2 miles of Burke-Gilman Trail will close for fix

A two-mile portion of one of the oldest and narrowest sections of the Burke-Gilman Trail, through Lake Forest Park, will be closed for up to six months next spring while King County makes safety improvements and repairs to the popular pathway.

The section to be closed stretches from Northeast 145th Street to Log Boom Park in Kenmore.

Because the corridor is so narrow, it will be closed to all users, according to the county.

"Closing a portion of the trail for several months will be difficult for trail users, but we believe they understand [that] the long-term benefits of a safer and more enjoyable trail for many decades to come are worth this temporary inconvenience," states a news release from Kevin Brown, director of the King County Parks and Recreation Division.

Local and state transportation officials; King County Parks; the cities of Lake Forest Park, Seattle and Kenmore; and the Cascade Bicycle Club are working to identify alternatives for trail users during the closure.

Surveys show that riders make more than 1,300 trips on this section of the Burke-Gilman on weekdays. Many people use the trail in their daily commute. On sunny weekends, the number of trips can jump to more than 2,200.

Trail-redevelopment plans call for building a 12-foot-wide asphalt surface and installing soft-surface shoulders that walkers and runners can use. Upgrades also include a new bridge.

The county has spent more than five years on planning and design work on this project, which is estimated to cost $5.2 million. The money will come from the voter-approved Parks Expansion Levy and the real-estate excise tax.

The Burke-Gilman Trail runs more than 18 miles from Shilshole Bay in Seattle to Bothell, where it meets the county's Sammamish River Trail.

The trail is managed by Seattle within the city limits south of Northeast 145th Street and by King County outside Seattle.