• Published June 3 2024

    The Wilburton Trestle is being converted from a railroad bridge to one for the Eastrail multi-use trail. Photo courtesy of King County

    Eastrail successes continue with NE Eighth St. bridge opening June 23

    Eastrail hit a new milestone Friday, as King County Parks announced the start of the conversion of the iconic Wilburton Trestle from a railroad bridge to one supporting a multi-use trail.

    The 100-foot-tall wooden trestle bridge, which spans Kelsey Creek and Southeast Eighth Street in Bellevue, was built by Northern Pacific Railroad in 1904 and later decommissioned for train traffic in 2008. The trestle is scheduled to open to the public as a scenic part of Eastrail in 2026.

    The trestle will be the last piece in a new segment of Eastrail, which will provide a convenient, safe connection for people walking and rolling from the Mercer Slough Nature Park, over a new bridge crossing Interstate 405, onto the trestle and into the Wilburton neighborhood. The $37 million project is funded by the voter-approved King County Parks levy, the State of Washington, Amazon, the City of Bellevue and Kaiser Permanente. Once complete, the trestle will have an 18-foot-wide trail with three viewing platforms.

    King County Parks is also preparing to celebrate the opening later this month of another milestone portion of Eastrail, the Northeast Eighth Street Bridge in Bellevue. Overall, Eastrail will be a 42-mile trail connecting Bellevue to Renton, Kirkland, Woodinville, Snohomish and Redmond. Approximately 16 miles of Eastrail, including four in Bellevue, are currently open.

    Visualization of Wilburton Trestle as a part of Eastrail
    Visualization of Eastrail on the Wilburton Trestle

    The opening of the Northeast Eighth Street Bridge will happen Sunday, June 23, with a public celebration at noon. This bridge provides a key connection for people walking and rolling from Wilburton and south Bellevue north along Eastrail, as well as to Sound Transit’s Wilburton light rail station. The almost 500-foot-long bridge features artistic metal cladding and artwork honoring Bellevue’s Japanese American heritage.

    For more information on Eastrail, including information on the Wilburton Trestle and Northeast Eighth Street Bridge, visit KingCounty.gov/eastrail.