Vendors react as Pike Place Market restricts vehicle access during pilot program

Beyond the towering sprawl of Seattle’s downtown business district lies one of the city’s busiest tourist attractions: Pike Place Market. Attracting more than 10 million annual visitors, the market’s pull of customers can be felt on the shared vehicle-pedestrian roadway on Pike Place. In an effort to provide a safer environment for pedestrians, the mayor, alongside the market’s leadership and stakeholder team, outlined a pilot program in February 2025, aimed at significantly reducing vehicular traffic at the market.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) about his vision for this change to Pike Place.

“Pike Place Market is one of Seattle’s most iconic and beloved public spaces. As we gear up for the FIFA Club World Cup this summer, this new pilot reflects our ongoing efforts to improve access and overall safety for visitors, vendors, and workers alike,” Harrell said.

Vendors react

On Wednesday, April 23, vehicles were restricted from entering the market area on First Avenue and Pike Street, with exceptions for emergency vehicles, vendor loading and unloading, commercial deliveries, curbside pickup for customers, and vehicles with disabled parking permits, according to The Seattle Times. 

Owner of Tisbury Art Glass in Pike Place Market, Tisbury Pringle-Ennis, has found relief in the closure of access to general vehicular traffic on Pike Street.

“They closed general access to cars a few days ago. That has kind of been a relief with the traffic because there is limited area on the cobblestones, so having cars trying to get through with the construction was very disruptive,” Pringle-Ennis said. 

Amy Barr, owner of Minter Goods, hopes the pilot program can promote both walkability and continued access for business owners at Pike Place.

“I think the [pilot program] is a good idea, we do need access for vendors to come in, because our flower people and farmers every day have to bring in very heavy stuff, so we need that access but I think we can find a balance where it encourages walkability and we can also still run our businesses,” Barr said.

A significant construction project on the Triangle Building Deck at Copacabana on Pike Street which started prior to the implementation of the pilot program has created a loud environment for Pringle-Ennis of Tisbury Art Glass.

“It has certainly been loud, so that has been impactful [on my business], and people [at the market] have been feeling like it’s been pretty loud,” Pringle-Ennis said.

Construction projects, in addition to the Copacabana project — like the Stewart Street Restoration Project — had already blocked access to Pike Street. However, a market spokesperson told The Seattle Times that the pilot program would have gone through with or without roadwork.

What’s next?

The pilot program’s limited access zone is expected to run through the completion of the Stewart Street Restoration Project, which is estimated to finish near the end of July, according to the official Pike Place Market website.