Help pick up litter on the Interurban Trail - Monday, Jan 19, 2009

On Monday, in honor of the 2009 Martin Luther King Day of Service some Shoreline residents are going to pick up litter along the Interurban Trail . You're welcome to join them!

Here's the information from the sign-up page at the USA Service website:

Interurban Litter Walk

The litter walk will start where the Interurban trail crosses 175th Ave, just off Aurora. Meet at the greenbelt, just north of 175th behind the Walgreens. The litter walk will head south, hopefully making it to the opening of the trail at 145th.

This event is meant to be child and dog friendly (please only bring your dog if s/he is okay around new people, especially children). Bring 1-2 plastic bags to fill with litter, gloves, water, sack lunch. Rain or shine. Dress accordingly, and come with a smile!

What: Help clean up the Shoreline section of the Interurban Trail

When: Monday, Jan 19 from 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Where: Interurban Trail, just north of 175th, in Shoreline.

Directions: From 175th, head north on Midvale. There is parking for the trail in the northend of the Walgreen's parking lot. There is also street parking available.

Link to sign up for this event and for more information

Link to all posts about the Interurban Trail (photos, videos, history, etc)

Photos along the Interurban Trail in Shoreline Washington

These photos were taken yesterday along part of the Interurban Trail as it runs through Shoreline WA (between 175th & 145th).

To see more photos of the Shoreline segment of the Interurban Trail, including milk trucks, surveillance cameras, the view from the bridge, and more, click the link below.

Link to: more photos of the Shoreline segment of the Interurban Trail

Link to: all posts about The Interurban Trail

Public Art Dedication:Contemplating the Arc at Echo Lake park

Set in stone

Contemplating the Arc - all wrapped up!

The artist, Stuart Nakamura with his work in the background.

Is he 'contemplating the arc' in this photo?

The ribbon cutting.
It turns out that those big ceremonial scissors are actually capable of cutting!

Artist Stuart Nakamura and Shoreline Mayor Cindy Ryu seal the deal

Detail of 'Contemplating the Arc'

Mayor Cindy Ryu



Artist Stuart Nakamura


Link to: More photos from the dedication of Contemplating the Arc

Link to: All posts about this this piece of art

Link to: All posts about public art in Shoreline

Is a historic Shoreline road hitting a dead end?

The end of the road

Heading north it connects with Aurora.

A piece of Shoreline history meets a dead end.

A couple weeks ago I posted some information about the history of Ronald Pl. N. - specifically the curvy piece of red brick road between Aurora Rents and Top Food. When I wrote that post I didn't realize that there's actually another piece of that road on the other side of 175th, running from the back of Walgreen's parking lot out to Highway 99. As you can see in the photos above, it's pretty much been rendered useless.

Someone commented on the original post with dire warnings about the future of the road, saying that it's at risk, but leaving no details. So I wrote an email to the City of Shoreline asking about it. Here's the deal (as far as I can tell): the curvy piece of Ronald Pl. N. that currently connects Highway 99 and 175th is indeed going to go away, while the piece that runs alongside the Interurban Trail (that's the piece that dead-ends at the Walgreens parking lot) may be incorporated into 'Interurban Park'.

Here's a quote from the email: "The backbone of the Interurban Park is Ronald Place. There will be a public process to aid plan development. How the red brick road is highlighted as part of the park will be determined through plan development." Click here to read the entire email.

What do you think? What would you like to see happen with Ronald Pl. N.? Do you think it's important to preserve it? Post your thoughts to the comment section below (you don't need to log in or have an account to leave a comment).

Link to: earlier post about Ronald Pl. N.

New construction coming on the Interurban Trail

Bicyclists, joggers, dog-walkers, and everyone else who uses the Interurban Trail through Shoreline will soon be able to visit our neighbors to the north more easily.

The trail, which has seen vast improvements over the last few years thanks to $11.3 million in grants and Shoreline's capital improvement fund, currently ends at the King-Snohomish county line. But thanks to the folks in Montlake Terrace, a widened portion of the trail will be constructed along 76th Street SW, connecting the trail to the Edmonds border.

From there, trail users will be able to continue to the Montlake Terrace part of the trail, and from there to Lynnwood, and all the way to Everett.

The new construction is anticipated to begin in Fall of 2009, hopefully ending in time for long summer bike rides in 2010.

Do you use the trail? Do you feel it's a good use of the city's money? According to the city's website, no taxes were raised in order to refurbish the trail - was the city's grant money well-spent by improving the trail?

Leave your thoughts in the comments area below (you don't need to have a Blogger account to comment).

Link to: All posts about the Interurban Trail

Ironic "Beautification Project" sign near Echo Lake

The sign touts a beautification project, while right behind it a massive (some might say "ugly") construction project is going on. It's an interesting contrast is all I'm sayin'. This construction is happening on the south shore of Echo Lake, right next to the Interurban Trail.

Dare I say "beautification" meets "uglification"?

If you lived here, you'd be home now!

Link to: All posts about the Interurban Trail

Signs of the Interurban Trail at Echo Lake Park

Let's make sure we get the city logo on there twice.

The Interurban Trail rules.

Map of the trail as it runs through Shoreline.

Hey, there's Ronald Bog Park!

Link to: All posts about the Interurban Trail

The Interurban Trail through Shoreline

The Interurban Trail now passes all the way through Shoreline (as of September 2007). Coming up from the south, it pretty much runs alongside Highway 99 until it reaches N. 185th St., at which point it jogs east a bit then runs along the east edge of Echo Lake. Then at 200th it goes even further east before it runs up into Snohomish County.

Here are a few photos I took last week. The Interurban Trail plaque in Shoreline (and the bench next to it) and the view from that bench. There is a photo of the view straight ahead and a short video panorama of the view panning from north to south.

The plaque - set in stone!

And you thought there weren't any sidewalks in Shoreline! :)
This photo is looking south.

A bench conveniently located next to the plaque-stone.

The view from the bench. Scenic, eh?

Panorama view from the bench next to the plaque in the stone.
We start out looking north then pan to the south.

More info about the Shoreline section of the Interurban Trail is here.

A map of the Interurban Trail is here (pdf)

Link to: All posts about the Interurban Trail