Ribbon Cutting Introduces Final Phase of a Rail to Trail Connection in Redmond
September, 2025
After more than a decade of multiple phases, the complete Redmond Central Connector Trail that transforms an abandoned rail corridor into a multimodal regional connection was officially introduced to the public. State, local, and project leaders joined the broader community to speak to the importance of the completed project that unifies downtown Redmond and its neighboring urban areas with the natural setting of Sammamish Valley.
“This trail not only connects Redmond to our neighbors in Sammamish, Kirkland, and Woodinville—it also connects us to many of the things that make Redmond special, including the natural beauty of the Sammamish Valley, parks, gathering places, public art, transit, local businesses, and the energy of Downtown.”
– Angela Birney, Redmond Mayor
The completion of this 1.6-mile segment follows two earlier phases that added 2.3 miles of trail extending from downtown between 2013 and 2017. In addition to several business districts, the project also completes a linkage to the 42-mile Eastrail trail network as well as provides access to Sound Transit stations for direct access to the Bellevue and Seattle area (including SeaTac Airport). This final phase also just so happens to pass directly in front of Otak’s Redmond office. Its proximity not only provided our team as stakeholders with quick access and a first-hand view of progress, but will now benefit them as members of the community with alternate commute options. Several staff members made their way to the event by bike or on foot to join the celebration that also included remarks from project manager Nico Vanderhorst.
“One of the key aspects of this project has always been about making connections… it had been difficult to get to downtown without a car and adding these alternatives for regional connectivity is very powerful.”
– Nico Vanderhorst, Project Manager
About the Redmond Central Connector Trail
This rail to trail project transformed a rail corridor, originally constructed in 1889, into a multiuse connection between downtown Redmond and the surrounding area. Completed across three phases, the transportation design process started with planning efforts that set a vision for the trail. Ahead of phase three, initial work was completed to add fish passable culverts, create a subbase for the trail, and strategically place utilities for Puget Sound Energy in anticipation of completing this new transportation asset.
“One of the technical challenges we solved was how to retain stormwater runoff. What we did was turn the east shoulder of the corridor into a collection and flow control facility avoiding very expensive piping and a retention pond for which there was no available space.”
– Touta Phensgsavath, Project Engineer
Navigating the Sammamish Valley, the trail accentuates the area’s natural surroundings, including a vegetated stormwater control facility to safely treat runoff and a retrofitted historic bridge with lookouts over the Sammamish River. Accessibility and safety were central to the project throughout its design. The final phase of work added crossings at numerous intersections with features like variable paving materials, defined concrete scoring patterns, urban amenities, signalized crossings with improved pedestrian push buttons, and uniquely designed roadway barriers. Together these features established a visual consistency as part of maximizing the overall user experience.
