King County improving access to Snoqualmie Valley Trail

King County Parks will launch a project to improve access to the Snoqualmie Valley Trail as part of the county’s ongoing efforts to improve its regional trail system.

Beginning in mid-November, crews from contractor T. Miller, Inc. will replace 51 irregular access gates with new standard access bollards. The project is expected to increase safety as well as improve the users’ experience of the trail.
 
Robert Foxworthy, King County Regional Trail Coordinator, said trail entrances are currently restricted by the steel gates, concrete blocks, and in some cases, large boulders.

Trail users, including pedestrians, bicyclists and equestrians, now have to navigate their way around these obstacles at access points. Foxworthy said these irregular barriers at trail access points will be replaced with the uniformly-spaced bollards, which are posts made of treated wood or metal. The changes will provide simple and direct access for trail users, and also make it easier for emergency and maintenance access.

Crews will begin making improvements at Cedar Falls Road north of Rattlesnake Lake and continue northwest to Duvall during the three-month-long project. Although the trail will remain open during the work, temporary access interruptions could occur.

The existing gates will be recycled for use elsewhere within the county’s parks and transportation systems. More information on the project is available by contacting KK Soi, King County Parks project manager, 206-263-7283.

King County Parks - Your Big Backyard - offers more than 25,000 acres of parks and natural lands, including such 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 http://www.metrokc.gov/parks/.