Today we will visit eight street ends and one park in the Eastlake neighborhood. In previous posts, we have looked at street ends around West Seattle, South Ship Canal, from Ballard to Fremont, from Fremont to Portage Bay, as well as the Duwamish Waterway. The last post was for South Lake Union's street ends.
For those new to this series, a little background on Seattle’s Shoreline Street Ends is helpful. Because Seattle is bounded and divided by numerous fresh and salt bodies of water the city has what are called ‘street ends’ — streets that end when they encounter a water body often continue under the water, sometimes resulting in mini-parks or recreational spaces. There are hundreds of such occurrences – almost as many as there are east-west and north-south streets.
Many of them, 142 to be exact, are part of a Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) program called Shoreline Street Ends. The program’s goals are to:
- Help create great neighborhoods;
- Improve public access to and enjoyment of Seattle’s shoreline;
- Enhance shoreline habitat;
- Encourage community stewardship of shoreline Street Ends;
- Support maritime industry; and,
- Responsibly manage private permits and deter non-permitted encroachments.
A little over half of the 142 street ends are defined by SDOT as “worth a visit,” while the remainder are either “not yet ready for visitors” or have “no public access.” Street ends are concentrated along the Ship Canal and Lake Washington, but also occur along each of the city’s other shorelines. Working with the city and neighborhoods to secure funding, pass legislation, and organize work parties, the non-profit and all-volunteer Friends of Street Ends help ensure Seattle’s accessible street ends grow in number and those already serving visitors continue to thrive.
Shoreline Street Ends vary in character from sandy beaches to docks wedged amongst shipyards and industrial uses. They are spacious and they are compact, and most are very easy to find. They support habitat for native species of flora and fauna and are convenient places to launch a kayak, sailboat, or motorboat. Oftentimes, they are adjacent to waterfront parks, expanding upon those assets. They are as varied as Seattle’s topography, and you can visit them any time.
Cycling is the best way to visit Seattle’s shoreline street ends. Many are accessed from low-traffic streets or bike paths.
#76 Fuhrman Avenue E
Sitting beneath the Interstate 5 Ship Canal Bridge is the Furman Street street end. A fairly simple affair, it has a broad grass lawn leading to the water and a view towards the University of Washington campus and the several new highrises emerging in its neighborhood. Along Fuhrman and next to the street end is a rowing club, adding a nice buzz of activity.
WSDOT has closed the area off between the rowing club and the street end due to some hazards associated with falling debris from the underside of the bridge while it undergoes repairs. This condition will remain for some time until all necessary repairs are made. That being said it’s still worth a peek.
#77 E Martin Street
Partly sandy beach and partly forested landscape, the Martin Street street end can appear mysterious when viewed from Fairview Avenue due to its dense tree canopy and deep shadows. Probing beyond the shadows, however, one can find a waterfront bathed in sunlight. When I visited I happened upon a festive gathering that expanded my appreciation of street ends to be about more than water access and places to catch a view of the water to include unique social and gathering places. Residents from recent apartment development in the neighborhood have added new energy to what used to be a more isolated street end.
SDOT recently finished $375,000 in improvements (most done after these photos were taken). Even if you’ve previously visited the street end, here is a good reason to go again.
#78 E Allison Street
The most improved of Eastlake’s street ends, and among the most improved of those I have visited, is the East Allison Street street end. Although lacking the shelter and intimacy of East Martin Street, its staging area for watercraft, generous steps leading to the shoreline, and ADA accessible parking, make it very user friendly.
Right across from the street end is a new neighborhood corner coffee shop, adding a nice amenity to an otherwise desirable location.
#79 East Hamlin Street
East Hamlin Street combines many of the endearing features of Seattle’s street ends, albeit in rustic packaging. It provides a fantastic prospect for viewing Gas Works Park and an intimate lagoon with a sandy shoreline. Other amenities include park benches, a picnic table, as well as an ever changing assortment of lawn chairs along the waterline. The plantings include rose bushes, seagrasses, and a variety of other flora I’m ill equipped to identify. I especially liked the large deciduous trees hovering along its northern edge, their hues changing to golden in the fall day’s crisp air.
Things have been a little tidied up since I took these photos. The paths have new gravel and the benches were repaired, and the neighborhood stewards have done a great job improving and keeping the plantings looking great.
South of East Hamlin Street is East Edgar Street. Although not (yet) part of the Street End program, the Seattle Parks Foundation has information on potential improvements that you can learn more about.
#81 East Roanoke Street
Situated at the tail end of one of Eastlake’s few east-west arterials, Roanoke Street can be hard to miss despite its strategic location and generous amenities. If one looks beyond the parking area along its eastern edge, one finds new street furniture and a paved plaza.
Just to the north is a densely packed, and very urban collection of houseboats. Unlike other neighboring houseboat communities, those along Mallard Cove are arranged parallel to the shoreline giving them a density different from neighboring houseboat communities. This effect is further enhanced by the hillside buildings’ eastern edge.
Boeing’s first factory was located at the foot of Roanoke street.
#82 E Louisa Street
Unique among the dozens of street ends I visited in the past, Louisa Street has a bocce court and a color theme, whose red brilliance was enhanced by the crimson trees hovering above its like-colored furniture when I visited in the fall.
Neighbors are calling it the Louisa Street Beach since children are having fun playing games in the sand. The two trees to the north have mulch and edging to keep users off the tree roots and we will do additional planting this Fall. This park gets lots of kayak use - a self-service rental is across the street. It also generally has someone simply sitting there and enjoying the day—in all kinds of weather.
Lynn Street Minnie Park
Lynn Street Mini Park has a range of amenities and terrific views. Its sandy shoreline is a favorite launching spot for kayakers, and its generously furnished street level terrace allows one to glance above the water enthusiasts to Lake Union. Framed by houseboats to the south and a rare over the water condominium to the north, the park provides one of the more unique and beloved edges along the lake. Although not part of SDOT’s Street End program, and officially a Seattle City Park, its designation matters not for appreciating its fine qualities.
#83 East Boston Street
The East Boston Street street end is easily missed unless one has a map in hand. The street end itself is really just the sidewalk along Fairview Avenue – there is no access to the water. Instead, and if one picks just the right viewing angle to snatch a view between the heavily vegetated shoreline one is surprised to see a picturesque assembly of houseboats framing a view across the lake to Queen Anne.
#84 East Newton Street
East Newton Street, also known as Terry Pettus Park, is currently undergoing renovation. Prior to its being closed I was able to visit it on a fine fall day in 2023. This particular street end, at least prior to its renovation, had that rarest of amenities: a dock. The dock not only allows one a different way to access the water but it also provides a view back to the shoreline. It is hard to pick a favorite among the many great street ends along Eastlake Avenue, but Newton Street would certainly be a contender.
All construction permits for the renovation have been obtained and I’m sure the neighborhood eagerly awaits its reopening. Click here for project updates.
John Feit (Guest Contributor)
