520 Bridge Trail will finally open December 20

Photo from WSDOT

Well, WSDOT has said all along that the 520 Bridge Trail will open in Fall 2017, and it technically will.

The region's most significant new biking and walking connection in decades will open December 20 at 3 p.m., 17 hours and 28 minutes before the winter solstice.

As we're written before, this bridge connection is going to revolutionize biking in the region, especially between Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland and Redmond. For example, bike trips from UW to downtown Kirkland will be cut in half. The implications of such a change are immense. So many more trips will become accessible by a relatively easy bike ride. I hope Eastside cities are ready to take action to help make their streets safer to help encourage these new bike trips.

More details on the opening, from WSDOT:

Mark your calendars for 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20. That's when WSDOT is opening the SR 520 Trail all the way across Lake Washington! The morning of Dec. 20, crews will put the finishing touches on the trail. Then at 3 that afternoon, the trail opens to the public, connecting cyclists and pedestrians across SR 520 for the first time. So whether you're planning a Wednesday evening stroll or a Thursday morning bike commute, grab a rain jacket and get ready to cross the lake!

Check out this drone video for a sneak peek of the newest section of the SR 520 Trail, connecting the Eastside and Montlake.

Interested in learning more about the trail? Read our latest WSDOT blog post about the construction of the path and how it fits in with regional trails! No matter how you plan to use the trail, we hope you enjoy this new community resource and we'll see you out on the trail on Dec. 20!