Here is what we received. If you received the same letter, please share that in the comments section.

Seattle Parks and Recreation is responsible for maintaining an 8-mile portion of the Burke-Gilman Trail from the Seattle city limits on the north extending to Gas Works Park. This city-managed section connects to the King County portion near NE 145th Street, marked by an official Seattle Parks Burke-Gilman Trail sign at the boundary. Seattle DOT takes over at Gas Works Park. The University of Washington has 1.6 miles of the trail between the two Seattle Parks segments.

The current budget for pavement repairs is inadequate, as evidenced by a funding cycle that would require 32 to 40 years to repave the entire trail. For a 50-year-old trail infrastructure, the aging pavement demands far more extensive and immediate maintenance than this limited budget provides.

Obviously many of us are going to have to get involved in the Cycle 3 plan if we want to see additional capital and maintenance funding.

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Thank you for contacting Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR). We appreciate your advocacy for the Burke-Gilman Trail. 

SPR makes yearly improvements based on the Burke-Gilman Trail 2024 Condition Overview Assessment. In 2025-2026 we have improved the trail near Magnuson Park , and our current funding levels allow us to fix 1,000-to-1,300 linear feet of trail per year, with the focus on patching areas of uneven pavement and upheaved pavement caused by roots.

When our elected leaders proposed the creation of the Seattle Park District back in 2014, they recognized the importance of regular engagement with community to establish funding priorities and set policy direction that we implement the Park District in six-year funding cycles.

Currently, our team is evaluating the work that has been accomplished and is beginning to look ahead at where future investments may be needed for Cycle 3 (which is anticipated to run from 2029-2034). We will begin planning for Cycle 3 in earnest in 2027. This will include our Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners, a broader community engagement process to hear from you, and a review process by the Mayor’s Office and the Park District Board, which is made up of the City Council members. In these efforts, we’re also working to keep key partners like the Seattle Parks Foundation informed.

We are currently considering community feedback and planning for public-engagement opportunities throughout the Cycle 3 process. Additionally, we’re doing some pre-planning – such as asset-condition assessment – to determine where the needs are for future investments.

We encourage you to engage in the upcoming effort to update our Parks and Open Space Plan, which aligns with and will inform Cycle 3 planning. You are always welcome to send your thoughts, questions, or concerns to pks_info@seattle.gov in the meantime as well as follow our blog and any updates with the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners as we enter the next chapter of planning for SPR.

Thanks again for your continued advocacy on this important part of our park system!

Sincerely,

Samantha Burton (she/her) Communications Admin Systems Analyst City of Seattle, Seattle Parks and Recreation