Route 8 riders crawling through Lower Queen Anne and Denny Triangle are about to get a dedicated lane on one of Seattle's most gridlocked stretches.

Crews will paint the new eastbound bus-only lane on Denny Way between 5th Ave N and Stewart St overnight Saturday, Aug. 22, and Sunday, Aug. 23, according to the Seattle Department of Transportation.

The red lane is the final piece of the Denny Way Bus Reliability Project, funded by the Seattle Transportation Levy. Once operational, about 7,000 daily Route 8 riders stand to gain faster trips along a corridor where 20,000 to 30,000 motorists also drive on an average weekday. SDOT said it tested the configuration during earlier construction and found eastbound travel times dropped by up to 15%.

What drivers need to know

Along with the bus lane paint, crews will install a new westbound bus stop between Minor Ave and Stewart St and complete signal work restricting the left turn from eastbound Denny Way onto Dexter Avenue N. Drivers heading eastbound on Denny to I-5 South are now directed to turn right on Boren Ave and left on Howell St, after Yale Ave was permanently closed at Denny Way on Aug. 1.

Expect noise, dust and equipment on site during overnight work both nights.

Fixing the "Late 8" was one of Mayor Katie Wilson's two core campaign promises in her 2025 race. The broader project converts one eastbound lane into a red bus lane along 13 blocks between Queen Anne Avenue North and Second Avenue North.

Route 40 punch-list work in Ballard and Fremont

A few miles north, the Route 40 Transit-Plus Multimodal Corridor Project is entering its final stretch. Crews are returning to Ballard and Fremont for punch-list tasks identified during inspections, My Ballard reported.

In Ballard, that means sidewalk and pavement repairs, landscaping restoration, permanent sign installation and some overnight pavement marking on Market Street and Leary Avenue.

In Fremont, work includes final roadway improvements and a planned relocation of a pedestrian signal near the eastbound North 35th Street bus stop, which could begin as early as September. A new westbound bus stop on North 36th Street between Greenwood Avenue North and Phinney Avenue North is also under construction.

Golden Gardens shuttle still running

The Golden Gardens Direct shuttle continues daily through Sunday, Aug. 30, running every 30 minutes from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. between downtown Ballard and Golden Gardens Park. Adult fare is $3; riders 18 and under ride free. The pilot is funded through the Seattle Transit Measure. As we reported Aug. 2, the shuttle shares stops with Route 44 along Market Street.

I-5 Ship Canal Bridge heads-up

Northbound I-5 remains reduced to two lanes across the Ship Canal Bridge through the end of 2026 as part of WSDOT's Revive I-5 preservation project. Express lanes stay open northbound-only around the clock, but the Harvard Avenue on-ramp to northbound I-5 is closed until mid-October.