More parking is coming to a Foothills trailhead, but for now access will be tricky
Eventually, access to the Foothills trailhead in east Puyallup will improve — but it’s going to be harder for the next few months.
Work is set to begin Tuesday, Sept. 5, to expand parking and add electric vehicle charging stations at the trailhead in Puyallup near 80th Street East and Van Lierop Park. It serves as a starting point to embark on travel along the 21-mile Foothills National Recreation Trail to Buckley, Pierce County officials said.
The Foothills Trail East Puyallup Trailhead expansion project is intended to address inadequate parking compared to the number of trailhead users. The parking lot and restrooms at the trailhead will close for four to five months during construction, the county said in a statement. While work is underway, the trail through the site will remain open, but users are encouraged to park at other trailheads, including the Foothills McMillin Trailhead.
At the project’s conclusion, the number of parking stalls at the trailhead is expected to increase to 81 from the current capacity of 26, the county said.
The project — which is scheduled to also add lighting, signage, planting and drainage work and improve The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards — is one piece of a larger one intended to better the trail experience. A half-mile trail section near Orting was closed in July for more than two weeks of repairs.
The Foothills Trail runs through the river valley southeast of Tacoma atop a historic railroad bed. The 12-foot-wide, non-motorized and asphalt trail, which includes a soft shoulder path for equestrians, is a popular route for hikers, bicyclists, in-line skaters and people who use wheelchairs, according to the county.
Ultimately, officials want to expand the trail’s reach, including continuing it beyond Buckley into King County and Enumclaw.
For updates on trail construction, visit www.PierceCountyWa.gov/Foothills.
This story was originally published September 2, 2023 at 11:07 AM.
