Aubrey Davis Park Trail Safety Improvements Project

Week of 12.9.24

In November, the contractor installed landscaping along the ballfield section of the trail. Irrigation was installed, compost was mixed in to the existing soil, and trees, shrubs and groundcovers were planted. A new all-weather drinking fountain was installed at the restroom. Park users can now get a drink of water any time of year. Work is now paused again while the contractor awaits delivery of signs and lighting.

Week of 10.14.24
The contractor continued its pause in construction. Next week, the landscaping subcontractor is scheduled to begin work on irrigation and plantings and that work should be completed in mid-November.

Week of 9.9.24

This week, pavement markings were installed, new fencing was completed, and the path was reopened to normal pedestrian and bicycle use. Landscape, lighting, signage, and other minor work will be addressed in the next several weeks.

Pavement Markings

Week of 9.2.24

This week, contractor crews installed asphalt pavement and wood post and rail fencing. Pavement markings will be installed starting next Monday. Temporary construction fencing around the ballfield area should be removed next week. Lighting, landscaping, signage, and irrigation are planned for installation in the next three to four weeks.

finishing asphalt

grading asphalt

New fencing

Week of 8.26.24

This week, contractor crews installed the new concrete pathway through the ballfield area. The path consists of two different colors of concrete, poured over a two-day period. Next week the contractor will focus on placing topsoil and installing post-and-rail fencing. Landscaping, traffic signs, and pavement markings will follow in mid-September.

Brooming	dark panels completed	finishing infill panel
pumping concrete view	pumping concrete

Week of 8.19.24

The contractor excavated for the new concrete pathway and conduit for new trail lighting. The concrete subcontractor installed forms for concrete and the general contractor continued trail shoulder restoration from previous weeks. Next week will be focused on concrete and electrical installation. Following that, soil amendments will be added in preparation for landscaping.

Ballfield connection	Forming for concrete path	Grading base
Surveying for path

Week of 8.12.24

The contractor fenced off the work area at Feroglia Fields and began demolition for the trail and landscape improvements there. Asphalt and sod were excavated and hauled off. Next week, the concrete subcontractor will start installing concrete forms and the electrical subcontractor will start laying out their conduit for the light pole. Meanwhile the general contractor will finish up the trail shoulder restoration from last week.

Demolished Material

loading material

Week of 8.5.24

The contractor began shoulder restoration on portions of the trail by cutting back heavy vegetation and placing a gravel-soil mix that will allow grass to grow along the trail edge, providing pedestrians extra room to step off the trail. Next week, the contractor will close the trail in the ballfield area and reroute trail traffic through the south and east sides of the fields. This closure will be in place for several weeks while the new concrete trail is installed.

grubbing + clearing trail edge

placing shoulder material

shoulder rough graded

The City conducted the pre-construction meeting and completed the WSDOT construction permit this week. Staff placed project advisory signs at strategic locations along the trail to notify users of the construction. The contractor is scheduled to start work Monday, July 29^th, but no work will occur from August 1^st to 5^th due to Seafair. Project completion is estimated at the end of September.

Week of 7.15.24

A preconstruction meeting with the contractor and City staff is scheduled for next week. Trail work is expected to start the week of July 29.

Renovations are getting underway this week on the Mountains to Sound Greenway Regional Trail in Aubrey Davis Park. This work will provide traffic calming and wayfinding to make the trail safer and more enjoyable for all users. The initial work will be dispersed between 60^th Ave SE and 76^th Ave SE, and after Seafair weekend it will focus on the area around the restrooms and Feroglia Fields. The project should wrap up by the end of September.

Trail users will see new advisory signs and pavement markings as well as wayfinding signage to orient trail users and cyclists on routes through the Park. Next to Feroglia Fields, existing asphalt paving will be removed and replaced with new colored concrete pavement to highlight this high-traffic area. Underneath the 72nd Avenue overpass, a new light pole will be installed to enhance the intersection's visibility during low-light conditions. The landscaped areas between the parking lot and Feroglia Field will be replanted and new fencing will be installed. Visibility and lines-of-sight on several sections of trail will be improved by cutting back encroaching vegetation and installing a gravel/topsoil shoulder that will support low-growing vegetation.

This project is funded in part by the taxpayers of Washington State through a grant from the Department of Commerce.

For more information, contact Senior CIP Project Manager, Paul West at 206.275.7833 or paul.west@mercerisland.gov

On June 18, the City Council will consider awarding a construction contract (AB 6482) for the Aubrey Davis Park Trail Improvements Project. This project will address safety concerns identified as part of the Aubrey Davis Park Master Plan. Design work began in March 2021 and had significant public engagement, including several Parks and Recreation Commission meetings, community surveys, and an online open house. Improvements will enhance safety and the user experience on the section of the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trail (I-90 Trail) that runs through Aubrey Davis Park between 60th and 76th Avenues SE. Changes include:

• Traffic Calming Measures: At trail intersections and other congested areas, pedestrian and bicycle traffic calming measures, including advisory signs and pavement markings, will be installed.
• Enhanced Navigation: Wayfinding signage will be installed to orient trail users and cyclists on routes through the park.
• High-Traffic Area Designation: In the section of the trail near the restroom building and Feroglia Fields, existing asphalt paving will be removed and replaced with new colored concrete pavement to highlight this high-traffic area.
• Improved Visibility at the 72nd Avenue Overpass: At the trail intersection underneath the 72nd Avenue overpass, a new light pole will be installed to enhance the intersection's visibility during low-light conditions.
• Safer Pedestrian Crossings: The landscaped areas between the parking lot and Feroglia Fields will be replanted, and new fencing will be installed to direct pedestrians to cross the trail at specific locations.
• Improved Sight Lines: Visibility and lines-of-sight on several sections of trail will be improved by cutting back encroaching vegetation and installing a gravel/topsoil shoulder that will support low-growing vegetation.

Project Status and Timeline

Assuming the construction contract is awarded to the selected contractor, Always Active Services, on June 18, construction is anticipated to begin in July and conclude by October. Construction process updates and potential detours will be posted on the project’s Let’s Talk page once construction begins.

Funding the Improvements

The total project cost is estimated at $642,688, which includes design, public engagement, and construction costs. This project was included in the 2023-2024 Biennial Budget and Capital Improvement Program (PA0109) with a total budget of $385,000, of which $375,000 was funded by a Washington State Department of Commerce grant. An additional appropriation of $257,688 will be requested from the City Council on June 18 to fully cover the project costs.

In June 2023, the City Council accepted the Aubrey Davis Park Trail Safety Improvement Project design recommendation, and authorized the City Manager to finalize the design as presented by the Parks and Recreation Commission (see AB 6265).

Since June, City staff and the KPG Psomas design team have worked through details such as signage, lighting, and landscaping for the 90% design (there have been no substantial changes from the June recommendation). In December 2023, the 90% design of the trail was submitted to WSDOT for review. This is a major milestone for the project and precedes the issuance of permits for construction.

Paul West, Senior CIP Project Manager expects to bid this project in late winter for construction in summer 2024. Access to the trail and ballfields may be restricted at times during construction. Please comply with detours and closures as posted.

On June 6, 2023, Mercer Island City Council will review the design of the Aubrey Davis Park Trail Safety Improvements as recommended by the Parks and Recreation Commission.

The project design includes new signage and pavement markings at eight trail intersections. Two intersections will receive additional treatments to improve circulation. In addition, the project includes installation of “SLOW” advisory pavement markings on downhill sections where cyclists tend to gain excess speed. Along two sections of trail, the gravel shoulders will be restored to the original grades to re-establish space for walkers to step off the trail if desired. As specified in the Aubrey Davis Park Master Plan, these shoulders will be able to support the growth of grass or low vegetation to visually soften the trail edge. The project scope also includes lighting for the trail at the 72nd Avenue SE Overpass intersection.

If City Council approves the design, the City will complete design in 2023 and construct the trail in early 2024.

A joint meeting of the Mercer Island Parks and Recreation Commission and the Mercer Island Arts Council will discuss a draft 30% design on Thursday, June 1, 2022. The consultant, KPG Psomas developed the proposed design with input from the Parks and Recreation Commission at its April 2022 meeting. Features of the design include system wide improvements such as signs, pavement markings and landscaping along with more extensive site features at three priority areas or "nodes" at the restrooms, the 72nd Ave overpass, and the West Mercer Way trail crossing. An initial cost estimate puts the total improvement construction at $783,000. The plans as presented have grouped improvements into three "schedules" of work. The base schedule A provides what the design team believes are the highest priority improvements according to safety and user needs. Schedule A is estimated to cost $350,000 which is the available construction budget. Schedules B and C are additional improvements that would also significantly contribute to traffic calming and user satisfaction but would require additional funding. The Parks and Recreation Commission will provide feedback on whether the schedules contain the right prioritization of project elements.

At the same meeting, the two bodies will consider what artistic "placemaking" elements could be incorporated into the project. They will discuss the types and extent of these creative elements that could foster understanding and cooperation among different types of trail users.

The Aubrey Davis Trail Improvements Survey is now live!

This is an online, community-wide survey on the trail design ideas for three locations along the trail in Aubrey Davis Park.

The design team has identified general treatments such as pavement markings, wayfinding and signage, vegetation management, and redefined mixing zones as ways to enhance safety for all trail users. In three areas that have been identified for additional improvements, there are opportunities to use integrated art and placemaking elements to engage trail and park users. The community can help guide the selection of these elements by filling out the Aubrey Davis Trail Improvements Survey.

The survey takes about five minutes. Share your feedback today!

KPG, an engineering and design consultant has been selected to guide the trail improvements in the Lid Park. They are well-versed in the technical and creative aspects of designing regional trails, and have been working on the Factoria (Bellevue) portion of the Mountains to Sound Trail recently. KPG and the City will be inviting public input on the design starting in early 2022. They also will be working closely with the Mercer Island Parks and Recreation Commission and the Washington State Department of Transportation throughout the project.

On March 2, 2021,the Mercer Island City Council approved the recommendations made by the Parks and Recreation Commission for a menu of improvements to the Mountains to Sound (I-90) Trail through Aubrey Davis Park. This paves the way for the City to get a $500,000 grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce to design and construct these improvements.

The Parks and Recreation Commission's "Project Framework" involves working with a consultant and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to develop a set of "low-impact" improvements such as striping, street bypass routes, speed limits, signage, trail markings, and shoulder restoration on the portion of the trail that goes through the "Lid Park". The specifics of the improvements, their locations and designs are yet to be determined. The project is intended to improve the comfort and safety for the many people that use the trail and the park. This effort would adhere to the Aubrey Davis Park Master Plan which generally maintains the trail at its existing width in the project area.

Once the grant agreement is signed, the City will hire a consultant who is qualified to design such multi-use trail improvements. The initial 30% design will be reviewed by the public, the Parks and Recreation Commission and City Council before design work continues.

Conceptual Design Approach

The City has identified four main baseline treatments to implement at improvement areas based on each area’s specific needs. These treatments include pavement markings, wayfinding and signage, vegetation management, and redefined mixing zones. These strategies are considered the baseline of what is needed to achieve the project’s goals of enhanced safety for all trail users. In areas that have been identified for prioritized improvements, there is an opportunity to use additional placemaking elements to incorporate art and add to the unique character of Aubrey Davis Park. The public can guide the selection of these placemaking elements by filling out the Aubrey Davis Trail Improvements Survey.

Take our online survey to provide feedback on these design ideas.