The U District Partnership recently announced a significant development in urban planning, securing a $1.5 million federal grant from the United States Department of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot Grant Program.
This funding aims to support a year-long feasibility study to explore the possibility of constructing a lid over Interstate 5, specifically between Northeast 45th and 50th Streets.
The proposed concrete cap is envisioned as a way to reconnect nearby neighborhoods while creating valuable space for affordable housing, parks, and pedestrian infrastructure.
Titled “Reclaiming Space, Restoring Communities,” the study will assess various challenges associated with the potential lidding project, including structural integrity, environmental impact, and financial sustainability.
Moreover, the study will seek input from the community regarding priorities such as affordability, walkability, and access to amenities, striving to ascertain what types of developments the lid might support.
Local planners, community organizations, and faculty and students from the University of Washington (UW) are collaborating on the project, reflecting a broader interest in addressing the community divisions that arose from mid-century infrastructure developments.
If successful, the lid could bridge the divide between neighborhoods such as Wallingford, the U-District, and Ravenna—areas that have felt the impact of the I-5 freeway since it split the city in 1969.
The initiative builds on momentum from a similar lidding project in downtown Seattle, which completed a feasibility study in 2020 and has since received a $2 million federal grant to further its objectives.
The planned Lid I-5 project aligns seamlessly with UW’s 30-year master plan, which emphasizes sustainable land use, housing, and public spaces within the U-District.
Aaron Hoard, the director of regional and community relations at UW, articulated the project’s core goals of enhancing walkability while balancing the increase in density with more open space.
Although UW is not formally overseeing the lid project, its faculty and students are actively engaged in design workshops and community outreach initiatives for the foreseeable future.
“With I-5 dividing the ‘UW side’ from the ‘Wallingford side,’ it’s crucial that we envision infrastructure that reconnects both communities,” Hoard stated.
There is a mix of hope and skepticism regarding the project among residents, particularly among students.
Mia Pennell, a UW senior residing near the I-5 corridor, expressed optimism about the presence of new affordable housing attracting more students to the area.
“I think it kind of just depends on what they decide to build there,” Pennell remarked, emphasizing the potential for new developments to make the area more vibrant and community-oriented.
She noted that increased affordable housing and green spaces would enhance everyday life and possibly encourage students to settle in the neighborhood post-graduation.
However, not all observers share this enthusiasm. Keith Harris, an assistant teaching professor in Urban Design and Planning, cautioned against unrealistic expectations regarding the lid’s impact.
Harris suggested that the construction of such significant infrastructure could do little more than serve as a superficial remedy, potentially prioritizing business interests over genuine urban transformation.
“What I really see is a huge piece of infrastructure, with cars flying up and down the highway—no reduction in greenhouse gas emissions,” he remarked.
He further labeled the initiative as “reformist rather than revolutionary,” warning against the common misconception that merely increasing housing supply would significantly address urban issues.
The ownership and developmental responsibilities for the land created by the lid remain unclear, with prospects of future funding potentially involving private developers.
The feasibility study will help clarify which priorities, such as public versus private interests, will shape the project’s direction moving forward.
Don Blakeney, involved with both the Lid I-5 Coalition and the U District Partnership, highlighted that planners are considering the consolidation of freeway off-ramps to unlock up to seven acres of potential developable land.
This newfound space could be instrumental in accommodating much-needed housing, green areas, or cultural amenities, although a critical balance must be struck between functionality and visual appeal.
In 2020, a UW course on Community, Environment, and Planning studied ways to alleviate the freeway’s impact and identified several underutilized government-owned parcels located east of I-5 between Northeast 45th and Northeast 50th, suggesting these could be integrated into future development strategies.
“The freeway has always been a really big scar across our city,” Blakeney asserted, pointing to the necessity of unifying community efforts to address these historical divides in a constructive manner.
He encouraged students to participate in Lid I-5 Coalition activities, such as visioning workshops and design charrettes, which provide opportunities for community members to influence outcomes at every project phase.
The U-District, noted as Seattle’s fastest-growing neighborhood, currently faces considerable pressure to ensure that the influx of residents does not compromise livability.
Organizers of the Lid I-5 project intend to maximize community engagement during this planning year so that stakeholders are fully prepared to contribute effectively if the project advances.
After the feasibility study is completed, project partners will determine whether to pursue construction.
If approved, actual construction work will commence only after securing additional funding and finalizing development contracts, meaning tangible progress is likely more than a year away.
For more information on the grant and the lidding initiative, visit the U District Partnership’s website.
image source from：dailyuw
