Portion of Burke-Gilman Trail Reopens Friday

Just in time for Christmas, a major redevelopment of a 2.2-mile-long stretch of  reaches a milestone today when the easternmost portion of the trail project is completed and opens for public use.

Approximately 0.7 miles of freshly rebuilt trail from Log Boom Park in Kenmore to Ballinger Way opened today at noon, and features wider pavement plus new lighting, improved road crossings, fencing and other safety upgrades.

Gone with the reopening of this stretch of trail are the temporary stairs that trail users had to navigate in order to access the designated detour route.

The remaining portion of the redevelopment project stretches from Northeast 145th Street to Ballinger Way and is expected to open in about five weeks. Updated trail construction information is available at http://www.kingcounty.gov/parks. Select “construction projects updates” and click on the Burke-Gilman Trail link.

King County is nearing completion of the first major redevelopment of the Burke-Gilman Trail through Lake Forest Park—the oldest stretch of the trail that runs from Seattle’s Shilshole Bay area to Kenmore, where it connects with the Sammamish River Trail.

The project has faced delays due to problems with underground utilities, trees and poor soil conditions that added to $2.2 million to the cost of the project now estimated at $4.89 million.

—Information from King County Parks