Highway 99 separates our neighborhood…
South Park is a vibrant community with a long-standing relationship to the land and the Duwamish River.
What if we reclaim the land?
Together, we are working to transform this segment of SR-99 into a thriving, community-centered space.
We aim to enhance connectivity, economic opportunity, and environmental quality while addressing the impacts of Highway 99, creating new opportunities to unify South Park!
Join us in the development of Alternative Futures for SR-99 to Reconnect South Park…
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Maintain the existing highway while enhancing neighborhood livability by adding features such as sound walls, improved pedestrian and bicycle access, connected pathways, new crossings, landscape enhancements, trees, and restored natural areas—creating a safer, healthier environment.
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Convert the SR-99 corridor into a multi-functional, economically vibrant neighborhood boulevard that supports small businesses, enhances public spaces, and improves traffic efficiency with modernized infrastructure (e.g., crossings, lights, roundabouts) to strengthen neighborhood connectivity. Improvements southward towards Tukwila may include habitat restoration and consolidation of the redundant W.Marginal Pl. segment.
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Reconfigure SR-99 through South Park to unlock 44+ acres of land for job creation, housing, community businesses, green spaces, restored natural areas, and amenities that strengthen the economic and social fabric of the South Park and Duwamish Valley communities. Envision how revised connections between SR-99, Tukwila International Blvd., E.Marginal Way, and SR-509, can enable improved logistics, a vibrant neighborhood parkway, and environmental restoration.
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Lid a section of the highway to maintain the present pass-through functionality, while exploring the ‘resurfaced’ possibilities, restored neighborhood connections, multimodal pathways, and greenspaces. Certainly a complicated engineering approach that would require tunnel-supporting facilities (ventilation, evacuation, etc.), utility relocations, and numerous environmental considerations.
Feasibility & Rationale:
Is an Alternate Future possible!?
This portion of SR-99 presents an opportunity for modernization of 1950’s era planning with future-forward reinvestment increasing public safety, mobility, and environmental health.
There are many alternative routes for both freight and commuter traffic, with planned improvements to SR-509 likely reducing SR-99 traffic.
Our community can thrive with additional space for housing, workforce development, youth activities, local businesses and industry collaboratively driving long-term economic growth and regional benefits!
Cities worldwide are upgrading aging, expensive, single-purpose infrastructure to better support local economies, changing transportation needs, and public well-being…
So why not in South Park?!
Objectives of the Coalition
Connect Duwamish Valley residents, organizations, businesses, and workers in shaping a future vision for SR-99 that prioritizes safety, economic opportunity, and community well-being.
Assess the mobility, public health, and economic impacts of SR-99 in South Park, evaluating potential benefits of innovative design solutions.
Develop a Community Vision Plan that reflects shared goals, prioritizing accessibility, local economic strength, and environmental stewardship.
Collaborate with community organizations, businesses, and public agencies to champion infrastructure improvements that align with long-term prosperity and equity.
The Mission to Reconnect South Park is led by you.
the Reconnect South Park Coalition seeks input from Duwamish Valley neighbors on how the highway does and does not meet their needs today, and how it could change OR BE IMPROVED in the future.
We are excited to share an update…
Since beginning our collaboration with City of Seattle in 2022, we have gathered your feedback to begin building Alternate Futures for the SR-99 segment through South Park. This input led us to compile four Potential Futures to illustrate new possibilities for the existing highway right-of-way, and guide a comparative technical analysis by Kimley-Horn, the consulting firm selected by City of Seattle and our coalition. Your continued involvement is critical in crafting the Community Vision Plan - framework for the next steps in reconnecting South Park…
So don’t wait, take our survey!
Curious to see how your involvement has shaped the project so far?
The Bigger Picture
Cities across the globe are modernizing highways to better serve communities, economies, and the environment.
Living examples of this transformation demonstrate that holistic infrastructure design accelerates economic growth, improves public safety, and enhances quality of life.
Reconnect South Park is about creating a forward-looking urban design that supports businesses, residents, and future generations in the Duwamish Valley.
RSP Convening Meetings
Our team is working on a community calendar of engagement events where you can meet the RSP convening group, technical consultants, bring your questions & ideas, and join the coalition to Reconnect South Park!
RSP in the News
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