Growing use of urban transportation and recreational corridors is driving investment in safer, more accessible trail infrastructure. Granite Construction has secured a $12.3 million progressive design-build contract from the University of Washington for improvements to a section of the Burke-Gilman Trail in Seattle.
The project will cover approximately 1 mile of the trail between Rainier Vista and NE 47th Street on the UW campus. The work is intended to improve safety and accommodate increasing trail use.
Planned construction includes new paving, upgraded lighting and improvements to sight lines. The project will also address ADA accessibility, connectivity and drainage while reducing future maintenance requirements.
The Burke-Gilman Trail extends approximately 20 miles through Seattle and serves recreational and transportation users.
The project began in June 2026 and is currently in the design phase. Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2027, with completion anticipated during the first quarter of 2029.
The progressive design-build approach will allow Granite Construction and the University of Washington to collaborate during project development before construction advances into the full delivery phase.
The project demonstrates continued investment in multimodal infrastructure within established urban corridors. For contractors and public-sector owners, progressive design-build can provide an integrated framework for coordinating design development, constructability and project delivery.
The Burke-Gilman Trail improvements also address several infrastructure priorities within a single program, including accessibility, drainage, lighting, safety and long-term maintenance.
Source: Granite Construction.
