May 12, 2021

Johansen could snag one of the final contracts to build East Lake Sammamish Trail

Photo by Eli Brownell/King County Parks [enlarge]

This part of the trail, with an interim gravel surface, will soon be under construction.

Graphic from King County Parks [enlarge]

B Segment is about 3.6 miles along the east shore of Lake Sammamish.

King County later this month will likely award a $12.28 million contract to Johansen Construction Co. of Buckley to build the initial phase of the B Segment of the East Lake Sammamish Trail.

B Segment is the final piece of the 11.4-mile East Lake Sammamish Trail, which is the missing link of a 44-mile trail corridor that will connect Seattle to the Eastside and the Cascade foothills. East Lake Sammamish Trail will link to Marymoor Connector Trail to the north and Issaquah-Preston Trail to the south.

B Segment is about 3.6 miles from Southeast 33rd Street to Inglewood Hill Road, with the first phase running 1.7 miles between 33rd and Mint Grove Driveway (about 550 feet south of Southeast Eighth Street). The second phase will build the remaining 1.9 miles to Inglewood Hill Road.

King County's project website says B Segment is the longest and most complex section of East Lake Sammamish Trail — with steep slopes, limited access, close proximity to property owners, and many wetlands and streams.

Work on B Segment involves removing the existing gravel trail and constructing a 12-foot-wide paved trail with gravel shoulders in its place, constructing concrete intersections and improving sight lines. Other work includes erosion control, grading, structural earth walls, soldier pile walls, fencing, a stormwater conveyance system, signage, traffic control, trail amenities, landscaping, wetland mitigation and construction of eight fish-passable culverts.

Johansen was one of just two bidders for the first phase of work. The other was Active Construction of Tacoma, with a bid of $15.19 million. The engineer's estimate was $11.98 million.

Johansen's bid is under review and an official award is expected by the end of the month. Construction would follow in June, with completion by the end of 2022.

The second phase is estimated to cost $13.26 million and the county expects to advertise for a contractor in August or September. This work could begin in late fall this year and finish by the end of 2023.

East Lake Sammamish Trail follows a historic railroad route along eastern shore of Lake Sammamish through the cities of Redmond, Sammamish and Issaquah. The county bought the corridor in 1998 and built an interim gravel trail that opened in 2006. Current work is funded by the county's parks levy that was passed by voters in 2019.

Parametrix is the design consultant for the project.