The R Street Corridor is a heavily travelled, heavily congested, north-south connection between Auburn Way South and the residential neighborhoods in Lakeland Hills, providing access to Game Farm Park, Ballard Park, the White River Trail and other points.

But if you have driven on or walked along the R Street corridor recently, you may have noticed it looking tired, owing to heavy use, the onslaught of time and the elements, and overgrown street trees and other vegetation that have damaged the sidewalks, curbs and gutters.

In May 2024, the city launched its R Street Southeast Preservation Project to resurface the pavement, install a shared-use trail for improved pedestrian and bicycle facilities from 33rd Street Southeast to 37th Street Southeast, and add a new water main and stormwater conveyance and lighting systems.

In addition, the project will reconfigure the corridor for improved traffic flow, adding new sidewalks and curbs and gutters. New features will include a multi-use path, new street lighting for improved pedestrian and vehicular lighting, and improved storm drainage and water-main infrastructure.

The city estimates the project will cost $2.91 million and will be funded from city storm and sewer utilities and ICON Materials mining permit mitigation fees.

Construction began in May 2024 and should wrap up this October.

The R Street Corridor is among 46 projects the city’s Capital Project Group of Engineering Services is managing, summing to approximately $133 million in total project costs. Of these projects, 32 are in design, and 14 are under construction.