Communities throughout the 5th District will benefit from a wide variety of parks, trails and other recreational projects funded by the 2015 capital budget that passed the Legislature, Sen. Mark Mullet, D-Issaquah, announced today.

“Our communities are going to gain dramatic upgrades at existing parks and trails and, in some cases, entirely new facilities that I believe will become destination play areas,” Mullet said. “Frankly, this is one of the better capital budgets for our region and a welcome boost after years of post-recession stagnation.”

The capital budget funds:

  • The design and construction of an all-accessible, destination-quality playground in Lake Sammamish State Park.
  • Expansion of Riverview Park in Snoqualmie, including a trail connection to Snoqualmie Falls and improvements to prevent flooding.
  • Paving of the road and parking area leading to the Tiger Mountain trailhead.
  • Issaquah Creek restoration at Confluence Park and trail connectivity to downtown Issaquah, including a pedestrian bridge.
  • The design and construction of a 6,000- to 7,000-square-foot skate park next to the community center in Snoqualmie Community Park. The skate park will accommodate beginner and intermediate skateboarders and likely will include an above-grade design with concrete mini ramps, stair sets, banks, ledges and rails.
  • Upgrade of docks on Lake Sammamish to improve boat access.
  • Final construction of the five-mile trail to Mailbox Peak.
  • Conversion of a grass sports field in Issaquah’s Central Park into two multi-purpose turf sports fields for a variety of activities including baseball, soccer, lacrosse, and football, and add lights and fencing.
  • The purchase of 224 acres of mature forest in the Issaquah Alps, the region’s most heavily used hiking destination. Located 1.2 miles south of Issaquah on State Route 900, the land will become a year-round regional destination for hikers and families, providing a much-needed trailhead, parking lot, and miles of new trail connections through the land to the adjacent 5,300 acres of county and state parks.
  • The development of six miles of trails in east Tiger Mountain State Forest, completing the trail system in the east side of the forest. This will give visitors a safer alternative to using service roads and connect to a regional trail and future access to the Raging River State Forest.
  • The conservation of 136 undeveloped acres in the Bass-Beaver Lake complex, site of the highest bird species diversity in the county, next to state parks in the Green River Gorge.
  • Watermain improvements to enable economic development along SE 240th Street in Maple Valley.

“For generations, our communities have benefited from abundant outdoor recreational opportunities in one of the most beautiful climates anywhere,” Mullet said. “This budget maintains and expands on those opportunities to make sure that current and future generations can continue to enjoy the majesty of our region.”