Mayor Murray & Seattle City Council: “Show the love” to the Burke-Gilman Trail

Complete the trail along a safe, simple and direct route, and our hearts will be yours!

The Missing Link of the Burke-Gilman Trail is almost the stuff of romance novels. For decades, caring neighbors have shown their devotion to patching up the trail through Ballard, only to face empty promises, repeated letdowns and crippling lawsuits. 

Ballard community groups and businesses turned out more than 300 people last Friday (yes, a Friday!) in a final rally of support for their chosen alternative along South Shilshole. Special guest Councilmember Mike O’Brien put his heart on the line for South Shilshole as well, calling on the city of Seattle to break ground on the beloved route this year. 

This tide of support — from neighbors, businesses, elected leaders and people who just plain old like to walk, stroll and bike on the trail — has us weak in the knees. Cascade stands by our Ballard friends that the South Shilshole alternative is the safest, simplest and most direct route to mending our broken trail and broken hearts. 

But, we know that love is complicated, and would also support another solution that keeps trail users safe and completes this long-overdue gap in the Burke. That’s why this Valentine’s Day, we’re making a final plea.

Join us in asking Mayor Ed Murray and the Seattle City Council to 'Show the Love' to the Burke by completing the Missing Link — ideally along the community's preferred route, South Shilshole.  

The city will select its preferred route in the coming weeks, with the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) due out in May, according to the Seattle Department of Transportation. 

Cascade will deliver Valentines to Seattle City Hall, to ensure Mayor Murray and the city council hear our heartfelt desires to complete the trail in a way that is safe, simple and direct. 

Come write a Valentine in person:

Sunday, Feb. 12, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
at the Ballard Farmer’s Market in front of Ballard Inn

Tuesday, Feb. 14, from 6:30 to 9 a.m.
at the Burke-Gilman Trail at NW 43rd Street

If you can’t make it in person, send your Valentine electronically today! 

Outside the Ballard and bicycling community, more stakeholder groups are showing the love for completing the trail. The benefits a completed trail will bring are many, including health, transportation and regional connectivity. Here are just a few of their voices: 

“Completing the final Missing Link of the Burke-Gilman Trail will help more folks get safely, easily and enjoyably to and from important transit hubs across the region, such as growing Ballard and surrounding neighborhoods.”
–Transportation Choices Coalition

“Whether cycling to work or enjoying an outing with their families, Kaiser Permanente supports healthy and safe activities as part of everyday living. The Burke-Gilman is vital to our city’s regional trail system and completion of the Missing Link will ensure that our members and our neighbors have access to safe biking trails.” 
– Kaiser Permanente 

“The Burke-Gilman Trail is an icon of the King County Regional Trail system. Completing this trail is critical to having an all ages and abilities, interconnected trail system for everyone to use and enjoy. Once the missing link in Ballard and the last segment of the East Lake Sammamish Trail in Sammamish are completed, you will be able to ride, run, walk or stroll along a connected 44-mile corridor from Seattle to Issaquah on dedicated, safe and accessible trails!”
– King County Parks

We’ve put our hearts on our sleeves and declared our love for a completed trail, and our strong preference for South Shilshole. Now, the ball is in the city’s court. We need Mayor Murray and the Seattle City Council to show the love — to the Burke and to its supporters — by moving ahead with South Shilshole. Will they sweep us off our feet?