Redmond leaders celebrate groundbreaking for final phase of Redmond Central Connector

The last phase will connect trail users to 42 miles of regional trails.

By Cameron Sheppard • November 3, 2022 2:00 pm
From left to right: Redmond City Council Vice President Vanessa Kritzer, State Legislative Representative Vandana Slatter, State Representative Larry Springer, Redmond Mayor Angela Birney, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene, former Redmond Mayor John Marchione, Redmond City Council President Jessica Forsythe, and Redmond City Councilmember Varisha Khan. (Courtesy of City of Redmond)
From left to right: Redmond City Council Vice President Vanessa Kritzer, State Legislative Representative Vandana Slatter, State Representative Larry Springer, Redmond Mayor Angela Birney, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene, former Redmond Mayor John Marchione, Redmond City Council President Jessica Forsythe, and Redmond City Councilmember Varisha Khan. (Courtesy of City of Redmond)

On Nov. 3, community members and elected officials gathered to break ground on the final phase of the Redmond Central Connector trail.

This 1.6-mile trail segment will provide non-motorized connections between transit hubs in Downtown Redmond, Totem Lake, and employment centers on Willows Road.

According to the city, partnerships have been key for this trail, as this segment will be built on top of the Puget Sound Energy maintenance access road for the Sammamish Juanita Transmission Line project and will connect with the larger Eastrail.

Additionally, this project is funded thanks to the Puget Sound Regional Council, the Washington State Legislature, and the City of Redmond.

“Today we celebrated an exciting milestone for our community,” said Mayor Angela Birney on Nov. 3. “The completion of the Redmond Central Connector will add to the extensive, growing trail network through the Eastrail and provide a safe and sustainable transportation choice between Redmond and the region.”

The completed trail will be paved and feature environmental, ADA, and safety improvements along the route. It is estimated that it will serve a quarter million users annually as part of the larger 42-mile Eastrail and with connections to other regional trails.

The trail is part of a larger 3.9-mile former rail corridor that was purchased by the City of Redmond in 2010. The first two phases of the trail were completed in 2013 and 2017, and construction on the final trail is expected to be completed in 2025.