The Port of Everett has added a tiny stretch of the Snohomish River to its waterfront trail system.
At this point, it’s sort of a trail to nowhere — and you’re not really supposed to be walking on it. But it’s there. And it’s nice. And if you feel like walking on it, I won’t tell anybody.
The 1,100-foot piece of asphalt is along the Snohomish River in the port’s Riverside Business Park, an 80-acre property at 101 E. Marine View Drive the port bought from the Weyerhaeuser Co. years ago and has had difficulty marketing, especially since the economy went into the tank.
The trail is alongside a property being developed by Motor Trucks Inc. of Everett, which will move there from its Grand Avenue facility. Since Motor Trucks won’t need the waterfront for its work, the port has developed a chunk of trail right along the water’s edge.
Port Director John Mohr showed me the place last week.
“We’re not allowed to use it yet,” he said. “The city is working out a deal for the right-of-way. But it gives you an idea what the future is for the overall development.”
In its agreement with the city, the port needs to create a trail system all along the development. If a business needs the river for its operations, the trail will go along the property’s edge away from the water. If it doesn’t, like Motor Trucks, the trail will go right along the river.
The trail will build out as the development does.
And city plans call for it to hook up with the trail system the port is developing along its saltwater properties and also go east to the city’s riverfront park and eventually to Snohomish County’s Centennial Trail.
If you haven’t checked out the port’s trail system along Puget Sound, you should. It has a nice walk along the beach to Pigeon Creek that links up with sidewalk trails along much of its property along the city’s W. Marine View Drive.
For more information and a map, go to http://www.portofeverett.com/home/index.asp?page=63.
The 1,100 feet of riverfront isn’t much walking space, but it’s attractive with an array of plants that don’t require much maintenance or any watering in the summer. It has a great view of the river.
There aren’t any benches there, but it could use one for people who want to take a sack lunch and just watch things drift by.
Right now, the area is near some railroad tracks, so it will take some time to work out the legal access and to link everything up.
Mohr said the port has Weyerhaeuser’s old right-of-way with the railroad and is transferring it to the city so that city officials can figure out a way to safely link the business park trail with other areas.
The city has a complete trail system roughed out and “when we do get public access, we do a section at a time,” Mohr said. “Over a period of time, we’ll end up with a full trail system.”
Developing the property is going to take time, but it’s nice to see it get started, even if its just 1,100 feet of pavement that doesn’t go anywhere.
Mike Benbow: 425-339-3459; benbow@heraldnet.com.
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