Bike Network in Bothell#

Bothell sits at the crossroads of some of the Puget Sound region’s most important regional trails, yet its on-street bike infrastructure has historically lagged behind. The city adopted a Citywide Bike Plan in April 2023, acknowledging its transition from “a predominantly motorized vehicle-only suburban community to a multimodal community” and laying out a long-term vision for protected bike facilities connecting neighborhoods to trails, transit, and destinations.

Regional trails#

Three major regional trails pass through Bothell, forming the backbone of the city’s bike network. All three are paved, shared-use paths separated from motor vehicle traffic.

Sammamish River Trail#

The Sammamish River Trail is a 10.1-mile paved trail running along the Sammamish River from Blyth Park in Bothell to Marymoor Park in Redmond. Owned and maintained by King County Parks, it opened in 1979 on a levee left from a 1960s Army Corps of Engineers flood-control project. The trail is ADA accessible except for two short sections with grades below standards.

Within Bothell, the trail connects Blyth Park to Park at Bothell Landing and downtown, then continues south toward the UW Bothell/Cascadia College campus. Access points in Bothell include Blyth Park and Bothell Landing.

Burke-Gilman Trail#

The Burke-Gilman Trail runs approximately 18.8 miles from Golden Gardens Park in Seattle to Blyth Park in Bothell, where it connects to the Sammamish River Trail. Together, the two trails form a 27-mile corridor from Seattle to Redmond that is part of the Great American Rail-Trail, a planned 3,700-mile route connecting Washington, D.C. to Washington State.

North Creek Trail#

The North Creek Trail runs north-south through eastern Bothell, connecting the Sammamish River Trail to Snohomish County’s trail network. Within Bothell, the trail is 10 feet wide and paved, passing through the Canyon Park wetlands with views of eagles, hawks, and waterfowl. When fully connected, the trail will link the Burke-Gilman/Sammamish River Trail system in King County to the Interurban Trail in south Everett.

North Creek Trail Section 4, the last missing segment within Bothell city limits, was completed in 2024. The $7.5 million project built 0.58 miles of separated paved trail along 208th Street SE, including a pedestrian bridge, structural earth wall, wider culverts, and wetland mitigation. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on September 17, 2024.

North of Bothell, Snohomish County is building additional segments at an estimated total cost of $22.8 million across three phases. Phase I (SR 524 to Sprague Drive, $7.1 million) was completed in fall 2022. Phase II ($7.6 million) and Phase III ($8.1 million, including a quarter-mile elevated bridge) are in design and seeking funding.

On-street bike facilities#

Existing facilities#

Bothell’s on-street bike network is limited. As of 2024, bicycle lanes exist on portions of:

• Bothell-Everett Highway (SR 527 north of I-405)
• 228th Street SE/SW
• Parts of 104th Avenue NE / 23rd Avenue SE
• Beardslee Boulevard
• 100th Avenue NE / Waynita Way
• Juanita-Woodinville Way / Brickyard Road

Most of these are conventional paint-striped bike lanes adjacent to vehicle traffic with no physical separation, which limits their appeal to less confident riders. Some facilities are disconnected, creating gaps that force cyclists onto streets without any bike infrastructure.

Citywide Bike Plan (2023)#

The Bothell Citywide Bike Plan was finalized in November 2022 and adopted by City Council on April 4, 2023. The plan identifies a long-term vision for a connected network of on-street bike facilities linking neighborhoods to regional trails, transit stops, schools, and commercial centers.

Key elements of the plan:

• Three facility types: protected bike lanes, shared-use paths, and sharrow lanes, with design standards for each
• Priority corridors: Bothell Way NE / Bothell-Everett Highway / 9th Avenue SE and 228th Street SE/SW are identified as the main on-street bike corridors
• Trail gap closures: Completing missing segments of the North Creek Trail and improving connections between regional trails and on-street facilities
• Grant competitiveness: Having an adopted plan makes the city more competitive for regional, state, and federal transportation grants

The plan’s full buildout vision would cost several hundred million dollars and is acknowledged as a long-term aspiration rather than a near-term commitment. Implementation depends on integrating bike facilities into capital projects as streets are rebuilt or widened.

Major projects with bike facilities#

Bothell Way NE Multimodal Improvements#

The Bothell Way NE Multimodal Improvements Project is the most significant current investment in Bothell’s on-street bike infrastructure. The project will widen Bothell Way NE from Reder Way to 240th Street SE, adding protected bicycle lanes, wider sidewalks, and transit amenities along a corridor that currently has only two vehicle lanes and few bike or pedestrian facilities.

The project also supports the Community Transit Swift Green Line extension into downtown Bothell and the UW Bothell/Cascadia College campus.

228th Street SE widening#

The city is widening 228th Street SE from three to four lanes, with bike lanes included in the new cross-section. This east-west corridor connects Canyon Park to the North Creek Trail and is identified in the Bike Plan as a priority route.

How the city plans and funds bike infrastructure#

Planning framework#

Bike infrastructure in Bothell is guided by several overlapping plans:

• Citywide Bike Plan (2023) – The primary planning document for prioritizing and implementing bike network improvements
• Imagine Bothell Comprehensive Plan (adopted December 2024) – The Transportation Element references the Bike Plan and establishes policies supporting bicycle improvements (Policies UD-3.5 and UD-3.6)
• Subarea plans – Several subareas (Canyon Park, Downtown, Filbert/Winesap) include bicycle-specific policies tied to the Bike Plan
• Commute Trip Reduction Plan – Employer-based programs encouraging alternatives to single-occupant vehicle commuting

Funding sources#

Bothell assembles bike infrastructure funding from multiple sources:

• Safe Streets & Sidewalks Levy – First approved by voters in 2016 and renewed in November 2024 for nine more years at $0.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value (about $500/year for a median-valued home). Of the estimated $9.9 million raised annually, 17% is dedicated to safe walking and biking routes – sidewalks, crosswalks, bike paths, and safety improvements.
• Federal grants – Surface Transportation Program (STP), Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), RAISE grants, and CMAQ funding
• State grants – Washington State Move Ahead Package and WSDOT pedestrian/bicycle program grants
• Capital Facilities Plan – Bike improvements identified in the Bike Plan can be added to the city’s Capital Facilities Plan for local funding

Safe School Walk Routes#

The Safe School Walk Routes Taskforce brings together representatives from K-12 schools in Bothell to identify and prioritize pedestrian and bicycle safety needs around schools. The taskforce maintains a prioritized project list and serves as a liaison between schools and the city. Since 2016, the Safe Streets & Sidewalks Levy has funded 15,000 feet of sidewalk replacements near schools and crosswalk improvements including flashing lights and pedestrian flags.

Advocacy organizations#

• Cascade Bicycle Club – The largest statewide bicycling nonprofit in the U.S. (nearly 10,000 members), based in Seattle. Conducts advocacy, rides, and education programs throughout the Puget Sound region, including Bothell.
• Washington Bikes – Statewide advocacy organization working on bike-friendly legislation and policy. Tracks bike-supportive elected officials across Washington.
• Northshore Senior Center Bike Club – A local recreational bike club based in Bothell.

Data sources#

• Bothell Citywide Bike Plan (PDF) – The full November 2022 plan document with network maps, facility types, and prioritization
• Getting Around Bothell – City page with trail maps, transit links, and active transportation resources
• King County Sammamish River Trail – Trail details, maps, and access points
• Snohomish County North Creek Regional Trail – Phase status and project updates for the Snohomish County segments
• Imagine Bothell Transportation Element – Comprehensive Plan chapter covering multimodal transportation policies and existing conditions

Key statistics#

Related resources#

• Downtown Revitalization – The downtown transformation includes bike-friendly Main Street and connections to the Sammamish River Trail
• Glossary: Transportation – BRT, complete streets, mode share, and other transportation terms
• Glossary: Funding & Policy – Levy, grant programs, and transportation funding mechanisms
• Timeline – Key events in Bothell’s urban development history
• The Urbanist: Bothell Finds Its Long-Term Vision for a Citywide Bike Plan – Analysis of the adopted Bike Plan
• The Urbanist: Bothell’s Proposed Citywide Bike Plan Falls Far Short of Expectations – Critique of the earlier draft plan

Last updated: February 2026