Date:  Thursday, December 16, 2010

Contact: Mike Murphy, WSDOT Communications, 206-440-4699 (Seattle)
Amy Brockhaus, Mountains to Sound Greenway, 206-382-5565 x24 (Seattle)
Erin MacCoy, Mountains to Sound Greenway, 206-382-5565 x32 (Seattle)

ISSAQUAH – Just in time for the holidays, hikers and cyclists found a present under the trees near Issaquah today: a new trail connection parallel to I-90.

The I-90 Highpoint-to-Preston Trail provides a 1.25-mile section of regional trail that connects the Issaquah-to-Highpoint Trail just short of the Preston-Snoqualmie trailhead. Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) worked with the Mountains to Sound Greenway, a nonprofit conservation trust, to relocate the existing bike and hike route from the shoulders of busy High Point Way and westbound I-90 to a non-motorized trail safely away from traffic.

“This major accomplishment helps fill a critical missing trail link between Highpoint and Preston,” said Cynthia Welti, Executive Director of the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust. “Not only will this trail provide a safer travel option for recreational users and commuters, but it helps connect the regional trail system in the Mountains to Sound Greenway.”

King County will maintain the new trail, which is now part of the King County Regional Trails System.

As part of the project, crews planted more than 200 Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar trees, and more than 5,200 shrubs. Even more trees and shrubs will be planted in January.

“This new trail isn’t just about providing a safe connection between two regional trails; it’s also about protecting the environment,” said John Chi, WSDOT Construction Project Engineer. WSDOT constructed a new pedestrian bridge along the trail and upgraded a railroad trestle over East Fork Issaquah Creek to protect the creek and nearby wetlands from foot and bike traffic. New retaining walls reduce the trail’s footprint and minimize environmental impacts.

The Washington State Legislature allocated most of the funding for this $4.6 million project in 2007. For more information go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I90/HighPointTrail.

About the Mountains to Sound Greenway:

The Mountains to Sound Greenway connects natural areas, trails, working farms and forests, historic towns and communities, wildlife habitat and recreation opportunities from Seattle across the Cascade Mountains to Central Washington. The Greenway provides easy access to recreation and nature for millions of people in the Northwest, key to the quality of life in this region.

The Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust leads and inspires action to conserve and enhance this landscape, ensuring a long-term balance between people and nature. Founded in 1991, the Greenway Trust works to promote public land acquisitions, connect a continuous regional trail system, teach people of all ages about the importance of conserving forests and wildlife, improve recreation access, create new parks and trails and mobilize thousands of volunteers.

For more information: mtsgreenway.org.

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