Trail Alert: Year-long County wastewater project could create some Elliott Bay Trail delays

The Denny Way Regulator Station Upgrade project area, from the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (project update PDF)

King County is beginning work this week on a delayed waterwater regulator project in Myrtle Edwards Park that could disrupt the Elliott Bay Trail.

The project worksite entrance is at the south entrance to the trail near the Sculpture Garden, an area that can get congested with people biking and walking.

The County says flaggers will control traffic during "temporary periods of trail narrowing."

A 2014 detour at this spot caused a small headache as crews installing a sculpture tried to get people biking to walk their bikes on the shared biking and walking path adjacent to the closed bike trail. But the delays were nowhere near as frustrating as the annual Hempfest closure in the park.

The Elliott Bay Trail is not only a wonderful waterside bike route, it's also a major transportation corridor for people biking to get around the city and region. When crews treat it as a transportation corridor, things go well. When crews treat it as solely a recreational area or park, people trying to get home from work tend to get cranky.

More details from the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (PDF):

Starting this week, the King County Wastewater Treatment Division will begin construction work at the Denny Way Regulator Station in Myrtle Edwards Park on Elliott Bay. The project, previously expected to start in September 2016, was delayed until January 2017.

Construction access to the site will be mainly from the south entrance of the Myrtle Edwards Park. Only concrete delivery vehicles will access the work site from the north entrance of the park. The work will take approximately one year to complete. King County will notify the community if the schedule changes.

What to Expect

• Work hours between 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Periods of extended hours as needed pending approval from the City of Seattle.
• Temporary periods of trail narrowing. Flaggers will direct vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles through the area.
• Noise close to the work area.
• Work and equipment will be confined to the project site, designated staging, and parking areas.
• Disturbed trails and paths will be restored.