Mountains to Sound Greenway Trail

Header Image

The Mountains to Sound Greenway is a 100-mile long corridor along Interstate 90, stretching from the Seattle waterfront to Ellensburg in Central Washington. It features hiking and biking trails and a regional trail network used by pedestrians and bicyclists for recreation and transportation. The 3.6-mile trail project in Bellevue will close a gap in the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trail between Factoria Boulevard and Lakemont Boulevard.

Completion of first and second segments

On January 7, 2022, federal, state and city officials marked the substantial completion of the first section of completed trail in Bellevue. The 1.2-mile segment in the Factoria neighborhood was the result of productive partnerships, years in the making. This segment of the trail won a 2022 transportation project of the year award from the American Public Works Association.

Image of ribbon-cutting for trail segment opening

The second segment of the trail, which spans from 132nd Avenue SE to 142nd Place SE, was completed in Summer 2022.

Background

In 2013, the city began the final design on the Greenway Trail between Factoria Boulevard SE and 150th Avenue SE. The design follows recommendations made in the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trail Design Study. The alignment was chosen as part of a study of the entire Eastgate/I-90 corridor.

Several ideas were considered as part of the Eastgate/I-90 Land Use and Transportation Project on how to address the “Eastgate Gap.” Community input and feedback indicated that bicyclists preferred the southern alignment because it is the most direct and continuous route. A citizen advisory committee endorsed the pathway depicted in the proposed Mountains to Sound Greenway alignment. The city, in partnership with the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, completed a design study of the trail alignment along the south side of Interstate 90.

Description

Sections of the trail in Bellevue include:

Interstate 405 to 132nd Avenue SE (1st segment): Provides a tunnel crossing under the I-405 to eastbound I-90 ramps and a 12-foot pedestrian/bicycle bridge over Factoria Boulevard Southeast to ensure bicycle and pedestrian safety. Portions of the trail were relocated to improve capacity for the eastbound I-90 off-ramp to Factoria, helping to avoid long backups onto the highway. (See rendering.)
- Status: The trail segment was opened to the public on March 30, 2021.
132nd Avenue SE to 142nd Place SE (2nd segment): This section includes a 12-foot-wide paved pedestrian and bicycle path on the north side of SE 36th Street, walls, traffic signal modifications, new lighting and new pavement.
- Status: The trail segment was completed in Summer 2022. Details in construction alert (Jan. 2021).
142nd Place SE to 150th Avenue SE (3rd segment): This section will include a 12-foot-wide paved pedestrian and bicycle path on the north side of SE 36th Street. It will include walls, a new mid-block crosswalk at 146th Avenue SE, new lighting and new pavement.
- Status: Project is at the 90% design level. Funding has not yet been identified to complete the design or construct the project.
156th Avenue SE to Southeast Lakemont Boulevard (4th segment): Section will include a new 12-foot-wide pedestrian and bicycle trail, along the south side of I-90, north of SE 36th Street.
- Status: Funding is not yet available.

Schedule

2022: Construction on the segment from 132nd Avenue SE to 142nd Place SE started in February 2021 and was completed in Summer 2022.
2019-2021: Construction on the section from I-405 to 132nd Avenue SE began in September 2019; work was substantially completed and the trail opened to the public in March 2021.

Funding

Construction funding for I-405 to 132nd Avenue SE segment is $17.7 million. Construction funding for the trail section between 132nd Avenue SE and 142nd Place SE is $9.4 million. Design and construction funding for the segments from 142nd Place SE and Lakemont Boulevard is not yet available.