Snohomish County is moving on efforts to close the gap between the two completed portions of the North Creek Trail. In late 2009, Snohomish County began Phase I of its plan to build a section of North Creek Trail between Filbert Road and North Creek Park (183rd Street SE) west of the Bothell-Everett Highway. The trail will be part of a coordinated regional system that will eventually connect the Sammamish River/Burke-Gillman Trail in King County with the Snohomish County Regional Interurban Trail in Everett.
Phase I of the project consists of identifying a preferred alternative and purchasing the necessary right-of-way, which is expected to be completed before the end of 2014. Funds for Phase I, including the purchase of land for the trail, were provided by King County in accordance with the mitigation agreement for the Brightwater treatment facility located in south Snohomish County. The county is currently seeking funding for construction of the trail. On November 16, 2011, Snohomish County will hold an open house meeting to show alternatives for the north section of the trail and the recommended West Alignment for the section of the trail south of 192nd Street SE.
In response to additional citizen comments, the County has identified two additional alternatives for the section of trail between 192nd Street SE and 183rd Street SE. The three alternatives, along with their pros and cons, will be on display at the November 2011 meeting. Comments from citizens will be used to select the final alignment north of 192nd Street SE.
The West Alignment south of 192nd Street SE will provide the opportunity for a trail that meets WSDOT's standard of 12 feet in width for a multi-use pedestrian trail and will provide a unique opportunity to experience a natural environment in the middle of an urban area. As Snohomish County continues to develop in the future, opportunities to create these types of regional trails will be more difficult. It is the objective of the County to provide a trail that meets the WSDOT standard of 12-foot widths where feasible and separated from traffic as much as possible.
Disclaimer: All project trails listed on TrailLink.com are in various phases of development and may not be open for public use. Rails-to-Trails Conservancy does not manage any trails listed on TrailLink.com. To learn more about the current status of trail development, please look in the "Related Links" section below to find contact information for the local organization or agency responsible for trail management.