LAKE STEVENS — Park planners and government officials from Marysville and Lake Stevens exchanged handshakes and hugs Monday afternoon for a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the first section of the Bayview Trail connector path.
The two towns are working together to develop a 4.7-mile paved path, extending from the south end of the existing Bayview Trail at 64th Street Northeast in Marysville to 20th Street Southeast in Lake Stevens.
The gathering in Lake Stevens signaled the official opening of Phase 0 of the project, which runs from 20th Street Southeast to 12th Street Southeast.
The project has been in development since just before the pandemic. On Monday, Lake Stevens Parks Planning and Development Coordinator Jill Meis expressed her excitement to see the towns’ work come to fruition.
“I’m thrilled. I actually took papers to every one of these houses and said, ‘Hey, how do you feel about a trail?’” Meis said, pointing to a row of houses behind the paved path. “This is the beginning of a lot of recreation.”
Before cutting the ribbon, Lake Stevens Mayor Brett Gailey expressed appreciation for the joint effort between the two towns that made the project happen.
“When we can go hand-in-hand and do regional projects together with multiple cities, it makes it easier for legislators to provide that money,” he said. “Because it doesn’t just serve Lake Stevens, it serves a much broader community.”
A $504,700 state grant helped fund the trail design to 30% completion. Both towns will ask for an additional $600,000 in the upcoming legislative session, according to Gailey.
The trail passes under power lines owned by Bonneville Power Administration and Seattle City Light, which granted the towns easements to build the trail.
“I really love this trail,” Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring said. “It’s a great opportunity for people to get out and walk and bike.”
Correction: A previous version of this story contained incorrect information regarding the next steps of the trail-building process.
Eliza Aronson: 425-339-3434; eliza.aronson@heraldnet.com; X: @ElizaAronson.
Eliza’s stories are supported by the Herald’s Environmental and Climate Reporting Fund.
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