with one lane open on S. 2nd St.
July 5-11
- No daytime closures on Hayes Place SW, South Tobin Street, and Nelson Place NW.

Full details available here: 06.23.25-5-week-Look-ahead.pdf(PDF, 84KB) (updated 6/26/2025)

Project details

Rainier Ave. S. Phase 4 project

FAQs

What activity can be expected during the project?

Crews are actively working on sidewalk, curb, gutter, driveway, and street improvements, including pouring and curing concrete. During this work, you can expect:

Noise and vibration. Crews will aim to complete as much noisy work during the daytime when possible. Occasional nighttime work will be needed to close multiple lanes during the street and sidewalk upgrades. Crews plan to complete their noisiest work as early as possible during early evening hours, though some of this noisy work may continue into the late night and early morning hours.
Street, sidewalk and/or lane closures and detours. Driveways may need to be temporarily closed when we upgrade the sidewalks that cross driveways on Rainier Ave S. Access in and out of driveways will be maintained. If driveways need to be closed for upgrades, our team will notify individual properties in advance.
Traffic impacts. Please plan ahead and give yourself extra time when traveling. The city will include weekly closures on this webpage and the weekly newsletter to help travelers plan ahead.
Dust and debris
Crosswalk and sidewalk closures and detours for people walking and biking

Who can I reach out to if I have questions or concerns?

Please call the outreach team (425) 224-2446 if you have any questions or concerns about noise during construction. The hotline is monitored 24/7. When contacting the outreach team, please be as specific as possible, even if you are only leaving a voicemail.

For general questions, please email info@rainierconstruction.org