Summer is in full swing on the Eastrail, and you may have noticed a few construction projects that are adding new trail sections and safer crossings across the trail network. Check out the updates below on three current projects in Bellevue, Kirkland, and Redmond:

Redmond Central Connector Nears Completion

City of Redmond is getting ready to open the final section of the Redmond Central Connector (RCCIII), which will connect the Eastrail at 124th with the current segment south of Willows Run. This fully paved trail will also connect the rest of Eastrail to the newly opened Redmond light rail stations and the Bear Creek Bridge, which continues onto the East Lake Sammamish Trail.

Photos above show some highlights from along the trail. Construction on this section is nearly complete, and the City of Redmond is planning a grand opening in early September. Stay tuned for more details.

Wilburton Trestle Work Continues

With multiple cranes at work it is hard to miss the construction going on at the historic Wilburton Trestle in Bellevue. King County Parks is transforming the 120-year-old 1,000-foot-long former railroad trestle into a stunning elevated trail with several large overlooks.

Work through this summer is focused on repairing and replacing damaged wood in the trestle’s structure. Construction photos above show bracing added to some of the historic piles, supporting timbers being strengthened or replaced, and new steel reinforcements at critical structural joints.

Most of this work is being done well above ground, where workers need to safely handle large pieces of wood and heavy steel plates.  The large rail crane moving back and forth along the trestle this summer, along with other cranes working from the ground provide the lifting power needed to move large pieces of wood that need to be replaced.

After the structural improvements are complete, the new trail surfacing will be installed at the top of the trestle, followed by safety railing and lighting. The Trestle is scheduled to open mid-2027. Click here for more construction photos.

Improved Crossing in Kirkland

The City of Kirkland broke ground in April on an improved signalized crossing at the intersection of the Cross Kirkland Corridor of Eastrail and Slater Avenue NE. The new crossing will provide an enhanced pedestrian and bicycle crosswalk signal, pedestrian refuge island, buffered bike lanes, and new right-turn signal for westbound to northbound vehicles at the intersection of Northeast 124th Street to 132nd Avenue Northeast.

Work is currently underway, and trail users are being detoured around the area. Trail users should follow posted detour signs. The City’s contractor will work to reopen this section from Friday evenings through Monday mornings, but please note that a detour to NE 124th street will still be in place even when this section of trail is open for the weekend. The intermittent closures of the CKC is expected to occur until August 8. The entire project is expected to be complete in early 2026.

CKC/Eastrail users detoured around NE 85th Street

Trail users may have noticed signage indicating trail closure upcoming at NE 85th Street in Kirkland. The NE 85th Street shared-use pathway contractor will close Kirkland’s Cross Kirkland Corridor of Eastrail around NE 85th Street as they begin working overhead to build a pedestrian bridge over the CKC. Two detours are posted for users to navigate around the construction zone. This is an extended, months-long closure and is a significant impact to the community. It is not feasible to open this section until the work overhead is complete. The full shared-use pathway project is expected to be complete in May 2026. 

Planning underway in Woodinville and beyond

In addition to active construction, staff across the region are planning for future trail segments in Woodinville, Snohomish County, Bellevue, and Renton. Stay tuned for an update on current design and planning work later this summer.