Summary

The newest paved section of Lake to Sound Trail will close a 2.2-mile gap of an emerging trail that will stretch from the southern tip of Lake Washington to Puget Sound, connecting five South King County cities and two Sound Transit Link light rail stations.

Story

King County Parks today started construction on a new segment of Lake to Sound Trail, a multi-use paved trail that will connect five South King County cities – Renton, Tukwila, SeaTac, and Des Moines – to four other region trails and high-capacity transit.

The new 2.2-mile segment is the latest progress in a regional trail that will eventually connect the southern tip of Lake Washington to Des Moines Beach Park along Puget Sound. It will be located a half mile from Sound Transit’s Angle Lake Light Rail Station.

“The newest segment of Lake to Sound Trail will be just a 10-minute walk or an even quicker bike ride from the Angle Lake Light Rail Station, strengthening connections between our growing trail network and high-capacity transit,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine, who is also a member of the Sound Transit Board of Directors. “Powered by the people of our region who supported the King County Parks Levy and light rail expansion, we are delivering on the promise of a reliable, integrated, non-motorized transportation system.”

The new section will run south along Des Moines Memorial Drive from South Normandy Road to 200th Street in SeaTac. It will connect the southernmost stretch of Lake to Sound Trail that ends at Puget Sound to the completed section that runs along the western edge of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport with convenient access to Sound Transit’s Tukwila International Boulevard Station.

When complete, Lake to Sound Trail will offer seamless connections to other King County regional trails, including the Interurban Trail, Green River Trail, Cedar River Trail, and Eastrail, the emerging north-south spine of the Central Puget Sound regional trail network known as Leafline.

Aside from a few short stretches with right-of-way constraints, the new trail segment will be built to regional trail standards that include a paved 12-foot-wide trail with 2-foot-wide soft surface shoulders on each side, native vegetation landscaping, and restored habitats.

The project is primarily funded by the voter-approved King County Parks Levy and the Washington State Department of Transportation as part of its State Route 509 completion project.

The new segment of trail is scheduled to be completed by late 2023.

Relevant links

• Lake to Sound Trail
• Leafline: A regional trail network connecting King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties
• King County Parks Levy

Quotes

The newest segment of Lake to Sound Trail will be just a 10-minute walk or an even quicker bike ride from the Angle Lake Light Rail Station, strengthening connections between our growing trail network and high-capacity transit. Powered by the people of our region who supported the King County Parks Levy and light rail expansion, we are delivering on the promise of a reliable, integrated, non-motorized transportation system.

The growth of King County’s regional trail network is nothing short of transformative for every community in the county, and these new south county connections are a key part of this growth. The recreational health benefits of these new 2.2 miles alone are wonderful and needed for these south county communities, and the connections to housing and our regional transit network are innovative opportunities for the entire county.

Providing high-quality and efficient walking and biking options to our residents is a key component of increasing mobility for all. The Lake to Sound Trail is a favorite public resource in South King County and I’m excited to see the goal of connecting Lake Washington to Puget Sound advanced with the groundbreaking of Segment C today.

For more information, contact:

Doug Williams, Department of Natural Resources and Parks, 206-477-4543