Work is ongoing in Ballard as part of the Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) Ship Canal Water Quality Project, with crews building infrastructure designed to help reduce polluted stormwater and sewage overflows into local waterways.
At the Ballard Pump Station, crews are placing rebar and conduits ahead of pouring concrete for the tower walls, according to a recent project update. The pump station is part of the Ship Canal Water Quality Project, which is a multiyear project to build a 2.7-mile-long wastewater tunnel between Ballard and Wallingford. The goal of the project is to reduce runoff into Salmon Bay and the Ship Canal.
Meanwhile, the Ballard conveyance contractor continues work along 24th Ave NW, NW 56th St, and 28th Ave NW. A work area has been established at the intersection of 24th Ave NW and NW 56th St to support upcoming small-diameter tunneling operations. That work zone will be in place through spring 2027, and northbound and southbound traffic on 24th Ave NW will be maintained throughout this phase.
The Ship Canal Water Quality Project is a joint effort by Seattle Public Utilities and the King County Wastewater Treatment Division designed to significantly reduce the amount of polluted stormwater and sewage that flows into the Lake Washington Ship Canal, Salmon Bay, and Lake Union from the sewer system. It includes the construction of an underground storage tunnel and related conveyance and pump facilities.
During this construction phase in Ballard, residents and commuters should anticipate:
- Parking restrictions, intermittent road closures, and local-access-only conditions along 24th Avenue NW, NW 56th Street and 28th Avenue NW
- Increased truck traffic bringing materials on and off site
- Noise, dust, and vibration typical of a large construction project
- Vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle detours in the area
- Heavier traffic as people adjust to detour routes
Travelers are advised to watch for equipment and construction signs and to follow directions from flaggers.
Elsewhere along the Ship Canal Water Quality Project corridor (including East Ballard, Fremont, Queen Anne, and Wallingford), work has been winding down, with crews occasionally returning for minor restoration. The overall project is expected to be operational in 2027.
Graphics by SPU