Drone footage of the Eastside Rail Corridor – imagine how awesome biking here would be from King County DNRP on Vimeo.

With the removal of the first spikes from the old railroad tracks in Bellevue and Kirkland on Jan. 8, King County is preparing for the new Eastside Rail Corridor and regional trail.

“King County is taking the next step to achieving our vision for the Eastside Rail Corridor – including construction of a new major regional trail – by removing the antiquated rail track. The Eastside Rail Corridor will connect a world-class regional trail system that also preserves Eastside commuter rail options and supports an array of utility services,” they wrote in a post the same day.

The County’s removal project would more than double the length of the corridor that is free of the old rails.

A regional trail system will be included along with the new rail system, although planning is still underway. The county has stated that they plan to release a Draft Master Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) by February 2016.