Rainier Avenue S Phase 4
Last updated: March 12, 2025
Project Overview
Rainier Ave. S. plays an important role in moving people and goods throughout the region. Renton has experienced rapid growth in the previous decades, outpacing all other major populated metros in the state. To accommodate, the City of Renton has completed several multimodal projects along Rainier Ave. S. to improve traffic operations, reduce collisions, and provide greater ease of non-motorized and transit-based travel.
The city is currently constructing Phase 4 of the Rainier Ave. S. Improvements. Phase 4 improvements will create a safer, more accessible, and vibrant pedestrian environment and improve overall traffic flow through the corridor.
The project will include the following elements:
- Sidewalk widening with streetscaping
- Pedestrian-scale lighting
- Pedestrian activated traffic signal
- Upgrading existing traffic signals
- Transit improvements, including an extended Business Access and Transit lane (BAT lane)
- Planted buffer strips and landscaped medians
Phase 4 of the Rainier Ave. S. Improvements will extend from S. 3rd St. to NW 3rd Pl. A pedestrian and bike path will also be built on the east side of Rainier Ave. N., between Airport Way and NW 3rd Pl.
Project Schedule
Rainier Ave Schedule Update(PDF, 604KB) - updated 6/4/2024
Project Look-Ahead Schedule
03/10/25 to 04/11/25(PDF, 122KB)
Project Status
In December 2022, Renton City Council awarded the construction contract to Pivetta Brothers Construction Co. Construction started in Spring 2023. Since then, crews have worked on tree trimming and removal, surveying activities, digging a new joint utility trench, installing new utilities in the shared joint utility trench, and installing a new watermain.
Here’s what to expect for the rest of construction:
- 2025: Finish utility upgrades for storm and sewer and begin installing street and pedestrian lighting along the corridor.
- 2025: Crews will begin demolishing and upgrading the street and sidewalks along Rainier Ave S.
- 2025: Street and sidewalk upgrades continue. Crews will also install medians and landscaping.
- 2025: The final paving, striping and landscaping will be complete.
On July 9, 2024, the City of Renton approved a contract extension that includes a new construction completion date in late 2025. We know that construction is impactful, and we are coordinating with our contractors every single day to make sure that we complete this project as quickly as possible.
Crews are finishing up the storm and sewer work along the project corridor. Once these underground utility upgrades are completed, we will begin repairing the street and sidewalks. 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.
- Dust and debris
- Crosswalk and sidewalk closures and detours for people walking and biking
Community outreach
Prior to the start of construction, the project team reached out to the community to share information on the project, discuss upcoming construction activities, and gather information from frontline stakeholders. This helped to anticipate needs and minimize construction impacts on the community.