UPDATE 12/1: Reader Chris says the trail is temporarily open again, and the signs now say that the detour will return 12/4-8. The Fix the Burke-Gilman Facebook page (definitely worth following to stay up to date on these closures) posted an update from the project team: “They moved some of the detour signs around and hope to finish the section from the north end of the overpass bridge to NE 97th next week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday if the weather permits. The detour will take you off the Burke-Gilman just south of the overpass bridge to NE 95th down to Sand Point Way where you will need to cross Sandpoint Way and then take NE 97th where you will be able to get back on the Burke-Gilman Trail to continue to heading North. If you are heading south, you will need to do the detour in reverse getting back on the trail south of the bridge. With the wetter weather predicated, I suspect that the work on the next section, between NE 97th and NE 112th won’t start back up until early spring 2024.”
Seattle Parks is repairing bumps on the Burke-Gilman Trail between Inverness Drive NE and NE 97th St near Matthews Beach Park. Work is already underway and is expected to continue until December 8.
This section was very bumpy, so some trail repairs are very welcome. There is a detour in place, but I do not have a map of it. If you’ve ridden through, let us know in the comments how the detour worked for you.
This work was originally scheduled to begin in late August, but was delayed. The project website also lists trail work from 97th to 112th that has also been delayed. I have asked Parks for updates on that work and any other upcoming trail closures. We did not find out about this work until readers started sending us messages.
UPDATE: Big thanks to reader Stephen for sending us this map of the detour route:
Note that sections of Sand Point Way do not have sidewalks or even decent shoulders for some of this length. This is another reason to alert the public of these construction plans: To get feedback on the planned detour.
Comments
10 responses to “Alert 11/27-12/8: Burke-Gilman Trail closed for repairs near Matthews Beach – UPDATED”
Hurray! Road will Cascade on Pie Ride and thought I would break my teeth on those horrible bumps, often hidden under leaves. This entire area requires safety fixes. So glad to hear trail is FINALLY being maintenanced. This has been years.
Lighting needs to be added along the BGT north of 45th st. It can’t be a year round bike path without it. We need to induce winter and evening ridership.
Yes.
We’ve gotta have standards for this so there’s at least a story for eventually getting lighting along with paving projects.
ditto Alex. Great to hear about upgrades. I hope this includes the dip i call the ski jump. Goes all the way across the trail. Not fun on a recumbent!
Woah! Thanks for posting this: will definitely affect my morning commute.
That section was *really* bumpy (and lately hidden in leaves) so I think the temporary pain will be worth it.
FWIW, I usually take 125th across from Northgate, and then go down to the trail at 125th or 123rd down to the trail. However, sometimes (like when I’m worried about morning ice on that hill) I take Sandpoint down to that little access just at the south end of this scheduled work – that seems fine. Sandpoint has reasonable shoulders right up to the last section after the Matthew Beach bridge.
Terrible detour signage in both directions and really just an unpleasant detour in general due to the fast traffic on Sand Point Way. I was riding southbound this morning and reached the end of the detour, which was a slick (due to frost) short climb back up to the Burke from Sand Point Way. I got off my bike to walk it through the slick part when a guy walking his dog on the Burke said, “Detour kind of sucks, doesn’t it?” Right, he was!
Poorly signed, hard to follow, but only 1/4 mile more to bike, through Matthew Beach Park. Some of it on Sandpoint Way.
I rode it again this afternoon, northbound. Once you leave the Burke-Gilman, there is no signage at all to direct you where to go from there. I only knew to turn into the Matthews Beach lot because I had come from the north yesterday morning. They really could not have done a worse job.
Looks like the first bit of work is done and the detour is paused for a few days. Signs now list 12-4 to 12-8 as the detour days.
Thanks for the update!