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WSDOT presents SR 525 complete-streets predesign and bridge plan; bridge must be raised for rail clearance
Summary
WSDOT told Mukilteo council it has completed a complete-streets predesign for SR 525, recommends west-side bidirectional bike facilities for much of the corridor, and must raise Bridge 525010 to meet BNSF clearance requirements; design is expected to follow predesign with construction targeted around 2029–2031.
Wazuhberg Gadalty, a WSDOT project manager, summarized the SR 525 complete-streets predesign at the Mukilteo City Council work session on April 13, describing preferred alternatives by corridor section and the plan to carry some crossing enhancements into the paving project while deferring larger complete-streets construction to future projects.
Gadalty said the corridor was divided into four sections based on topography and context. For the segment nearest the spur and park, WSDOT prefers to extend the existing shared-use path and add two-way bike lanes where feasible. Midtown (Section 2) would get a west-side bidirectional bike lane with sidewalks both sides to tie into existing shared-use paths. For sections where topography or ferry-lane interactions present constraints, WSDOT endorsed placing most bicycle infrastructure on the west side of the roadway.
On the bridge project: Gadalty said the existing SR 525 bridge (Bridge 525010) does not meet BNSF vertical-clearance requirements and will need to be raised. “If you lift the bridge up on this side, basically it’s going to be affecting all the roadway to the north of there,” he told council, adding that raising the structure will require tying in roadway elevations from 3rd Street to the waterfront and ferry terminal and will affect stormwater features, utilities and other infrastructure. He said the team hopes to transition to design soon after the predesign phase and pursue construction procurement in 2029 with potential completion activity through about 2031.
Why it matters: The bridge-raising requirement influences the scale and cost of waterfront and downtown improvements because elevation changes will ripple through adjacent infrastructure. Council members asked about options flagged in earlier waterfront master plans (underpasses, off-ramps, stair access) and WSDOT said they can be considered in design but may not be the department’s responsibility if they involve local property or non-state-owned ramps.
What’s next: WSDOT will finish the complete-streets predesign documentation, carry preferred elements into design where funding allows, and continue coordination with Washington State Ferries, Port of Everett and Community Transit. Several crossing enhancements were identified for inclusion with the paving contract where feasible.
(Reporting based only on the council work-session transcript.)
