Snohomish County is setting the stage for the future of outdoor recreation and green transportation, with the finalization of the railbanking process for the Centennial Trail South extension. As of July 11, 2024, the Surface Transportation Board has cleared the way for a transformative project that promises to connect communities while offering new avenues for residents to appreciate the scenic beauty that is quintessentially Snohomish.

The county aims to seamlessly blend this new stretch into the regional infrastructure, knitting 42 miles of trail from the Skagit County line to the King County border, and further dovetailing into the Eastrail system. This brings the potential of an extensive network spanning 175 miles – a testament to foresight and planning, and the, sometimes tedious, work of municipal governance.

"This important trail connection has been a long time coming. I am excited that we can move forward with bringing this asset to the public," said Dave Somers, Snohomish County Executive, in his statement on the significance of this move for both recreational and sustainable transit purposes.

Despite the promising development, officials, including Tom Teigen, Conservation & Natural Resources Director have cautioned patience to the public. The complexity of the project – marked by 60 culverts, 13 at-grade crossings, and 7 elevated crossings – means that a full decade, or perhaps more, will be needed to see the trail's completion. "We want people to know that this section of the Centennial Trail is not open to the public at this time," Teigen reminded.

The rail right-of-way acquisition from the Port of Seattle in 2016 was a pivotal moment for this initiative. Now, Snohomish County Parks & Recreation, with a portfolio boasting about 12,000 acres of parklands, is poised to begin the work that turns yesterday's railroads into tomorrow's trails. For more information on the Centennial Trail South project and other county park initiatives, interested citizens can visit the Snohomish County website.