It's been in the works for a decade at least, a couple of intersecting bicycle and pedestrian loops that would connect South Lake Union and Elliott Bay and take in the sights at the same time: the Space Needle, the Sculpture Park, Myrtle Edwards Park, Denny Park, the South Lake Union waterfront.
Originally named the Potlatch Trail, the idea of a path to connect many of the city's most iconic spots has been cooking for about 15 years. Now there's progress.
Old barriers may soon come down, restoring free-flowing movement and access, if proponents of the Lake to Bay Loop are successful. Transportation programs like the Mercer Project and north portal of the Highway 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct tunnel may dovetail with the recently developed Seattle Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plans, allowing the project to move forward at full speed.
Development of the loop is still in its early phases, but tangible signs of progress include new "wayfinding" paint, and the Thomas Street pedestrian bridge, which provides a new connection from lower Queen Anne and the Seattle Center to Elliott Bay.
Recreation isn't the loop's only allure. "The Lake to Bay Loop is a critical piece of transportation infrastructure," says Monty Montoya, president of Sightlife on Yale Avenue near Thomas. "It's important to current and potential employees that they can walk or ride bikes to and from work or meetings safely. Good connections attract good employees."
The proposed route would be owned by the City of Seattle, and managed by the Seattle Department of Transportation, Seattle Center and Department of Parks and Recreation.
Leave a comment