Website Header
Thriving Community Program
a Federal Investment
What is the Thriving Communities Program?
Thriving Communities Program | US Department of Transportation
Historic South Downtown is in the second cohort of this program, one of 112 communities supported. This planning, technical assistance, and capacity building support will enable communities to advance a pipeline of transformative infrastructure projects that will increase mobility, reduce pollution, and expand affordable transportation options, connecting communities to the essential opportunities and resources that will help them thrive.
The Thriving Communities Initiative recognizes the power of local communities to drive innovation if they have the tools to successfully engage in complex public planning processes. Our grant includes technical support through our partners, Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO), Accelerator for America, and 2Degrees, who are helping us understand the complex set of transportation projects and issues in South Downtown. With their expertise, we will work to advance local community priorities within these infrastructure projects that address critical social, economic, environmental, and mobility needs in South Downtown Seattle -- and our region.
The Thriving Communities Program connects us to a Community of Practice across the country for shared learning. Our grant runs through 2026 to help us coordinate the many transportation projects for maximum impact with our community priorities.
All our reports, including information on federal funding opportunities, project mapping, a presentation on our framework for effective community communications and engagement, and a history of transportation projects to build a framework for the future, are currently (January 2026) in draft form, with a hopeful public release date of April 2026.
#1
Mapping the many overlapping transportation projects currently in planning, development, or construction. This will help community members and government partners see the overlapping impacts experienced by our residents and businesses.
#2
A study of federal funding options that may help us achieve our community priority goals within transportation projects.
#3
A history of transportation projects in South Downtown from the creation of this transportation hub in 1906 when King Street Station and the Great Northern Railroad Tunnel were built. What lessons do past projects teach us about how to achieve our goals in the future?
#4
A case study will look at other neighborhoods that have navigated the needs of smaller ethnic communities grappling with the impacts of large scale development.
#5
A short-term plan to help quickly change centralized communication about construction impacts between government and communities.
#6
A late April 2026 site visit where we seek to open conversations between agencies, policy makers, and community groups on how transformative transportation projects can be -- good or bad. Let's tip the scales towards benefitting our current communities.
Our Current Work Plan
Why South Downtown?
South Downtown Seattle is a hub where all transportation services meet. Our neighborhood developed along the Seattle waterfront, with resources there supporting Coast Salish peoples long before white settlers came to the area. As early white settlers began to build Seattle, the port, railroads, roads, and sidewalks all converge here. South Downtown (Jackson) Hub is the area where King Street Station and Union Station dominate the streetscape.
Streetcar, buses, commuter rail, Amtrak, light rail, three highways, and freight and passenger traffic all come through here. Historic South Downtown supports strong investments in the neighborhoods surrounding this transportation hub to preserve the thriving mixed-use transit-oriented neighborhoods we've had for over a century.
