The GWBAB is working for you to promote safe corodors for cyclists throughout our valley.
Below are minutes of their latest meeting. We also have a map of a purposed new access trail in the Odabashin bridge area.

Dave Honsinger presented some of the planning work pertaining to future plans
for the Seller bridge. The present configuration involving sidewalks on both the north and south sides of the bridge will change when a fifth lane is added to the road surface. One possibility that is being explored would be the addition of a cantilevered sidewalk on the south side of the bridge, attached in a way similar to what has been done on the Odabashion Bridge. Logical connections on the east side of the bridge could be made to connect to the sidewalk leading towards Valley Mall Parkway and the Hydro Park Trail. On the west side of the bridge a ramp curving south could connect with the Malaga Highway adjacent to Snohomish Street and connections could be made into Locomotive Park and on to Ferry Street. Dave estimated that in about three month more formal plans for the bridge will be unveiled. The most likely scenario will be that major changes to the bridge and it’s approaches on both sides will be done in three segments in the following order: east side, bridge deck, and west side. The east side portion will begin construction within the next few years. The proposals presented to the bike board are more ambitious with regard to mitigation for non motorized users than what was presented when Charlie visited with WSDOT engineers last year. It is gratifying to see that WSDOT is attempting to improve the Sellar Bridge for all users, rather than just seeing the bridge as a mover of motor vehicles.

97A / Loop Trail Connection - Dave Honsinger reviewed the project with the board. Already funded and scheduled for construction next year, the project will make a connection between the Loop Trail and Highway 97A (Euclid Avenue). The connection will be made with the Loop Trail end at the west side of the Odbashion Bridge. The connection to 97A will be made at a spot a little south from the Highway 2 bridge crossing over 97A. Charlie reminded Dave that with the completion of this project, a bicycler will have a legal route eastbound from Easy Street on Highway 2, then following the shoulder of the 97A off-ramp to reach a spot on Euclid nearly or exactly across from the new link to the Loop Trail. The reverse direction, ironically, would be an illegal bicycling maneuver due to bicycling on a shoulder of a major highway against the flow of traffic. This anomalie prompted the board last year to ask the WSDOT to consider as a future project a separate trail parallel to but south of Hwy 2 between 97A and Easy Street. Dave mentioned the idea of encouraging bicycle traffic between Euclid and Easy Street at a point farther south through what is known as the K-Mart Plaza. Later in the meeting Edgar mentioned a specific route through the shopping area that he favored. He offered to mark his proposal on an aerial map and construct a .jpeg file that others could view electronically. His map is included as an additional file. Much of Edgar’s proposed route would follow an existing roadway through the shopping complex near the northern edge of the complex. The eastern portion of his proposal would require both private and public participation because an extension of the existing roadway across commercial property yet to be developed would be needed and also a trail portion needing to be constructed across WSDOT right-of-way. The former proposalby the bike board would be located outside of the shopping area proper, but could include a link into the shopping complex. The location where any new bike route would reach Easy Street is an important consideration, and the present pedestrian configuration at the corner of Easy Street and Highway 2 is currently not very non motorized friendly. This meeting marked the first real dialogue between the bike board and the WSDOT regarding possible improvements for non-motorized movement from Sunnyslope to the Loop Trail through the northern part of Olds Station. The need to include Sunnyslope in bicycle planning for the greater Wenatchee area was first expressed in board minutes well over a year
ago, so it is a positive note to see the discussions occur. Other logical agencies with a constituency in the Olds Station area include Chelan County and the Port of Chelan. Since the bike board minutes has a distribution that includes readers with an interest in bicycling, it makes sense for agencies to collaborate with the bike board. Collaboration which is chronicled in board minutes allows agencies to receive ideas to consider and receive feedback on proposals.