U District Seeks Consultants for I-5 Lid Study
The U District Partnership plans to hire consultants for a feasibility study on covering a North Seattle freeway segment under a contract worth up to $1 million.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Remote Work
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The U District Partnership will release a request for proposals on November 16 to seek consultants for a feasibility study on a proposed lid over Interstate 5 between NE 45th and NE 50th streets. The consultant contract could be worth up to $1 million.
Why it matters
The study would evaluate covering a segment of I-5 in North Seattle to connect the University District, Wallingford and Roosevelt neighborhoods. The effort is supported by a $1.5 million federal grant awarded to the partnership in January 2025.
The procurement covers a consultant contract of up to $1 million, distinct from the $1.5 million federal grant the partnership received through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program. Whether the study will lead to construction funding has not been addressed.
The players
U District Partnership
A Seattle neighborhood organization working to advance development and connectivity in the University District, which received the federal grant and is seeking the consultant study.
The details
Proposals for the consultant work are due January 22, 2027, and the contract is anticipated to run from May 2027 through May 2030. Supporters of the Lid I-5 North concept describe a structure similar to a bridge that would allow the freeway to keep operating underneath, with parks, pedestrian and bicycle connections, and affordable housing on adjacent state-owned land.
Timeline
January 2025: The partnership was awarded a $1.5 million federal grant.
2020: A feasibility study was completed for a separate downtown Seattle lid project.
November 16, 2026: The request for proposals is scheduled for release.
January 22, 2027: Consultant proposals are due.
May 2027 through May 2030: The anticipated consultant contract period.
Roadmap
The proposal follows a federal push to repair urban highways that divided neighborhoods, funded through the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program. The North Seattle study also parallels the downtown Seattle lid project, which has already completed its own feasibility work in 2020.
Residents of the University District, Wallingford and Roosevelt could eventually see a freeway lid connecting their neighborhoods if the study leads to construction. The consultant study itself does not change current commuting or access in the area.
The takeaway
Feasibility studies are an early step, and readers tracking North Seattle development should watch for the study's findings in 2027 and 2030.
What happens next
The request for proposals is scheduled for release November 16, 2026, and consultant proposals are due January 22, 2027.
Further reading
Explore more on remote work trends shaping the Seattle area.
Source note: This article includes information reported by 570 KVI.
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