Washington Park Arboretum Waterfront Trail

Summer 2025

The timeline to finalize project design drawings has experienced significant setbacks due to delays with state and federal permitting reviews, but we’re excited to announce we now have permits in hand to move forward with the bidding and construction of the phase 1 (Foster Island) work.  Additionally, the project received good news that it has been allocated Seattle Parks District funds to help move the Phase 2 (Marsh Island) design portion of work forward and we have begun to get a design consultant under contract and initiate additional surveys.  

Design and permitting efforts began in 2016, but the lack of funding was a huge issue and together with the community, we were able to secure state grant funding to enhance and preserve the Waterfront Trail. 

Project Description

Seattle Parks and Recreation is working to enhance and preserve the Arboretum Waterfront Trail and waterfront access. The trail has begun to show its age and there are plans to make significant updates to the trail to prevent the overwater walkways and on-grade paths from being submerged and impassable when the lake level is high. Lake levels are controlled by the US Army Corps of Engineers and are lower in the winter and increase in the spring. During the spring and summer months, the trail may be impassable or difficult to navigate.  

We do not have enough funding to renovate the entire trail, so we plan to construct improvements in phases as the budget allows. The first phase of work focuses on the design and construction of the Foster Island section of the trail and the floating walkway. Phase two focuses on improvements to the Marsh Island section of the trails.