Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) has hired J.A. Brennan Associates to complete detailed designs and construction documents for the South Beach Trail. We have progressed the trail to 60% level design and will be applying for permits for the project in the coming months.

In 2019, the Friends of Discovery Park led a design study that created a vision for improvements to the South Beach Trail. This project focuses on implementing the community’s vision for the trail, including improving trail safety and accessibility, addressing staircases that are in poor condition due to erosion, and rerouting portions of the trail to less steep terrain and to create new viewpoints. The first phase of the project was completed in 2020 and consisted of improvements to the first several hundred feet of trail from the upper trailhead. The trail improvements were placed on hold during the COVID-19 Pandemic and due to an unsuccessful State grant application.

The next phase of the project is anticipated to begin the construction bidding process in late 2026, and begin construction in spring 2027. The project timeline is influenced by the limited construction work windows within Discovery Park due to wet conditions and bird nesting seasons.