Mark Schireman, of Everett, walks past the closed entrance to the footbridge leading to Howarth Park‘s beach in Everett on Tuesday with his mother, Mary Schireman, and their dog, Ryelee, a flat-coated retriever. “What makes me sad is I know there are a lot of high school kids crossing the tracks,“ Mary said. “It‘s really our only beach access around here.”

Mark Schireman, of Everett, walks past the closed entrance to the footbridge leading to Howarth Park‘s beach in Everett on Tuesday with his mother, Mary Schireman, and their dog, Ryelee, a flat-coated retriever. “What makes me sad is I know there are a lot of high school kids crossing the tracks,“ Mary said. “It‘s really our only beach access around here.”

Howarth Park bridge to remain closed through July

EVERETT — The Howarth Park pedestrian bridge and beach access will remain closed through July, Everett’s parks department announced Tuesday. The city originally planned to reopen the bridge by Memorial Day.

The bridge and beach access have been closed since May 2015, when a routine inspection uncovered rust and corrosion on the 28-year-old bridge’s steel beams. The city immediately closed the bridge and began work to design repairs.

Permitting issues have slowed the pace of repairs, parks director Lori Cummings said. BNSF Railway owns the right-of-way. The work done above the tracks must be approved to protect workers and the tracks and trains below.

BNSF did not approve the plan in April, and the city’s contractor, Forma Construction, last week submitted a revised plan.

“There’s a series of plans that have been submitted to BNSF, between BNSF and our contractor, they have gone back and forth and revised the track protection plan,” Cummings said.

That’s made it difficult to set a firm reopening date for the park.

“Until we know that bridge work is beginning we’re not prepared to provide an end date,” Cummings said.

The city and Snohomish County are taking advantage of the extended closure to speed up work on the shoreline.

The bridge and beach access were scheduled to close again in mid-September for the county’s Nearshore Restoration Project.

That’s a project intended to improve the marine habitat along 4.5 miles of shoreline between Everett and Mukilteo. That includes removing the bulkhead in Howarth Park and regrading and restoring the beach.

The project was first intended to start in late 2014, but it was delayed because cost estimates came in higher than expected, Cummings said.

With the delay in the bridge repairs, however, the county’s work was moved up to begin in June and run concurrently with the bridge project to minimize the closure times. The shoreline improvements are expected to take four to six weeks to complete.

The hope is that both projects would wrap up at about the same time, Cummings said.

While the bridge and beach remain closed, water access is available at Edgewater Beach in Mukilteo, 1500 First St., and Mukilteo Lighthouse Park, 609 Front St. In addition, the Jetty Island ferry services from 10th Street and W Marine View Drive starts July 5.

Dog-walkers can find other off-leash areas at Loganberry Lane Park, 9201 18th Ave. W, Japanese Gulch, 1301 West Mukilteo Blvd. and Lowell Park, 4605 S Third Ave.

For more information and updates on both projects, go to everettwa.gov/howarthbridge or snocomrc.org/Projects/Restoration/Nearshore-Sediment-Study.aspx.

Chris Winters: 425-374-4165; cwinters@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @Chris_At_Herald.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

Everett mall renderings from Brixton Capital. (Photo provided by the City of Everett)
Topgolf at the Everett Mall? Mayor’s hint still unconfirmed

After Cassie Franklin’s annual address, rumors circled about what “top” entertainment tenant could be landing at Everett Mall.

Everett
Everett man sentenced to 3 years of probation for mutilating animals

In 2022, neighbors reported Blayne Perez, 35, was shooting and torturing wildlife in north Everett.

Dorothy Crossman rides up on her bike to turn in her ballot  on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett leaders plan to ask voters for property tax increase

City officials will spend weeks hammering out details of a ballot measure, as Everett faces a $12.6 million deficit.

Starbucks employee Zach Gabelein outside of the Mill Creek location where he works on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 in Mill Creek, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mill Creek Starbucks votes 21-1 to form union

“We obviously are kind of on the high of that win,” store bargaining delegate Zach Gabelein said.

Lynnwood police respond to a collision on highway 99 at 176 street SW. (Photo provided by Lynnwood Police)
Police: Teen in stolen car flees cops, causes crash in Lynnwood

The crash blocked traffic for over an hour at 176th Street SW. The boy, 16, was arrested on felony warrants.

The view of Mountain Loop Mine out the window of a second floor classroom at Fairmount Elementary on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County: Everett mining yard violated order to halt work next to school

At least 10 reports accused OMA Construction of violating a stop-work order next to Fairmount Elementary. A judge will hear the case.

Imagine Children's Museum's incoming CEO, Elizabeth "Elee" Wood. (Photo provided by Imagine Children's Museum)
Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett to welcome new CEO

Nancy Johnson, who has led Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett for 25 years, will retire in June.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.