SDOT reveals early designs for ‘Missing Link’ alternative route

The department hopes to get plans 30% completed by the end of 2023.

A rendering that shows pedestrian paths and landscaping in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, WA

Early designs for the “Missing Link” alternative call for 10-ft wide paths and new landscaping.

Rendering via SDOT

Is the “Missing Link” finally getting found?

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) recently revealed new designs for what a connection for the much-discussed gap in the Burke-Gilman bike trail might look like.

Early plans include a 10-ft-wide multi-use path on one side of Leary Avenue and 17th Avenue NW for bikers, scooters, strollers, and general pedestrian frolicking. There are also proposed safety upgrades to the busy blocks cutting through Ballard’s business district, which includes Leary Way and Market Street.

These designs are an adaption of a proposal from councilmember Dan Strauss in March that moved the link away from Shilshole Avenue, which has been a challenge to plan around.

SDOT’s goal is to gather feedback and get the designs 30% completed by the end of the year. You can fill out an online survey to weigh in and track progress on the department’s website.