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Delivering a once-in-a-generation waterfront transformation for downtown Seattle

A bold redesign delivers a thriving shoreline where the city meets Puget Sound
Seattle Waterfront
Transportation

Seattle’s waterfront has long defined the city’s identity — now, it’s reimagined for the next century, and Jacobs helped shape every step of the transformation.

Jacobs was hired by the City of Seattle in 2010 as program manager and lead engineer, working with landscape architecture firm, Field Operations, and a multi-disciplinary team to develop the concept, preliminary and final design for Seattle’s reimagined waterfront. Working with our client, the City of Seattle’s Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects, our team engaged in extensive public involvement, resulting in an emerging design that reflected a shared vision for the future Seattle waterfront. 

20 acres

of revitalized public space transformed along the waterfront

3+ miles

of multimodal infrastructure — including pedestrian, bicycle, and transit facilities — built or improved

16K+ linear feet

of underground utilities replaced or upgraded

Jacobs began as construction manager for early projects starting in 2013, including the replacement of the Elliott Bay Seawall, which forms the foundation for the new waterfront, a new Pier 62 and a Habitat Beach. As construction manager — first independently and later as part of the Waterfront Partners joint venture with HNTB — Jacobs provided full construction management services for this multi-phase program to reshape the Puget Sound shoreline prior to, during and following the removal of the Alaskan Way Viaduct. 

Since 2010, the team has managed more than 14 capital projects, including the mile-long new Alaskan Way street and Waterfront Park Promenade built under the “Main Corridor” contract, two award-winning pedestrian bridges at Union Street and Marion Street, the award-winning Overlook Walk and the family-friendly Pier 58 and Pier 62.

Together, these projects have transformed 20 acres of public space and more than three miles of infrastructure — navigating the complexities of a dense urban environment to create a vibrant, accessible waterfront for all.

  • Lumen Field
    Lumen Field Stadium
  • Waterfront Seawall
  • Seattle's Waterfront

  • This program has always been about creating meaningful connections — between people, neighborhoods and the waterfront itself. From the earliest planning stages to the final touches on Overlook Walk and Pier 58, our team worked together with the city, contractors and community stakeholders to build these amazing new spaces that truly belong to the people of Seattle. This kind of transformation only happens through deep collaboration, and I’m proud of how Jacobs helped turn a complex vision into a vibrant reality — one that reconnects the city to Puget Sound and to each other. I had no idea the extent of the complex issues we’d encounter throughout construction, but with an amazing dedicated, innovative and talent team, the projects were successfully delivered.
    Jody Robinson
    Jacobs Construction Engineer/Program Manager

  • The goal of the Seattle Waterfront Program was to create a ‘Waterfront for All.’ Guided by the City of Seattle, the Jacobs-led design team spent years gathering public input and navigating design requirements and funding constraints to bring that vision to life. It took creative thinking and innovative solutions — and seeing the public embrace their new waterfront has been the greatest reward.
    Andrew Barash
    Andrew Barash
    Jacobs Project Integration Leader, Senior Project Manager

Delivering complexity with confidence

Jacobs’ role on the waterfront spanned the full lifecycle of design and construction management — overseeing 14 contracts, stakeholder coordination and quality assurance. The team delivered:

  • More than 55,000 square yards of new and restored pavement
  • Multimodal transportation facilities including dedicated bike and bus lanes, and countless pedestrian walkways
  • More than 16,000 linear feet of dry and wet underground utilities
  • Over 12 acres of new landscape and over 100,000 plants and trees
  • Two new public parks on new piers and new habitat enhancements within the tidal areas
  • Features such as playgrounds, swings, benches and art installations

Overlook Walk: A landmark connection

One of the program’s signature achievements is the Overlook Walk, a new elevated park officially opened in October 2024 that reconnects downtown Seattle to its waterfront. Spanning a four-lane roadway and bridging nearly 100 feet of elevation between Pike Place Market and the Seattle Aquarium, Overlook Walk includes two integrated concrete structures (precast and cast-in-place) with accessible ramps, stairs, elevators and a glass-canopied café. The design incorporates landscaped planters, seating areas, a kids play zone and panoramic views of Elliott Bay — creating a welcoming, inclusive space for residents and visitors.

The project was named one of the New York Times’ “Four Must-See Parks” and received the American Council of Engineering Companies’ National Gold Award in the Transportation category, among other honors.

A new icon rises at Pier 58

The opening of the new Pier 58 in July 2025 marked another major milestone. The new pier features a marine-themed playground anchored by a 25-foot jellyfish-inspired climbing tower, 18-foot slide and crab wobble boards — all designed with community input and accessibility in mind. The restored Waterfront Fountain and light-permeable decking support both public enjoyment and marine habitat restoration.

Driving innovation and value

On the Overlook Walk project, Jacobs and City of Seattle leadership worked with the city’s General Contractor/Construction Manager (GC/CM) contractor to develop a flexible cost tool that enabled real-time value engineering. More than 22 workshops used a decision-tracking matrix to evaluate cost components dynamically, accelerating design decisions and avoiding delays tied to traditional milestone estimating.

Other innovations across the Seattle Waterfront Program included:

  • 4D BIM modeling to validate construction sequencing and optimize scheduling
  • Just-in-time delivery and off-site fabrication to reduce site congestion
  • Agile formwork strategies to maintain momentum amid shifting adjacent project schedules
  • Working without interruption through a global pandemic; altering construction management practices while maintaining consistent quality and documentation to meet the client’s needs
  • Strategically working through a regional concrete strike 

Award-winning impact

Projects across Seattle’s waterfront have earned impressive acclaim — from dozens of awards for the Elliott Bay Seawall to multiple honors for the Habitat Beach. The Union Street and Marion Street pedestrian bridges, along with the Overlook Walk, have each received both local and national recognition, underscoring the Waterfront Program’s excellence in design, delivery and community impact.

These accolades reflect not only the strength of the program, but Jacobs’ ongoing commitment to helping cities thrive — through resilient infrastructure, thoughtful collaboration and spaces that connect people to place.

A new way to experience Seattle

Opened in September 2025, the revitalized waterfront now offers a seamless pedestrian experience from Pike Place Market to the Aquarium and beyond, with public art, native landscaping and improved east-west connections into downtown. Visitors can explore the Aquarium’s new Ocean Pavilion, ride the Great Wheel or enjoy concerts or fishing at Pier 62. The corridor is alive with activity — including Zumba classes, food trucks and whale-watching tours.

From the jellyfish climbing tower at Pire 58 to the Overlook Walk, Jacobs helped the City of Seattle shape a waterfront where the city meets the Sound — and where people rediscover both. What was once a barrier of concrete and viaducts is now a vibrant, accessible and resilient public realm. It’s a place where children climb, salmon swim and communities gather. Through bold design, technical excellence and deep collaboration, Jacobs helped Seattle not only reclaim its shoreline, but reimagine what it means to belong to it.