Union Bay Natural Area Trail Closure Extended Through July

The Laurelhurst Blog recently posted about the current trail closure along Wahkiakum Lane and the Loop Trail, in conjunction with the WSDOT SR 520 UBNA Wetland Mitigation Project, to create and enhance existing wetlands and replace invasive and non-native plants with native species to mitigate effects from the SR 520 West Approach Bridge North project, currently under construction in the Montlake area. 

Kathryn Murdock, with the WSDOT project recently sent out another update:

Since beginning work this week, the contractor has determined that additional work will be needed to build the temporary access roads and complete the stockpiling of bark.  

In an effort to condense trail closures and finish all necessary work efficiently, the trail closures will extend through mid- to late July. Trails will only close during daytime hours on weekdays and will be open evenings and weekends. The contractor aims to reopen the trail on Fridays for long weekends if all work is completed by each Thursday.

Intermittent closures of the UBNA trails will be required after July as the contractor completes irrigation and excavation work.

Notice posted on SR 520 – Union Bay Natural Area Mitigation:

Union Bay Natural AreaUpdate: trail closures extended through mid- to late July; contractor aims to open trails every Friday if work permits in addition to evenings and weekends

Contractor crews have begun widening trails and building temporary access roads needed to construct wetland improvements at the University of Washington’s Union Bay Natural Area (UBNA). Since beginning work this week, the contractor has determined that additional work will be needed to build the temporary access roads and complete the stockpiling of bark. In an effort to condense trail closures and finish all necessary work efficiently, the trail closures will extend through mid- to late July.

Trails will be closed Mondays through Fridays during the day, but are scheduled to reopen each evening around 6 p.m. and on weekends to the public. The contractor will aim to open trails on Fridays for long weekends if all work is completed by each Thursday. We will keep you up-to-date on our SR 520 twitter feed if trails open on Fridays.

For your safety, please follow the detour route, posted on ourwebsite and on signs onsite. 

When the work is complete and the trails reopen, trail users may notice fabric and quarry spalls along each side of the trails. Trail users may also notice a few additional access roads that will be built off of the trail in the southwest corner of the site, and near the junction of Wahkiakum Lane and Franklin Road. The widening of the trail and new access roads enables the contractor to use the trail to reach the areas where they will be enhancing wetlands, while preserving buffer zones around nesting birds. These access roads will not be open to trail users, as they are not intended for walking. As the work is completed later this year, the trails will be restored to their original condition. 

Please note that while the current trail closures are scheduled to end in mid- to late July, intermittent closures of the UBNA trails will be required after July as the contractor completes irrigation and excavation work. We’ll keep you informed through our West Approach Bridge North email updates as additional closures are scheduled.