Earlier this year the Seattle Convention Center painted nearly 40 bright circles and five white lines along 9th Avenue for its summer Market at the Marquee festival, turning the downtown corridor into a temporary public art display.
The artwork proved difficult to remove, and the street stayed closed well beyond the permit’s July deadline, forcing drivers onto a detour via 7th Avenue to reach Pike Street and the I‑5 express lanes.
Seattle Department of Transportation officials met with the Convention Center on Friday and outlined a two‑phase remediation plan. In the near term, the painted circles will be covered – most likely with a fresh coat of paint – after which lane markings will be reapplied so traffic can resume.
Long‑term, SDOT said the city will likely grind off the artwork, repair the pavement surface and restripe the street, though no timeline or cost allocation has been disclosed.
Commuters have reported losing 10 to 15 minutes each day accessing the I‑5 express lanes, a delay that has persisted for six weeks. Traffic reporter Chris Sullivan of KIRO Newsradio noted the ongoing inconvenience for drivers.
A spokesperson for SDOT said the agency will provide an update on progress next week, but emphasized that the immediate priority is to get 9th Avenue back to a usable state for traffic.