Redmond broke ground last week for the last segment of its Central Connector Trail.
The paved path will be a boon for people who walk or bike from the city to Sammamish, Kirkland or other parts of the Eastside.
"Trails bring the region together," says Josh Brown, PSRC's Executive Director. "This effort improves connections between downtown Redmond and a future light rail station with the scenic Sammamish River valley.”
Redmond officials expect the trail to be finished in 2025. They estimate that it will serve a quarter million people a year as part of the larger 42-mile Eastrail system and links to other regional trails.
In 2010, Redmond bought part of the old BNSF rail line and started transforming it into a new 3.9-mile trail corridor.
PSRC provided $2.13 million to fund the last segment of the Central Connector Trail. The agency previously provided a total of $5.1 million to help build the first and second phases of this trail. Active transportation projects like this one are part of the region’s transportation planning work.