Politics & Government
Construction Beginning on Interurban Trail’s Missing Link in Edmonds
At groundbreaking ceremony, Mayor Mike Cooper calls the venerable trail part of the city's Complete Streets orientation.
After several years of false starts due in part to right-of-way issues, the city of Edmonds is about to complete the missing link of the Interurban Trail through the city.
When completed, the regional trail, which follows the route once used by the Interurban Trolley running from Seattle to Everett from 1910 through 1939, will finally connect the north end of Seattle, including Shoreline, to the south end of Everett.
At a groundbreaking ceremony today at 76thAvenue West and McAleer Way in the far southeastern portion of the city, Mayor Mike Cooper tied the trail into an ordinance signed last month, , which strives to make all avenues of traffic accessible not only to cars and trucks but to walkers, joggers and bike riders.
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The Interurban Trail Project in Edmonds is expected to be completed within 60 to 90 days, depending on the weather, said of Edmonds’ Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services department. It is funded mostly by $1.3 million in federal and state grant money.
In 2009, the city secured a grant of $577,000 from the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO), along with a federal grant of $500,000 from the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Program. These are in addition to a $250,000 federal grant awarded in June 2002.
Find out what's happening in Shoreline-Lake Forest Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The trail will complete the link of the regional trail through Edmonds. It will go north on 76th Avenue West from the new section in Shoreline at SR 104, continue to the old rail corridor at McAleer Way, and follow the corridor to 228th Street SW. There, it will connect with the new southern terminus of the Mountlake Terrace trail.
The trail project includes a half-mile, 12-foot-wide paved path, landscaping, benches, signage, a bicycle rack, a shelter and an information kiosk. Bike lanes will be added to 76th Avenue West and bike arrows will be added to residential 74th Avenue West to complete the 1.37-mile section.
On hand today at the groundbreaking was Sam Shuyler of the Washington State Department of Transportation, who said the completed project will provide “a parklike experience” to the area.
The project designer was KPFF, and Perteet Engineering is handling construction management. Construction itself will be done by Trimaxx Construction Inc.
