New pavement for Burke Gilman Trail in Kenmore means brief inconvenience on trail

Cyclists, others, must walk through short construction zone during 4-day job

A 300-foot-long section of King County’s Burke Gilman Trail in Kenmore that is riddled with root heaves and cracked pavement is scheduled to get a fresh layer of blacktop later this month.

Starting Feb. 28, crews from King County Parks and Roads Services will replace the worn-down pavement with new blacktop along the stretch of Burke Gilman Trail just west of 91st Avenue Northeast in Kenmore.

The project, which will greatly improve trail-user safety, particularly of cyclists, skaters and runners by restoring a smooth and consistent surface, is funded by the 2008-2013, voter-approved Proposition 2 Parks Expansion Levy.

Because there is no reasonable detour around the impacted stretch of trail, all trail users – including bicyclists - will have to walk through the construction zone, as directed by flaggers. Short delays of up to 10 minutes could occur while crews perform work or move equipment that won’t allow safe passage for trail users.

This isn’t the only work that King County has planned for the Burke Gilman Trail in 2011. Beginning in April, a two-mile-long segment of the Burke-Gilman Trail through Lake Forest Park from Northeast 145th Street to Logboom Park in Kenmore will be completely rebuilt, greatly improving user safety along the oldest stretch of the popular trail.

King County is working with trail user groups, local jurisdictions and transportation agencies to develop transportation alternatives and solutions for Burke Gilman Trail users during the upcoming long-term closure, which could last up to six months.

The Burke-Gilman Trail runs more than 18 miles from Shilshole Bay in the City of Seattle to the City of Bothell where it intersects the Sammamish River Trail. Part of the "Locks to Lakes Corridor," the trail crosses Ballard, Fremont, Wallingford, the University District and View Ridge within the City of Seattle, as well as the cities of Lake Forest Park, Kenmore and Bothell.

The trail is managed by Seattle within the city limits south of Northeast 145th Street and by King County outside Seattle. More information is available at http://www.kingcounty.gov/recreation/parks/trails/regionaltrailssystem/burkegilman.aspx.

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King County Parks - Your Big Backyard - offers more than 200 parks and 26,000 acres of parks and natural lands, including such regional treasures as Marymoor Park and Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, 175 miles of regional trails 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.kingcounty.gov/parks/.

Related information

Burke Gilman Trail

Regional Trails System

King County Parks