Widening, repaving work lead to brief restrictions along Sammamish River Trail south of Redmond

Joggers, cyclists, walkers and others who use King County’s Sammamish River Trail between Redmond and Woodinville will have a safer, smoother trail once an upcoming widening and resurfacing project is completed.

Beginning Aug. 20, a half-mile stretch of trail from its intersection with Northeast 124th Street south to its intersection with Northeast 116th Street will receive a fresh topcoat of asphalt and will be widened from 10 feet to 12 feet. All bicyclists must dismount while moving through the active construction zones.

The work is being done by the King County Roads Services Division and is expected to take about three weeks to complete. The expected date of completion is Sept. 7.

“A wider trail provides users with more room to pass others and improves overall trail safety,” said KK Soi, project manager for King County Parks.

Soi said that rather than a standard 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. work shift, repair crews will be working on the trail between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., so that cyclists who use the trail as a commuting corridor are not affected by the work. No trail work will be done on weekends.

Trail work alert signs have been installed at several locations along the trail from Bothell to Redmond. Trail users may use the trail’s shoulder or the equestrian track around most of the construction work.

The Sammamish River Trail is a 10-mile portion of the 27-mile-long Burke-Gilman Trail. The Burke-Gilman begins in Ballard and follows an old railroad right-of-way along the Ship Canal and north along Lake Washington. At Blyth Park in Bothell, the trail becomes the Sammamish River Trail and continues for 10 miles to King County’s Marymoor Park in Redmond.

King County's regional trail system features more than 175 miles of trails. The long-term plan calls for bringing that total up to more than 300 miles of trails that link together communities throughout King County.

King County Parks - Your Big Backyard - offers more than 25,000 acres of parks and natural lands, including such regional treasures as Marymoor Park and Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, 175 miles of regional trails, plus pools and a world-class aquatic center. By cultivating strong relationships with non-profit, corporate and community partners, King County Parks enhances park amenities while reducing costs. Learn more at www.metrokc.gov/parks/.