White River Pedestrian Bridge – Decades in the Making
During her nearly 30 years of involvement in the Foothills Coalition, Pat Johnson, one of our current board members, couldn’t be more excited about the completion of the White River Pedestrian Bridge set to open later this month.
“This is a project that’s taken a lot of advocacy and a lot of collaboration over the past 10 years, and finally we’ll have a bridge that will not only improve the Foothills Trail, but give trail users easier and safer access to Enumclaw and King County,” she said.
The bridge will increase recreational usage of the Foothills Trail with residents of both counties now being able to access the other easier than ever, and being built out of steel, has an expected lifespan of 70-80 years, ensuring its use by future generations.
“I’ve seen the Foothills Trail make such a positive impact on the quality of life of local residents over the years. For me, it’s a great way to get out in nature and clear my mind,” she said. “And I see people of every age out on the Trail enjoying themselves almost every day.”
As the former mayor of Buckley, Ms. Johnson is eager to see utilization of Buckley’s public services by its nearest neighbors.
“There are such great offerings in Buckley that are immediately along the Foothills Trail including restaurants, ice cream and coffee shops, and activities like our playground, skatepark, and the Youth Activity Center that will be easily accessible along with our downtown and the great events we host like Tunes Along the Trail,” she said.
The new Foothills Trail Bridge over the White River will give Pierce County Foothills users the opportunity to continue to extend their rides by about two and a half miles, following Encumclaw’s paved trail system that spans the entire town and leads into King County’s network of trails.
Ms. Johnson anticipates the new White River Pedestrian Bridge will create a new opportunity for Pierce County residents to opt for commuting using the Foothills Trail rather than driving.
“There’s no question that biking home to Pierce County will be quicker than the drive,” she said. “SR-410 experiences terrible backups during rush hour so this is a great, fast alternative that’s both good for residents and the environment.”
Ms. Johnson is a near-daily Foothills Trail user and is looking forward to more than extending her regular walks along the Foothills Trail; she’s eager to use the new bridge as a vantage point to see salmon, eagles, and other birds that frequent the area.
The Foothills Coalition extends their sincere thanks to former Buckley mayor Pat Johnson as well as King County, Pierce County, and the Washington Recreation & Conservation Office, among many other individuals, for making this project a reality!
