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Bike/pedestrian path opening on SR 520 Bridge

Photo credit: MyNorthwest.com

A bicycle and pedestrian path is opening on the new State Route 520 floating bridge.

A variety of guests who have been following construction of the new floating bridge joined in an inaugural walk and ride on the new path at the grand opening ceremony Friday morning.

Santoshi Pisupati, a 10-year-old student from Bellevue, said she is excited about using the bridge with her friends and family.

“For me, the water kind of gives the adventure feeling. So I always feel like I’m on an adventure,” Pisupati said.

There are certain locations along the path where people can sit and enjoy views of the north part of Lake Washington.

WSDOT spokesperson Steve Peer also said they are working with the Department of Natural Resources to allow people to fish.

The regional path now stretches from I-405 to the west end of the floating bridge.

The path on the bridge opens Friday as an "out-and-back" trail from Medina and will connect to Seattle in summer 2017 following the opening of the West Approach Bridge North project, creating new trail connections and commute options via the world's longest and newest floating bridge.

“It will be so simple and easy for us. It’ll be absolutely magnificent,” said Dan Volta, who bikes with his wife all over the country.

Volta said the difference between this path and those on other bridges, is that this was deliberately made wider for bikes, pedestrians and strollers.