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.

WSDOT, in partnership with King County Parks, has overseen construction of 2.5 miles of new paved Eastrail in Renton and Bellevue. A second phase of trail construction scheduled for late 2021-2022 will build a trail bridge over Interstate 405 in Bellevue near the Mercer Slough. This I-405 trail overpass construction project is scheduled for late 2021-2022. Stay tuned for more information about that addition to the Eastrail.

Take a look at future trail connections.

Explore King County trails via the King County Parks TrailFinder.

What to expect from construction

Crews have completed trail construction between 106th Avenue Southeast and Coal Creek Parkway Southeast, and are continuing to work between Ripley Lane North and 106th Avenue Southeast through summer 2021. The trail remains closed in this area to provide 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 and 106th Avenue Southeast.
• Crews working Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and occasional Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Currently, all work is planned for daytime hours only.
• Noise from typical construction activities and minimal vibration or dust.
• Construction fencing, water runoff containment, and other signs of construction along open sections of trail.

Segment One: Ripley Lane North to 106th Avenue Southeast

Expected opening: late summer/fall 2021

Alternate route: 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 is currently a one-way street to allow space for a barrier-protected pedestrian path that provides a pedestrian and bicycle connection between the Lake Washington Loop Trail and the Eastrail to the south.

New trail design

The Eastrail between 106th Avenue Southeast and Coal Creek Parkway Southeast is fully open to all non-motorized recreation as of May 2021.

Compared to the previous gravel trail, the new trail offers a better experience for runners, walkers, bikers and families. The trail is 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 has been 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 required removing some trees along the trail alignment. We preserved trees wherever we could. When a tree had to be removed, it was 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.