What is the Eastrail?

The Eastrail, formerly known as the Eastside Rail Corridor, will be an uninterrupted, 42-mile trail connecting the communities of Renton, Newcastle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Woodinville, Redmond, and Snohomish, providing new opportunities for non-motorized recreation and transportation. Currently, 13 miles of the Eastrail are open.

Beginning in summer 2020, WSDOT, in partnership with King County Parks, is overseeing construction of 2.5 miles of new paved Eastrail in Renton and Bellevue. A second phase of trail construction scheduled for 2021 will build a new crossing over Interstate 405 in Bellevue near the Mercer Slough.

Take a look at future trail connections.

Explore King County trails via the King County Parks TrailFinder.

In addition to the 2.5 miles of new trail south of I-90, the I-405 Renton to Bellevue Widening and Express Toll Lanes Project will also build a trail bridge over I-405 in Bellevue. This I-405 trail overpass construction project is scheduled for 2021. Stay tuned for more information about that addition to the Eastrail later in 2020.

What to expect from construction

Crews will be working at multiple locations along the trail at once. Segments One and Three will be closed for construction starting in late June, while Segment Two will be closed starting in September. Full trail closures will allow crews a safe space to excavate, build retaining walls and drainage structures, widen the trail, and pave.

People who live, work or travel near the trail should expect:

• Trucks and equipment on local streets and entering the work areas via Ripley Lane North, 106th Avenue Southeast, and Lake Washington Boulevard Southeast.
• Crews working Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and occasional Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Currently, all work is planned for daytime hours only.
• Noise expected from typical construction activities. Minimal expected vibration or dust.
• Construction fencing, water runoff containment, and other signs of construction along open sections of trail.

People who use the trail should expect:

• Full trail closures – Segments One and Three will be closed for construction starting in June, while Segment Two will be closed starting in September.
• Detours – When a detour around a closed trail section is possible, directional signage will be provided.
• Flaggers on the trail directing occasional short-term (15 minutes or less) trail closures.

In late fall 2020, sections of the trail may reopen while crews complete landscaping and other work that can be safely conducted alongside an open trail. Our primary goal is the safety of people on the trail, neighbors and crews.

Segment One: Ripley Lane North to Hazelwood Lane Southeast

Trail closes for construction: June 29, 2020

Expected opening: Spring 2021

Trail detour: Lake Washington Loop Trail, which parallels this portion of the Eastrail just to the east.

Other notes: A short section of Ripley Lane North at the south end of the work zone will become a one-way street controlled by signs, flaggers or temporary traffic signals. The street's southbound lane will be turned into a barrier-protected pedestrian path to facilitate pedestrian and bicycle connections between the Lake Washington Loop Trail detour.

Segment Two: Hazelwood Lane Southeast to Newcastle Beach Park

Trail closes for construction: September 2020

Expected opening: December 2020

Trail detour: None. There are no viable dedicated-path detour options in this constrained area between Lake Washington and I-405. People riding bicycles can use 106th Avenue Southeast/Lake Washington Boulevard Southeast to traverse this 1.2-mile closure.

Other notes: Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations related to a bald eagle nest along this section of trail constrain the window of time in which crews are allowed to work nearby. We also understand that a full trail closure is a large impact to trail users. We are therefore sequencing the trail work to accomplish as much as possible elsewhere (Segments One and Three), while leaving this section of trail open for most of the summer.

Segment Three: Newcastle Beach Park to Coal Creek

Trail closes for construction: June 2020 (trail is currently closed)

Expected opening: November 2020

Trail detour: No detour is required, as the trail is not open. The Lake Washington Loop Trail (bike lane on 118th Avenue Southeast) resumes at Lake Washington Boulevard Southeast and heads north.

Other notes: Work on this section of trail includes two fish passages that will pass beneath the trail alignment.

New trail design

Compared to the current gravel trail, the new trail will offer a better experience for runners, walkers, bikers and families. The trail will be one of the widest in the region, with a 12-foot paved trail, plus a 2-foot gravel shoulder on one side and 6 feet of gravel on the other side. This mixed-surface path offers people on the trail a choice of surfaces and provides more space between people walking and biking.

In addition to a wider trail, lighting will be installed at each road/trail crossing to help improve overall trail safety. People who frequently ride bikes on trails will also notice the significantly reduced number of bollards in this 2.5 miles of new paved trail.

ADA access: Curb ramps, where required, will be ADA-compliant.

Parking: There will be no new parking created as part of this trail project, but parking will remain at Newcastle Beach Park in Bellevue.

Trees and vegetation

Construction will require removing some trees along the trail alignment. We preserve trees wherever we can. Where a tree must be removed, it will be replaced as part of the vegetation planting plan for the new sections of trail.

If you have any questions about vegetation removal or planting, please contact the project team at 425-456-8624 or I405SR167Program@wsdot.wa.gov.