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A $1.8 million hike-bike bridge is complete over the busy road, and a cavalcade of politicians joined trail users to dedicate the bridge Wednesday.
U.S. Rep. Brian Baird, who worked to secure funding for the project, was among members of the crowd who took their first walk across the bridge. He recalled when he first rode in formation across Martin Way with people lobbying for a bridge, and how dangerous it was.
“This is an effective way to lobby,” he said.
The bridge cost less than the $2.5 million budgeted, said Thera Black, senior planner at the Thurston Regional Planning Council. The money comes from federal dollars distributed by the planning council, state funds and a direct federal appropriation that Baird helped secure.
Thurston County owns and maintains the Chehalis-Western Trail, which either directly connects or meets up with trails that link Olympia, Lacey, Yelm and Tenino with land in the unincorporated county.
The trail is not finished. The Martin Way overpass is one of three bridges that are planned to complete the trail. A bridge over Interstate 5 was completed in 2007, and attention now turns to the last bridge needed – a span over Pacific Avenue.
“Two down, one to go,” Tumwater Mayor Pete Kmet said.
Black was optimistic that the bridge could be built within two years. But she said it is the most complex bridge and requires property acquisition.
Thurston County Commissioner Sandra Romero said the idea for the project dates to the 1980s, when the county parks department proposed a trail system for the urban communities. There now are 48 miles of nonmotorized trails in the area.
“This is just one of those great days in county government where, you know, everything comes together,” she said.
Once the ceremony was over and the bridge was cleared, everyday users got to enjoy the bridge for the first time.
Lynette Lindelof of Olympia brought Marina, 4 and Netina, 2.
“It’s great,” she said. “It’s really great.”
Lindelof, who uses the trail four to five times a week when the weather cooperates, and rides from end to end, said she looks forward to having a bridge over Pacific.
“As a cyclist that uses the trail all the time, we need Pacific,” she said.
Matt Batcheldor: 360-704-6869
mbatcheldor@theolympian.com
