The scenic vistas of Bellevue and the greater Eastside are about to get a significant boost by transforming a piece of Pacific Northwest history into a modern-day trail. King County Executive Dow Constantine, flanked by representatives from the state, Amazon, City of Belleville, and Kaiser Permanente, announced the commencement of renovations to the century-old Wilburton Trestle, ushering the iconic structure into the fold of the 42-mile Eastrail project—a former railroad destined for a new life as an interruption-free corridor connecting communities in King and Snohomish counties, with an arm reaching out to Redmond.
The objective is grand, the vision is clear, and if there's something that the Pacific Northwest does with a kind of nonchalant excellence, it's turning the remnants of its industrial past into green, communal spaces. The trestle, which towers at 100 feet and stretches over a thousand feet long, is a testament to ingenuity dating back to the original timber era. The project commands a hefty $37 million and pulls from an eclectic funding cocktail: the sizeable King County Parks Levy, the Climate Commitment Act ushered in by the Washington State Department of Transportation, a sweet Amazonian slice, the City of Bellevue's wallet, and a dash of Kaiser Permanente.
In a quote that exudes collective efforts for communal rewards, Executive Constantine declared, as per King County, "We’ve built strong partnerships to transform the historic Wilburton Trestle into a trail bridge for Eastrail". He touted the trail as one that "offers healthy, reliable, scenic connections to some of the world's leading job centers, vibrant cities, and light rail service". By fall 2026, expect to walk, bike, or roll right onto the trestle from Wilburton Station, situated comfortably on Sound Transit's fresh-off-the-presses 2 Line.
The transformation isn't just about spiffing up the old woodwork and painting a few lines; it's pivotal in knitting together a trail that believes in broader strokes. The renovated trestle is a lynchpin in a proposed mile-long trail segment, including a newly minted bridge over Interstate 405. This connects the dots from Mercer Slough Education Center to Bellevue’s bustling Wilburton neighborhood. Thank you, modern alchemy.
Amazon’s involvement and investment underscore the company's ever-expanding local footprint and its interest in sustainable solutions for commuter woes. Shannon Loew, Amazon’s VP of Global Real Estate and Facilities, stated, as per King County, "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". Loew emphasized the company's commitment to fostering "infrastructure solutions that support regional connectivity". A nod to Amazon, the corporate neighbor with an eye on the long trail.
The story of the Wilburton Trestle is reflective of the region’s ability to repurpose the legacy of its industrial bones into the sinews of urban sustainability—a harmony of past and future that the King County Parks Department and its affiliates are meticulously orchestrating. With public health benefits, eco-friendly transit options, and a salute to regional connectivity, this trail is touted to become not just a thoroughfare for the eco-conscious commuter but also a plume in the cap of Washington's environmental ambition.
