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King County is transforming 1,000-foot-long Wilburton Trestle, adding the iconic structure to Eastrail with funding from the state, Amazon, City of Bellevue
Summary
A public-private partnership that includes the state through the Climate Commitment Act, Amazon, the City of Bellevue, Kaiser Permanente, and the King County Parks Levy started transforming the 120-year-old Wilburton Trestle into a trail bridge that will be added to the emerging 42-mile Eastrail.
News
King County Executive Dow Constantine today was joined by funding partners – including the state through the Climate Commitment Act, Amazon, City of Bellevue, and Kaiser Permanente – to begin transforming the 1,000-foot-long Wilburton Trestle, adding it to Eastrail to offer skyline views of Bellevue and connections to other regional trails and high-capacity transit.
The 120-year-old trestle – the oldest of its kind in the Pacific Northwest – is expected to be one of the most popular segments of the emerging 42-mile Eastrail, a former railroad line that is being converted into an uninterrupted regional trail that connects South and East King County communities to Snohomish County with a spur to Redmond.
“We’ve built strong partnerships to transform the historic Wilburton Trestle into a trail bridge for Eastrail,” said Executive Constantine. “Creating a regional trail that offers healthy, reliable, scenic connections to some of the world’s leading job centers, vibrant cities, and light rail service demonstrates what we can achieve when we align public and private investments to achieve shared goals.”
The $37 million project has multiple funding sources:
- $20 million from the voter-approved King County Parks Levy
- $9 million from the state, administered by WSDOT, with $6 million generated by Washington’s Climate Commitment Act
- $5 million from Amazon, in addition to $2.5 million for the nearby Wilburton Trail Segment north of the trestle
- $2 million from the City of Bellevue
- $500,000 from Kaiser Permanente
Once the transformation is complete in the fall of 2026, the public will be able to walk, bike, or roll directly to the trestle from the nearby Wilburton Station on Sound Transit’s recently opened 2 Line.
The 100-foot-tall trail bridge will be 18 feet wide with two viewing platforms facing east and another platform facing west.
“Many thanks to all the partners who have worked for years on this project,” said Gov. Jay Inslee. “It’s exciting to see CCA dollars at work helping more people be able to walk, run and roll to neighboring communities. Congratulations on this exciting milestone.”
“We’re excited to be one step closer to opening the Wilburton Trestle for the Puget Sound community to enjoy, including our 12,000 employees in Bellevue,” said Shannon Loew, Amazon Vice President of Global Real Estate and Facilities. “Amazon is committed to investing in infrastructure solutions that support regional connectivity, especially ones that help to promote more sustainable commuting options for our employees.”
The Climate Commitment Act – which supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-trade investment dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health – will contribute a combined $24 million to Eastrail projects, including $12 million to build an elevated trail that crosses Interstate 90. Information about the CCA is available at www.climate.wa.gov.
“The Climate Commitment Act is fundamentally changing our transportation system for the better,” said Sen. Marko Liias. “Now communities across Washington are starting to see better transit, safer routes to schools, huge improvements to our ferry system and so much more. I'm so proud of the progress we've made and all the progress that's still to come!”
Adding the refurbished trestle to Eastrail will complete the final link in a new mile-long trail segment that includes a new bridge over Interstate 405, built by a partnership with WSDOT. The new trail section will start at the Mercer Slough Education Center and head north over the interstate and then to the trestle to reach Bellevue’s Wilburton neighborhood. From Bellevue, Eastrail continues north to Kirkland and Woodinville.
“The Wilburton Trestle segment of the Eastrail will be one of the most breathtaking stretches of trail in King County. It will also play a vital role in connecting our region, giving Eastside residents more options to travel on foot or by bike — healthier choices for people and our environment,” said King County Councilmember and Eastrail Regional Advisory Council member Claudia Balducci. “Thank you to our partners like Amazon and Kaiser Permanente for investing in our community, to the state for putting Climate Commitment Act dollars to work on the Eastside, and especially to Executive Constantine for his leadership and vision in bringing this project to fruition. I look forward to the day we can all enjoy a walk or ride along this beautiful and critical Eastrail segment!"
“I cannot wait to ride across this historic bridge as part of the beautiful regional Eastrail!” said Bellevue Mayor Lynne Robinson. “We are so thankful for our partnerships with King County, the State of Washington, Amazon, and Kaiser Permanente for their dedication to creating sustainable, connected infrastructure and vibrant public spaces here in Bellevue.”
Connecting regional trails to high-capacity transit
“At Kaiser Permanente, we know that total health extends beyond the doctor’s office to include the places where we live, work, and play,” Carla Costa Sandine, Vice President of Communications, Marketing, and Community Health at Kaiser Permanente Washington. “The completion of this trail and public greenspace will contribute to the health and enjoyment for our community and will make many of our local Kaiser Permanente medical centers on the eastside more easily accessible by foot or bike.”
The wooden trestle, built in 1904 by Northern Pacific Railway, contributed to the economic growth of the region, first used by trains to haul locally logged timber to mills and ports and later serving, among other uses, as a transportation corridor for airplane fuselages to Boeing’s Renton facility.
King County Parks, which will lead the capital project, is one of four divisions in the Department of Natural Resources and Parks.
“Thanks to the strong support of King County residents for the Parks levy and our robust public-private partnerships, we are delivering another significant addition to our world-class regional trail system,” said King County Parks Director Warren Jimenez.
Multimedia
- VIDEO: Aerial footage of Wilburton Trestle
- PHOTO GALLERY: Transforming Wilburton Trestle
- TRACKS: An interactive map of environmental stewardship in King County
Resources
- Eastrail
- King County Parks Levy
- Washington's Climate Commitment Act
- Move Ahead Washington transportation grant programs
Quotes
We’ve built strong partnerships to transform the historic Wilburton Trestle into a trail bridge for Eastrail. Creating a regional trail that offers healthy, reliable, scenic connections to some of the world’s leading job centers, vibrant cities, and light rail service demonstrates what we can achieve when we align public and private investments to achieve shared goals.
Many thanks to all the partners who have worked for years on this project. It’s exciting to see CCA dollars at work helping more people be able to walk, run and roll to neighboring communities. Congratulations on this exciting milestone.
We’re excited to be one step closer to opening the Wilburton Trestle for the Puget Sound community to enjoy, including our 12,000 employees in Bellevue. Amazon is committed to investing in infrastructure solutions that support regional connectivity, especially ones that help to promote more sustainable commuting options for our employees.
The Climate Commitment Act is fundamentally changing our transportation system for the better. Now communities across Washington are starting to see better transit, safer routes to schools, huge improvements to our ferry system and so much more. I'm so proud of the progress we've made and all the progress that's still to come!
At Kaiser Permanente, we know that total health extends beyond the doctor’s office to include the places where we live, work, and play. The completion of this trail and public greenspace will contribute to the health and enjoyment for our community and will make many of our local Kaiser Permanente medical centers on the eastside more easily accessible by foot or bike.
The Wilburton Trestle segment of the Eastrail will be one of the most breathtaking stretches of trail in King County. It will also play a vital role in connecting our region, giving Eastside residents more options to travel on foot or by bike — healthier choices for people and our environment. Thank you to our partners like Amazon and Kaiser Permanente for investing in our community, to the state for putting Climate Commitment Act dollars to work on the Eastside, and especially to Executive Constantine for his leadership and vision in bringing this project to fruition. I look forward to the day we can all enjoy a walk or ride along this beautiful and critical Eastrail segment!
I cannot wait to ride across this historic bridge as part of the beautiful regional Eastrail! We are so thankful for our partnerships with King County, the State of Washington, Amazon, and Kaiser Permanente for their dedication to creating sustainable, connected infrastructure and vibrant public spaces here in Bellevue.
Thanks to the strong support of King County residents for the Parks levy and our robust public-private partnerships, we are delivering another significant addition to our world-class regional trail system.
Contact
Eleanor Lee, King County Parks, 206-477-4530