Interurban Trail in Edmonds Now Officially a Reality

The missing link of the regional was formally dedicated on Wednesday in a ceremony that was 12 years in the making.

The ceremony was held at 76th Avenue West and McAleer Way, where there is an information kiosk, shelter, water fountain, landscaping, benches and a bicycle rack.

Both Edmonds Mayor Dave Earling and Parks and Recreation director Carrie Hite praised the work of city staff, neighbors, bicycle groups and government agencies, .

The Interurban Trail heads north on 76th Avenue West from the section in Shoreline at SR 104, continues to the old rail corridor at McAleer Way and follows the corridor to 228th Street SW, where it connects with the new southern terminus of the Mountlake Terrace trail.

The trail also includes a spur that connects to Mathay Ballinger Park. The trail includes a .47-mile, 12-foot-wide paved path. Bike lanes have also been added to 76th Avenue West and bike arrows to 74th Avenue West to complete the 1.37-mile section.

In 2009, the City of Edmonds was successful in securing a $577,000 grant from the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO), along with a $500,000 federal grant from the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program.

These are in addition to the $250,000 federal grant awarded in June 2002. The total grant funding for the project is $1.327 million. The total estimated cost is $1.8 million. The balance of the project's costs were paid for from real estate excise tax and utility funding.

Also speaking Tuesday were City Council President Strom Peterson, Washington state representative Cindy Ryu (former mayor of Shoreline) and Peter Batuello of the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition.