As we enter a new year, we’re taking a moment to look back at all we accomplished together in 2025 and share what big projects we’re looking forward to in 2026.
In 2025, Commute Seattle:
- Released our latest Seattle Commute Survey, revealing new insights into the behavior, motives, and satisfaction of over 75,000 people traveling to work, school, and other key destinations
- Presented our Seattle Commute Survey findings at the 39th Annual Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT) international conference in New Orleans
- Received the TDM Policy Champion Award at the ACT International conference in recognition for successfully resetoring Commute Trip Reduction funding to the Washington state budget alongside a coalition of Transportation Management Associations
- Put over 1,100 ORCA cards into the hands of Seattle workers through 45 ORCA Business Passport program sales
- Supported over 175,000 employees who work at a CTR-affected business or TMP-affected building
- Launched our Commute University webinar series to educate Employee and Building Transportation Coordinators about services and strategies to support sustainable commuting. See all Commute U webinars on our YouTube channel.
- Hosted over 1,200 total event attendees
- Completed 386 one-on-one consultations with Employee and Building Transportation Coordinators from Seattle’s largest employers and buildings
In 2026, we’re continuing this work!
We recently hosted our latest virtual Commute University with WSDOT, focused on strategies for navigating Revive I-5 construction in the year ahead. We shared tips and answered questions with 100 webinar attendees about the multi-year preservation construction underway. Watch the full webinar on our YouTube channel.
This year, we’re keeping the following projects on our radar as work continues to maintain and expand our region’s dynamic transportation system:
Sound Transit East Link extension
This spring, Sound Transit plans to open the much-anticipated cross lake connection between Seattle and Bellevue. This vital connection will be the first light rail line over a floating bridge! This project also includes new stations at Judkins Park and on Mercer Island. Learn more from Sound Transit.
Infill station at Pinehurst
Later this year, Sound Transit plans to open a new station in North Seattle. Situated between Northgate and Shoreline South / 148th stations, the Pinehurst Station will directly serve the Pinehurst and Jackson Park neighborhoods. New Metro routes will also provide connections to other northside neighborhoods including Broadview, Bitter Lake, and Lake City! Learn more from Sound Transit.
Route 40 Multimodal Corridor
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is expected to wrap up work this year on this project, which aims to improve reliability of Metro route 40, one of Metro’s highest ridership routes which connects North Seattle to Ballard, Fremont, Westlake, and Downtown Seattle. This project adds bus/freight lanes in key locations, replaces aging water mains, and improves sidewalks and ADA-ramps in affected neighborhoods. Learn more from SDOT.
RapidRide J Line
Like the Route 40 project, SDOT is improving a key transit corridor: Metro’s current route 70, soon to be replaced by the new RapidRide J Line. This project affects the line which connects the University District, Eastlake, South Lake Union, Cascade, the Denny Triangle, and Downtown Seattle. Before route 70 transitions to a true RapidRide line, bus lanes are under construction. This project also includes the replacement of water mains, and improvements to sidewalks and crossings. Work is not expected to be completed until 2027. Learn more from SDOT.
Revive I-5
Work on Revive I-5 will continue to impact travel in Seattle for years to come. Read our past blog post for an in-depth look at the project.
Commute Seattle is here to keep you informed and encourage more trips taken on our growing transportation system in 2026!