Bus-only lanes coming to Route 40 through Fremont, Ballard, Crown Hill, and Westlake

Meghan Walker Ballard

New bus-only lanes are being installed this summer along Route 40 in Fremont, Crown Hill, Ballard, and Westlake. Construction is expected to begin as soon as June 30 and will take several weeks to complete.

The lanes—known as Business Access and Transit (BAT) lanes—are part of the Route 40 Transit-Plus Multimodal Corridor Project, a collaboration between the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and King County Metro. BAT lanes give priority to buses and people biking, while still allowing drivers to make right turns and access nearby shops and services.

New lanes will be added in the following areas:

  • Holman Rd NW (northbound between 3rd Ave NW and N 104th St)
  • Leary Ave NW (northbound between NW Market St and 20th Ave NW)
  • NW Market St (eastbound and westbound between 22nd Ave NW and 24th Ave NW)
  • Westlake Ave N (both directions between 4th Ave N and 9th Ave N)

Bus-only lanes in Fremont—along N 36th St, Fremont Pl N, and Fremont Ave N—will be installed after nearby watermain construction is complete.

SDOT says the lanes are designed to improve travel times while preserving access to local streets and businesses. On Holman Rd NW and Westlake Ave N, a two-way center turn lane will remain in place to allow left turns onto side streets and driveways.

Route 40 is one of King County Metro’s highest-ridership lines, with more than 8,500 average weekday boardings as of fall 2024. According to SDOT, the new bus lanes are expected to reduce travel times by 5–10%, with travel time savings of 14–17% between Ballard and Downtown.

These updates are timed in part to help mitigate congestion from upcoming Revive I-5 construction, which will begin this summer and continue through 2027.

Following the completion of the Route 40 upgrades, SDOT plans to pilot new freight and bus-only (FAB) lanes along Westlake Ave N. These lanes will allow both buses and freight trucks over 26,000 pounds to share space 24/7 for one year. The pilot will be monitored in partnership with the University of Washington Urban Freight Lab to assess how the new configuration affects traffic and transit flow.

For ongoing updates and project details, residents can visit SDOT’s Route 40 project page or sign up for email notifications.

Photo: Example of bus-only lane on Rainier Ave S. (SDOT)