One of the things I learned on the lunch bus from Roger Pence is that the contractor who built light rail in the valley helped build Chief Sealth Bike Trail

For years, SDOT has heard requests for this trail from southeast Seattle neighborhoods as part of the planning for the City’s non-motorized transportation and neighborhood plans, and light rail on MLK. In early 2004, RCI/Herzog offered to build the trail as a method of recycling excavated soils and concrete from the Link Light Rail project along MLK. The City welcomed this innovative construction approach as it resulted in a major savings of taxpayer dollars and it provides the City with a new trail within a reduced timeframe—at least two years earlier than was originally envisioned. Over the summer of 2004, SDOT worked hard to design and acquire all required permits for the trail and with Sound Transit, completed the environmental analysis. In May 2007, RCI/Herzog and SDOT completed the trail along the Seattle City Light right of way.

Pretty cool stuff, and a nice side-effect to getting a rail line. The bike trail crosses MLK at the same place as the Rainer Beach station, and it goes the New Holly development.