The Southcenter Pedestrian Bridge may have been open for a couple months now but Friday, June 22 will mark its official opening.
A dedication ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. This three-in-one event begins with a dedication of the pedestrian bridge followed by a walk across it to the site of the Marvelle, an active senior living facility.
A ground breaking will be held at the Marvelle before proceeding to the final stop of the day — Hotel Interurban/Airmark Apartments.
A celebration will be held at the hotel/apartment complex. Parking Friday is available at Christensen Park, along Baker Boulevard and at Hotel Interurban. “(The bridge) is a game changer for the neighborhood,” Rachel Bianchi, communications and government relations manager said.
The pedestrian bridge is a huge step in making this area of Tukwila pedestrian and bike friendly. This project has been in the making for nearing 20 years.
Bianchi said the idea for the bridge first began in 2001 when the city received federal grants to create a master plan.
It wasn’t until 2005 that the city received a federal grant of $200,000 to start designing the bridge.
Now 13 years later, the bridge is no longer just an idea on paper.
The pedestrian bridge totals a little more than $10 million. Most of the funding needed to complete the bridge came from federal or state funding and grants. While about $1.4 million of it came from park impact fees.
To continue its goal of creating a pedestrian and bike friendly corridor, Bianchi said, the city is now looking at how to help get people across West Valley Highway.
She said currently people walk north to Longacres Way and cross at the light but the city is looking at other ways to get walkers and bikers across the highway.
“The goal for this area is to be a walkable, livable area with easy access to transit,” she said.
More improvements to the area
Other changes in this area of Tukwila include the addition of street parking and a bike lane along Baker Boulevard.
Bianchi said this street is now considered a festival street. The city is looking at ways it could utilize this for community
events.
“We’ve created a new neighborhood where people can live, work and play,” she said.
The Marvelle is an active adult residential development, Bianchi said, that is expected to be seven stories and include 166 units.
It is expected to open near the end of 2020 or the beginning of 2021, she said.
