Who just paid $45 million to connect Seattle's waterfront?

When cruise ships are docked at Seattle's waterfront, walking the narrow sidewalks on this part of Alaskan Way can feel like being a salmon swimming up a narrow stream. A handful of private donors hope a few million dollars can open things up.

“I think all of us, when we come down to a public space, we want to be able to walk, we don’t want to bump into people and their luggage,” said Colleen Echohawk, who is on the team in charge of improving this corridor.

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Seattle's Waterfront is undergoing a major remodel in the wake of the Alaskan Way Viaduct coming down. Colman Dock has undergone major upgrades to handle considerable crowds of ferry commuters and tourists. The nearby Seattle Aquarium was just approved to take out millions in loans to complete its own remodel.

There's also a lot of open public space along with new, wide sidewalks slated for this stretch, but all the features stop just north of the Seattle Aquarium. From there to the Olympic Sculpture Park, a much narrower sidewalk becomes uncomfortably crowded with tourists when the cruise ships are in. This is a sort of "missing link" among the pedestrian and bike improvements linking Seattle's waterfront parks. A $45 million donation aims to change that by funding the Elliott Bay Connections project.

The donation comes from a handful of sources with ties to Seattle's tech business community, such as Melinda French Gates, Mackenzie Scott, and Expedia’s Barry Diller. Expedia's headquarters is located along Seattle's waterfront, just north of the projects the donation will fund. The donation also means that this project won't be paid for with tax dollars.

Seattle's Elliott Bay Connections project includes a range of waterfront features, from Pier 62 to Pier 70. It proposes to connect Waterfront Park with the Olympic Sculpture Park, and restore Myrtle Edwards and Centennial Parks. It also aims to bring back public fishing at Pier 86. It will ultimately create a nearly one-mile protected greenway, add 2.5 acres of open area to a total of 50 acres of waterfront public space.

Echohawk noted that the donations will pay to rip out old trolley tracks, and replace them with new bike and pedestrian paths that will fill in a "missing link" among the string of waterfront parks, “and it’s just gonna make it better for everyone who lives in our beautiful city.”

"This is an incredible project to connect all of the parks here on Elliot Bay, along the Salish Sea, starting with a bike and pedestrian greenway from Pier 62 up to the Olympic Sculpture Park, and then a refresh of Myrtle Edwards and Centennial parks," said Ben Franz-Knight who is also on the project team that will build the new waterfront features.

When you add up all the public and private investments, about $3.5 billion is being spent to rebuild Seattle's waterfront. Public outreach on the project begins this fall.

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“Seattle’s waterfront is a truly one-of-a-kind place with something for everyone: visitors, families, residents, and workers alike,” Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said in a statement. “Elliott Bay Connections advances our decades-long efforts to reconnect the city to the waterfront, ensuring a seamless transition from downtown and safe, accessible pathways to experience the natural beauty of our region. This public-philanthropic approach is a shining example of bold Space Needle Thinking and a One Seattle effort, and we are so grateful to these donors for their commitment to help make Seattle’s waterfront a vibrant, world-class destination in time for the 2026 World Cup when thousands of soccer fans from around the world will come to our city.”

According to the city, the project will:

• Add a new 2.5 acre "greenway" between Waterfront Park and the Olympic Sculpture Park.
• Add a "constellation of lush, open public spaces," to Waterfront Park, "linked together by a pedestrian-oriented promenade." An Overlook Walk will connect Pike Place Market with the Seattle Aquarium. (This 20 acres of public space is slated to open in 2025.)
• Restore 16 acres at Myrtle Edwards and Centennial parks with beach coves, paths, and plants.
• Add 2.5 acres of native plants, seating, and driftwood to The Beach, south of Smith Cove.

“Having lived in Seattle for more than three decades, I know we thrive on being so close to nature,” Melinda French Gates said in a statement. “Public parks connect us to green space and water, but they also connect us to each other. This network of waterfront parks will be a shared space for everyone and bring our city together."