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New Streets, Parks & Trails
Increasing Public Waterfront Access
As the Downtown Waterfront Area gradually develops into an urban village, infrastructure will be expanded as necessary to serve proposed development and increase public access to the waterfront. One of the most significant elements of this redevelopment project is that it will provide people with several new waterfront access opportunities through the creation of new parks and trails. These public amenities will be developed gradually in phases as the site develops.They will connect the waterfront with downtown Bellingham and will feature outstanding areas to walk, play, and experience the waterfront.
A multi-modal system of streets, walkways, bike paths, trails, and transit routes in the Waterfront District will be phased in with the parks and trails over time to encourage preferred patterns of development.
Early Actions
The following improvements are featured in the early stages of waterfront development:
Long range development projects include:
As the Downtown Waterfront Area gradually develops into an urban village, infrastructure will be expanded as necessary to serve proposed development and increase public access to the waterfront. One of the most significant elements of this redevelopment project is that it will provide people with several new waterfront access opportunities through the creation of new parks and trails. These public amenities will be developed gradually in phases as the site develops.They will connect the waterfront with downtown Bellingham and will feature outstanding areas to walk, play, and experience the waterfront.
A multi-modal system of streets, walkways, bike paths, trails, and transit routes in the Waterfront District will be phased in with the parks and trails over time to encourage preferred patterns of development.
Early Actions
The following improvements are featured in the early stages of waterfront development:
- In 2009, the 10,000 square foot Technology Development Center opened in the Marine Trades Area. The Technology Development Center is a place where the private sector can partner with Western Washington University’s College of Sciences and Technology research arm to develop new technologies. The private sector can also partner with Bellingham Technical College to develop a trained workforce.
- In 2013, the City of Bellingham is designing and developing a temporary trail around the former treatment lagoon to provide people with early waterfront access. The City Parks Department also is undertaking design of the Cornwall Beach Master Plan in 2013.
- From 2011 to 2015, environmental cleanup actions and some demolition will be performed to support upland development in the Downtown Waterfront Area.
- From 2012 to 2015, streets and infrastructure will be installed to support development and public access in the Downtown Waterfront Area.
- From 2015 to 2018, initial development in the Downtown Waterfront Area will start to occur.
Long range development projects include:
- Installing streets and infrastructure to activate the Marine Trades Area and the Cornwall Beach Area during Phase III
- Installing streets and infrastructure to complete the full build-out of the Downtown Waterfront Area during Phase IV