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71-400: The Whitehorse Trail is a rail trail in northern Snohomish County, Washington , connecting the cities of Arlington and Darrington . The 27-mile-long (43 km) trail uses a former Northern Pacific Railway spur built in 1901 and abandoned in 1990. The trail has been in development since the county government purchased it in 1993, with some sections open to the public. The trail's name

142-603: A Secretary of Transportation who is confirmed by the state legislature . The last Secretary of Transportation was Lynn Peterson, who served until February 5, 2016, when her appointment under Governor Jay Inslee was rejected by the Washington State Senate during the confirmation process. Deputy Secretary of Transportation Roger Millar was appointed as Acting Secretary of Transportation by Governor Inslee on February 10, 2016. WSDOT has approximately 1,500 positions for winter operations, which includes snow plow crews for

213-609: A corridor to be " Rail Banked " or placed on hold for possible conversion back to active status when or if future need demands. While many rail trails have been built, other proposals have been cancelled by community opposition. The stature of the conversion organization, community involvement, and government willingness are key factors. On the other hand, there are a growing number of cases where existing rails and infrastructure, in service or not, are being called to be torn up for trails. Two cases of this are in New York State , against

284-439: A historic 22-mile railroad corridor circling downtown and connecting many neighborhoods directly to each other. The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is a nationwide nonprofit group that advocates for rail trails and has many documents and advice on building a rail trail. Per their records, the U.S. currently has 22,107 miles of rail trail complete. As of 2015 , Michigan has the most total mileage (2,381) of any state. Germany has

355-591: A large hole in an offramp to SR 99 in Seattle and broken concrete panels on I-5 in Everett and I-90 near Issaquah. WSDOT has also been tasked with replacement of 437 fish barriers , mainly outdated culvert designs, in Western Washington to comply with a federal court order to restore salmon runs that are protected by Native American treaty rights. As of 2024 , 146 of the barriers had been replaced or rehabilitated;

426-501: A linear park under the provincial park system, the T'Railway consists of the railbed of the historic Newfoundland Railway as transferred from its most recent owner, Canadian National Railway , to the provincial government after rail service was abandoned on the island of Newfoundland in 1988. The rail corridor stretches from Channel-Port aux Basques in the west to St. John's in the east with branches to Stephenville , Lewisporte , Bonavista , Placentia and Carbonear . Following

497-512: A number of cities disused rail tracks have been converted into linear parks . One example is the High Line (also known as "High Line Park"), a 1.45-mile-long (2.33 km) elevated linear park created on an elevated section of a disused New York Central Railroad . Inspired by the 3-mile-long (4.8 km) Promenade plantée (tree-lined walkway), a similar project in Paris completed in 1993,

568-484: A pedestrian and bicycle trail. The development of rail trails in southeastern Australia can be traced to the gold rushes of the second half of the 19th century. Dozens of rail lines sprang up, aided by the overly enthusiastic " Octopus Act ", but soon became unprofitable as the gold ran out, leading to a decreased demand for timber in turn. Decades later, these easements found a new use as tourist drawcards, once converted to rail trails. Dozens exist in some form, like

639-565: A rail to trail conversion. Even residents who are not encroaching on railway lands may oppose conversion on the grounds of increased traffic in the area and the possibility of a decline in personal security. Because linear corridors of land are only valuable if they are intact, special laws regulate the abandonment of a railroad corridor. In the United States, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) regulates railroads, and can allow

710-552: A small subset of rail trails in which a railway right-of-way remains in use by trains yet also has a parallel recreational trail . Hundreds of kilometers of rails with trails exist in Canada, Europe, the United States, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates. Washington State Department of Transportation The Washington State Department of Transportation ( WSDOT or WashDOT , both / ˈ w ɒ ʃ d ɒ t / )

781-526: A smaller renumbering of state highways occurred. The renumbering produced some new highways and either realigned or removed highways from the system. In 1996, Sound Transit was formed and in the same year, the Washington State Transportation Commission adopted its first 20-year transportation plan. Throughout the 1990s, WSDOT and ODOT partnered with Amtrak to create a train service that went from Canada to Oregon, which later became

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852-431: A surface of compacted gravel . It has been designated for use by walkers, cyclists and horseback riders . The Northern Pacific Railway , owners of the railroad through Arlington , built a 28-mile (45 km) branch line to Darrington in 1901. The railroad primarily delivered lumber from Darrington and intermediate sawmills to Arlington, Everett and other towns, but also carried weekly passenger service. In 1970,

923-539: A total of 1,200 km (750 mi) , a significant figure considering the size of the country. The gradient is never more than six per cent, and the tracks are open to all forms of non-motorised travellers, including cyclists, horse-riders, hikers and even roller-bladers. There is also the Vennbahn , which runs along an unusual border between Belgium and Germany. Baana is an old cargo rail track in Helsinki converted into

994-440: Is a governmental agency that constructs, maintains, and regulates the use of transportation infrastructure in the U.S. state of Washington . Established in 1905, it is led by a secretary and overseen by the governor . WSDOT is responsible for more than 20,000 lane-miles of roadway, nearly 3,000 vehicular bridges and 524 other structures. This infrastructure includes rail lines, state highways , state ferries (considered part of

1065-720: Is derived from the "Whitehorse Express", the historic name of the railroad, which in turn was named for Whitehorse Mountain . The western terminus of the Whitehorse Trail is in Arlington, at a junction with the Centennial Trail on the north side of the Stillaguamish River at the confluence with its two forks. The Centennial Trail continues north towards Bryant and south towards Snohomish along another former rail corridor. The Whitehorse Trail continues northeast, following

1136-402: Is dictated by the free market value of the land, so that land in urban and industrial cores is often impractical to purchase and convert. Therefore, rail trails may end on the fringes of urban areas or near industrial areas and resume later, as discontinuous portions of the same rail line, separated by unaffordable or inappropriate land. A railroad right-of-way (easement) width varies based on

1207-636: The Amtrak Cascades . The 2001 Nisqually earthquake damaged most state highways around the Seattle metropolitan area and most of the budget was turned over to the Puget Sound region to help rebuild and repair roads and bridges. Since the beginning of the 21st century, WSDOT has been tasked with rebuilding and renovating aging portions of the highway system across the state. Several sections with poor conditions required emergency repairs in early 2023, including

1278-628: The Beltline Trail and the West Toronto Railpath . In central Ontario, the former Victoria Railway line, which runs 89 kilometres (55 mi) from the town of Lindsay, Ontario , north to the village of Haliburton, in Haliburton County , serves as a public recreation trail. It can be used for cross country skiing, walking, and snowmobiling in the winter months, and walking, cycling, and horse riding from spring to autumn. The majority of

1349-757: The Catskill Mountain Railroad in Kingston, New York , and the Adirondack Scenic Railroad in Old Forge, New York . In Connecticut, the not-in-service section of track on the Valley Railroad has been proposed by locals to be converted to trail. Though perceived by residents to be, as it has not carried a train since the 1960s, the railroad has never been formally abandoned. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection acquired

1420-873: The Middlewood Way in Cheshire and the Ebury Way in Watford . Notable rural rail trails include the Dava Way , running along the route of the former Highland Railway between Grantown and Forres in the Scottish Highlands , and the High Peak Trail in the English Peak District . In London , a more unusual scheme has been proposed to convert some disused London Underground tunnels into subterranean rail trails under

1491-710: The Milton Keynes redway system runs throughout Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, England, in parts using the former trackbed of the defunct Wolverton to Newport Pagnell Line (closed 1962) and the Grand Union Canal towpath. Together, these paths form part of the long-distance National Cycle Network Route 6 and Route 51 . Other urban and suburban rail trails include the Fallowfield Loop Line in Manchester ,

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1562-578: The National Arts Council . The disused railway consists of the main line from the Tanjong Pagar railway station to Woodlands, extending either 24 km (15 mi) or 26 km (16 mi), depending on the source. There is also the Jurong spur line, 14 km (8.7 mi) in length. The area occupied by the railways is at least 80 ha (200 acres), and up to 173.7 ha (429 acres) when

1633-769: The Tacoma Narrows Bridge project, which built a second bridge adjacent to the original bridge, the SR 167 HOT lanes project, which added HOT lanes over SR 167's existing HOV lanes from the SR 18 area to 180th Street, and the I-5 HOV extensions project, which extended the HOV lanes in Everett from the I-5/ SR 99 / SR 526 / SR 527 interchange to the I-5/ US 2 / SR 529 Spur interchange. Some of

1704-573: The Trans Canada Trail and other walking trails are abandoned railways. A small railway line from Musquodoboit Harbour ( Musquodoboit Trailway ) to Dartmouth are nearly fully used by community members and tourists. Another extremely large section is used from Halifax to New Germany to Yarmouth to Grand Pre . A considerable part of the Trans Canada Trail are repurposed defunct rail lines donated to provincial governments by CP and CN rail rebuilt as walking trails. The main section runs along

1775-700: The 12 original state roads. The first state highway districts, each managed by a District Engineer, were established in 1918. During this period, the construction of highways began. In 1921, the State Highway Board was replaced by the Washington Highway Committee and the Washington State Highways Department became a division of the Washington State Department of Public Works. The first gas tax (1 ¢ per gallon)

1846-591: The 37-kilometre (23 mi) Port Fairy to Warrnambool Rail Trail , but only a few – such as the 95-kilometre (59 mi) Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail — have been fully developed. Progress is frequently hampered by trestle bridges in unsafe condition, easements that have been sold off to farmers, and lack of funds. Funding is typically contributed in roughly equal parts from federal, state, and local governments, with voluntary labour and in kind donations contributed by local groups. The latest addition to

1917-740: The High Line has been redesigned and planted as an aerial greenway and rails-to-trails park. Railroads in North America were often built with a mix of purchased land, government land grants, and easements. The land deeds can be over a hundred years old, land grants might be conditional upon continuous operation of the line, and easements may have expired, all expensive and difficult issues to determine at law. Railroad property rights have often been poorly defined and sporadically enforced, with neighboring property owners intentionally or accidentally using land they do not own. Such encroachers often later oppose

1988-608: The North Fork Stillaguamish River upstream to a trailhead in Trafton , where it crosses the river on a historic trestle bridge . The trail turns east, following State Route 530 on the south side of the North Fork, towards Oso . The trail, 5 miles (8.0 km) east of Oso, passes a memorial to victims of the 2014 Oso mudslide , which had destroyed a section of the trail's corridor. From Oso continuing towards Darrington,

2059-520: The Northern Pacific was acquired by Burlington Northern , who continued to run a declining number of lumber trains on the branch as Darrington's remaining sawmill switched to truck transport. In November 1990, major floods in the Stillaguamish River basin left the railroad damaged and unusable, leading to its formal abandonment by Burlington Northern. The county government debated acquiring

2130-621: The Rail Trail scene in Victoria is The Great Victorian Rail Trail which is the longest rail trail in Victoria covering 134 km (83 mi). It has become popular with tourists as it meanders through steep valleys and open farm country. The Rail Trails Australia website is a good source of local information. about trails in Australia. A number of rail trails have been established through New Zealand;

2201-715: The Sarnia Bridge was inducted into the North America Railway Hall of Fame . A railroad between Gateway Road and Raleigh Street (i.e. streets immediately parallel to the railway on each side) in Winnipeg , Manitoba , was turned into a 7 km (4.3 mi) asphalt trail in 2007. It is called the Northeast Pioneers Greenway, and there are plans for expansion into East St. Paul , and eventually to Birds Hill Park. In Nova Scotia , almost every section of

Whitehorse Trail - Misplaced Pages Continue

2272-508: The Whitehorse Trail passes through the historic towns of Fortson and Hazel , and the modern community of Swede Heaven , which hosts a trailhead. The trail splits north of downtown Darrington, with one branch heading northeast to Whitehorse Community Park on the Sauk River and another heading south to Railroad Avenue in downtown, passing Darrington Municipal Airport . The majority of the planned trail will be 12 feet (3.7 m) wide and have

2343-666: The abandonment of the Prince Edward Island Railway in 1989, the government of Prince Edward Island purchased the right-of-way to the entire railway system. The Confederation Trail was developed as a tip-to-tip walking/cycling gravel rail trail which doubles as a monitored and groomed snowmobile trail during the winter months, operated by the PEI Snowmobile Association. In Quebec, Le P'tit Train du Nord runs 200 km (120 mi) from Saint-Jérôme to Mont-Laurier . In Toronto , there are two rail trails,

2414-596: The best known are the Hauraki Rail Trail (linking Thames, Paeroa, Te Aroha and Waikino/Waihi), Otago Central Rail Trail and the Little River Rail Trail . The New Zealand Cycle Trail project, a Government-led initiative, will greatly accelerate the establishment of new trails. The first seven projects (not all of them rail trails, though) were announced in July 2009 and will receive NZ$ 9 million in funding of

2485-626: The border from Malaysia. Government agencies such as the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) have taken responsibility for developing and implementing ideas and activities for the former rail lands. The URA has a dedicated web site on Rail Corridor. An example of activities permitted include street art on a section of the disused railway, supported by the SLA, URA, Land Transport Authority and

2556-586: The city, but this scheme has not been officially approved. With more than 2,500 kilometers of rail trails (Via Verde) in a network of 117 cycling and walking itineraries, Spain ranks high in the European greenways scene. The trails are managed or coordinated by the Spanish Railways Foundation, an institution created in 1985. Many of the converted tracks were originally built for the mining industry, connecting remote mountain sites with port locations on

2627-460: The cleanup of 15 miles (24 km) of the trail and repair of older bridges. A 9.5-mile-long (15.3 km) segment of the Whitehorse Trail from Oso to Cicero Pond was expected to be completed in 2018, using $ 4.24 million in funds from the county government, Washington State Department of Transportation and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Rebuilding of the section destroyed by the Oso mudslide

2698-457: The coast, now offering picturesque rides from wild interior landscapes to the seaside, following near-flat routes with long-spanning viaducts and bridges, plus a number of tunnels. Cuts to Ireland's once expansive rail network in the mid 20th century left Ireland with a vast network of disused railways. While many lines were ripped up and the sections of the land acquired by private owners, a number of former railways do exist intact, thus providing

2769-537: The country by road. 11 U.S. Routes entered Washington at the time . Later in 1929, the Highway Committee was merged with the State Highways Department. The Lake Washington Floating Bridge and the original Tacoma Narrows Bridge opened in 1940. The Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapsed because of winds on November 7 that year, earning it the name Galloping Gertie . The Washington State Highway Commission

2840-426: The federal government passing legislation promoting the use of railbanking for abandoned railroad corridors in 1983 which was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1990. This process preserves rail corridors for possible future rail use with interim use as a trail. By the 1970s, even main lines were being sold or abandoned. This was especially true when regional rail lines merged and streamlined their operations. As both

2911-590: The former Galway to Clifden railway into a greenway, but negotiations are still underway with landowners regarding its routing. A section of the Waterford, Limerick and Western Railway railway line, from Claremorris to Collooney has been touted for redevelopment as a greenway, but has met with some recent opposition from groups wishing for reestablishment of the railway itself. The RAVeL network in Belgium combines converted tracks, byways and towpaths , adding up to

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2982-559: The highway system) and state airports . WSDOT was founded as the Washington State Highway Board and the Washington State Highways Department on March 13, 1905, when then-governor Albert Mead signed a bill that allocated $ 110,000 to fund new roads that linked the state. The State Highway Board was managed by State Treasurer, State Auditor, and Highway Commissioner Joseph M. Snow and the Board first met on April 17, 1905, to plan

3053-566: The history of the railroad. Their primary revenue is tourist operations, so rail traffic is seasonal; though all three have been granted rights to carry freight, should customers show interest. Though rare, there are several cases in which trails convert back to active railroads. One example occurred in 2012 in Clarence, Pennsylvania , where the R.J. Corman Railroad Company received permission to rebuild 20 miles (32 km) of railbanked line to serve new industries. Conrail had ceased operating over

3124-573: The land around the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station and other nodes are included. Given the location of the railway lands in land scarce Singapore, there was concern that the lands would be developed. Organisations such as the Nature Society Singapore developed comprehensive plans to maintain the rail lands for nature-related pursuits. The Green Corridor web site is a campaign website dedicated to preserving its natural form. In

3195-605: The largest number of rail trails in Europe, with 677 rail trails with a total length of 5,020 kilometres (3,120 mi) (as at February 2015). 80 more projects are being planned or under construction. Some of the longest rail trails are in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate . These are the Maare-Mosel-Radweg with 39 kilometres (24 mi) on the old rail track, the Ruwer-Hochwald-Radweg with 44 kilometres (27 mi) on

3266-458: The line from Penn Central in 1969, and subsequently signed a long-term lease with the railroad. The railroad has been continually working to bring this section of the line back into service. Both Departments strongly support the preservation of the line, and have provided support to the railroad with property encroachment from abutters and the provision of railroad ties . All three of these examples are heritage railroads , which serve to protect

3337-598: The line in 1990, and 10 miles (16 km) was converted to the Snow Shoe Rails to Trails. Most original rail lines were surveyed for ease of transport and gentle (often less than 2%) grades . Therefore, the rail trails that succeeded them are often fairly straight and ideally suited to overcome steep or awkward terrain such as hills, escarpments, rivers, swamps, etc. Rail trails often share space with linear utilities such as pipelines, electrical transmission wires, and telephone lines. Most purchase of railway land

3408-597: The major mountain passes crossed by state highways. In the Snoqualmie Pass area, the agency has avalanche control crews that use an M60 tank , howitzers , and a mechanical tram carrying explosives to clear snow buildup before it endangers the highway. WSDOT manages the official ferry service in Washington. WSDOT's ferry service, called Washington State Ferries, is the largest in the United States and third largest in

3479-494: The majority of rail trails are maintained by either the local authority or charitable organisations such as Sustrans , the Railway Ramblers or Railway Paths . A 31-mile (50 km) section (between Braunton and Meeth ) of the Tarka Trail in Devon is one of the longest of these. Many of these former railway lines form part of the British National Cycle Network , connecting with long-distance paths and towpaths along Britain's extensive network of canals . For example,

3550-406: The old rail track and the Schinderhannes-Radweg with 36 kilometres (22 mi) on the old track of the Hunsrück Railway . Up to date, the 23 km long Nordbahntrasse in Wuppertal is still the rail trail with the highest standard in Germany and is a prime example of conversion of an abandoned railway track into a multiuser cycling path. With almost 150 lines in use, the United Kingdom has

3621-505: The option for the development of many rail trails in the future. The rail-trail on the former Westport to Achill Island line, known as the Great Western Greenway , was completed in 2011. Much progress has been made on the development of a rail-trail on the former Limerick to Tralee / Fenit line, in the form of the Great Southern Trail . As of 2013, a 36-kilometre (22 mi) section from Rathkeale to Abbeyfeale has been completed. Planning permission has been granted to redevelop

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3692-425: The planned 27-mile (43 km) trail. An unfinished section of the trail was destroyed during the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014, along with State Route 530 . In the aftermath of the mudslide, which killed 43 people, the Whitehorse Trail became a key project in the recovery of the area, employing local workers and drawing tourists. A $ 75,000 grant from the State of Washington , along with private donations, funded

3763-444: The program is expected to cost $ 7.8 billion by 2030. WSDOT divides the state into six regions: the Olympic , Northwest , Southwest, North Central, South Central, and Eastern . The Northwest Region is subdivided into three more regions, which are King County , Snohomish County , and Baker ( Whatcom , Skagit , Island , and San Juan counties). WSDOT is overseen by the Governor of Washington . The governor appoints

3834-448: The rail industry led to the closure of a number of uneconomical branch lines and redundant mainlines. Some were maintained as short line railways , but many others were abandoned. The first abandoned rail corridor in the United States converted into a recreational trail was the Elroy-Sparta State Trail in Wisconsin , which opened in 1967. The following year the Illinois Prairie Path opened. The conversion of rails to trails hastened with

3905-466: The rail trail passes through sparsely populated areas of the Canadian Shield , with historic trestle bridges crossing several rivers. The old Sarnia Bridge in St. Marys, Ontario , was re-purposed as part of the Grand Trunk Trail . The former Grand Trunk Railway viaduct was purchased from Canadian National Railway in 1995. The Grand Trunk Trail was opened in 1998 with over 3 km (1.9 mi) of paved, accessible trail. In 2012, The re-purposing of

3976-454: The railroad for use as either a recreational trail or a scenic railroad , the latter requiring millions spent in repairs. In November 1993, the Snohomish County Council approved $ 550,000 paid to Burlington Northern to acquire 515 acres (208 ha) on the corridor, with the intent of converting into a recreational trail. The first section of the trail, named the Whitehorse Trail, opened in 2002 near Darrington and covered 7 miles (11 km) of

4047-653: The second-largest network of rail trails in Europe after Germany. The development of rail trails in the United Kingdom grew after a major programme of railway line closures in the 1960s known as the Beeching cuts . The scheme, named after Dr. Richard Beeching , the then chairman of British Railways , decommissioned approximately 5,000 miles (8,000 km) of railway lines all over Great Britain. Many rural and suburban lines were closed along with selected main line trunk routes. Since then, approximately 1,200–2,200 miles (1,900–3,500 km) of disused railway lines in Britain have been converted to public leisure purposes, and today

4118-450: The second-longest, extending for 321 miles (517 km), the longest being the Ohio to Erie Trail in Ohio at 326 miles (525 km). The BeltLine , in Atlanta , Georgia, is currently under construction. In 2030, its anticipated year of completion, it will be one of the longest continuous trails. The Atlanta BeltLine is a sustainable redevelopment project that will provide a network of public parks, multi-use trails and transit along

4189-416: The southern areas of Canada connecting most of Canada's major cities and most populous areas. There is also a long northern arm which runs through Alberta to Edmonton and then up through northern British Columbia to Yukon. The trail is multi-use and depending on the section may allow hikers, bicyclists, horseback riders, cross country skiers and snowmobilers. In North America, the decades-long consolidation of

4260-401: The supply of potential trails increased and awareness of the possibilities rose, state governments, municipalities, conservation authorities, and private organizations bought the rail corridors to create, expand or link green spaces . The longest developed rail trail is currently the 240 miles (390 km) Katy Trail in Missouri . When complete, the Cowboy Trail in Nebraska will become

4331-475: The terrain, with a 100 feet (30 m) width being ample enough where little surface grading is required. The initial 705 miles (1,135 km) stretch of the Illinois Central Railroad is the most liberal in the world with a width of 200 feet (61 m) along the whole length of the line. Rail trails are often graded and covered in gravel or crushed stone, although some are paved with asphalt and others are left as dirt. Where rail bridges are incorporated into

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4402-411: The total project budget of NZ$ 50 million. On 24 May 2010, the Singapore and Malaysia governments agreed to move the Singapore terminus of the Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) from the Tanjong Pagar railway station in southern Singapore to Woodlands Train Checkpoint in northern Singapore. This resulted in the railway lines in Singapore becoming surplus as the Woodlands terminus is just over

4473-413: The trail to be fragmented. The Kettle Valley Rail Trail in British Columbia uses a rail corridor that was originally built for the now-abandoned Kettle Valley Railway . The trail was developed during the 1990s after the Canadian Pacific Railway abandoned train service. The longest rail trail in Canada is the Newfoundland T'Railway that covers a distance of 883 km (549 mi). Protected as

4544-480: The trail, the only alterations (if any) tend to be adding solid walking areas on top of ties or trestles, though bridges in poorer condition do receive new guardrails , paint, and reinforcement. If paved, they are especially suitable for people who use wheelchairs. Where applicable, the same trails used in the summer for walking, jogging, and inline skating can be used in the winter for Nordic skiing , snowshoeing , and sometimes snowmobiling . Rails with trails are

4615-509: The urban transportation system of Seattle. The Washington State Department of Transportation was authorized by the state legislature and assumed the responsibilities of several agencies on September 21, 1977. William A. Bulley, the existing Director of Highways, was appointed as the state's first Secretary of Transportation to lead the new agency, which had absorbed state departments that had overseen highways, toll bridges, aeronautics, canals, and community development. The State Highway Commission

4686-400: The world. Ferries had been in the Puget Sound since the 1950s. There are 10 routes and 22 ferries currently operating. WSDOT began operating the Travel Washington intercity Bus program in 2007. There are currently four lines: As of 2008, there were about 250 projects that were being planned or constructed by WSDOT. Some of the most notable projects that were recently finished include

4757-443: Was completed in 1972, and the first HOV lanes in Washington were installed on SR 520 that same year. A combined state department of transportation was proposed in the mid-1960s and gained the support of Governor Dan Evans . Charles Prahl, who resigned as head of the Department of Highways, criticized the Evans administration's proposal to create a transportation "superagency" and the prioritization of rapid transit in plans for

4828-509: Was completed in 2016, using FEMA funds. Rail trail The Bermuda Railway ceased to operate as such when the only carrier to exist in Bermuda folded in 1948. Some of the former right of way were converted for automobile traffic, and in 1984 18 miles were converted to a rail trail, reserved for pedestrian use and bicycles on paved portions. The rail bed spans the length of the island, and connected Hamilton to St. George's and several villages, though several bridges are derelict, causing

4899-442: Was formed in 1951. On June 29, 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower signed the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 , which started the Interstate Highway System . Originally, two Interstates entered Washington ; most work was not completed until the 1970s. In 1964, the state highways were renumbered to the current system . Metro Transit was created in 1972 and work on highways rapidly continued. The North Cascades Highway (SR 20)

4970-427: Was levied and Homer Hadley started planning a pontoon bridge across Lake Washington , which would later become the Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge , which opened on July 2, 1940. In 1923, the State Highways Department separated from the Public Works Department and organized the first official system of highways, Washington's state road system. In 1926, the U.S. government approved the U.S. route system, which connected

5041-473: Was renamed to the Washington State Transportation Commission, with its first meeting taking place on September 21, 1977. On February 13, 1979, the western pontoons of the Hood Canal Bridge were swept away by a wind storm. In 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted and caused damage to many state highways, mainly SR 504 . The Hood Canal Replacement Bridge opened on October 3, 1982, and the Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge collapsed on November 25, 1990. In 1991,

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