SEATTLE, WA - Bus riders, bicyclists, drivers, and local residents will notice a big change to southbound 23rd Avenue beginning Wednesday. SDOT is kicking off phase two of a reconstruction of the street between Jackson and Massachusetts streets, and the work is expected to take at least a year.

On Monday, King County Metro rerouted the Nos. 4 and 48 buses to Martin Luther King Jr. Way South between Jackson and Massachusetts streets. On Wednesday, SDOT shut down the southbound lanes to all vehicle traffic, detouring drivers to Martin Luther King Jr. Way South. Northbound lanes will remain open.

Phase 1 of the project took place between 2015 and 2017 between John and Jackson streets. The project greatly improved 23rd, adding new bus pullouts, trees, and sidewalks. But the project took a toll on local small businesses - so much that SDOT gave $25,000 to some businesses so they could make it through the construction.