On Monday, August 22nd, at 9a, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will put in place a short reroute of the Burke-Gilman Trail under the Fremont portion of the Aurora Bridge. This detour is due to last through mid-fall.
Currently, construction crews are painting and doing restoration work on the historic George Washington Memorial Bridge, a.k.a. the Aurora Bridge. The project requires a lot of heavy equipment and safety gear in order to get quality work done quickly. WSDOT has consulted with the crews and members of the cycling community in order to find a detour that will both protect the public and allow work to get done.
“Finding a detour through this area that works for trail users and minimizes the effects on cyclists has been very challenging,” said WSDOT Project Engineer Dave Lindberg. “This detour keeps trail users close to the existing trail and minimizes their exposure to more heavily traveled streets.”
The detour will give contractor crews a 200-foot section of the trail on which to locate equipment and gear, while runners, walkers and cyclists will shift from the Trail onto North Northlake Way and a U-Park System parking lot. Trail users are encouraged to stay on the marked detour, and use caution while traveling across the road and parking lot – which will both remain open to vehicle traffic as well. The area is also adjacent to the Lake Washington Rowing Club where rowers will be moving their long boats. Please be careful and considerate at all times when passing through this area, whether by vehicle, bicycle or on foot.
The detour is scheduled to be in place through October 31st. This painting project is one piece in the $18.7 million two-part restoration project aimed at preserving and protecting our landmark and vital transportation connector. Find more, specific details on this project, and the detour, on the WSDOT project website.