The City of Snohomish purchased approximately 4.65 acres of abandoned rail corridor from the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company today.

The approximately $1.4 million total cost of the acquisition was 93% funded through two federal grants, with the remaining 7% from City Real Estate Excise Tax funds. Federal funding was provided through TEA-21 and SAFETEA-LU transportation bills, which set aside funding specifically for trail projects.

The City has already acquired additional funding for engineering and construction of this 3/4-mile gap between the Centennial Trail at Pine Avenue and the recently-constructed trail at Bowen Avenue (one block south of Second).

Representative Rick Larsen was instrumental in acquiring over $680,000. As currently projected, the trails engineering and construction costs are 100% funded by federal funds.

Routed alongside the Snohomish Library, the new Senior Center and the Boys and Girls Club, this new section of 12-wide asphalt trail will complete a missing link in our growing regional trail system. Construction is scheduled for 2010.

For further information, please call Ann Stanton, City of Snohomish Engineering Department, at (360) 568-3115.

Contributed by: City of Snohomish