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Tuesday, March 18, 2003
Burke-Gilman route completes the trail
The Puget Sound region's signature public trail finally has a map reaching Golden Gardens Park in Seattle.
A compromise Burke-Gilman Trail route through a busy Ballard industrial area should pave the way for completing the trail to the park on Puget Sound.
The compromise still needs approval by the City Council. But Mayor Greg Nickels has given the council a viable plan that is labeled as a temporary solution. It could be the best long-term solution as well.
The Nickels plan covers the trail's so-called missing link through the Ballard industrial area. The compromise route departs from an active railroad corridor for several blocks along two stretches of the line by Shilshole Avenue and south of Northwest Market Street.
By detouring the heaviest truck traffic, the route should avoid harm to businesses and unnecessary risks to cyclists. And that will allow completion of a 29-mile route, combining the Burke-Gilman and Sammamish River trails, from King County's Marymoor Park to Golden Gardens.
Some businesses, joined by labor and commercial organizations, remain strongly opposed. The businesses fear that the city will eventually put the trail in front of their busy commercial operations. Liability concerns then might start a series of departures, potentially unraveling an important regional asset -- the area's concentration of thriving industrial and maritime businesses.
If most bicyclists follow the planned route, however, any problems should be manageable.
The mayor's plan has a strong pro-business element. The Shilshole Avenue-46th Street corridor already needs the plan's proposed crosswalks. For several blocks, the trail detour would run along Ballard Avenue and Vernon Place, a funky area with taverns, eating spots and retail establishments. That adds both character and convenience for riders.
The mayor's proposal says the city eventually will use the entire rail corridor. It's hard to imagine that working unless the city develops an innovative approach -- perhaps an overhead structure -- to avoid conflicts with rail or truck traffic. Otherwise, the city and trail advocates should accept permanent detours.
Cyclists and the city have a shared responsibility to make sure the compromise works for businesses. That will require educating riders about the reasons for detouring Shilshole.
This is a good compromise. Nickels' plan would allow completion of a trail that starts east of Lake Washington, runs through suburban and city neighbors and ends at Puget Sound. The popular trail will then earn an even-stronger identity as a key part of Puget Sound's enviable quality of life.
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