Skagit County to host ribbon cutting to celebrate new Song Sparrow Bridge

(SKAGIT COUNTY)- Skagit County Parks and Recreation will host a ribbon cutting event on Friday, September 19th, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Northern State Recreation Area. The public is invited to celebrate the grand opening of the Song Sparrow Bridge, a remarkable new addition to the region’s trail network, according to a news release from the county. The $50,000 bridge project was funded through real estate excise taxes and Special Pathways funding, which is an allocation of gas tax funding for non-motorized pathways. The Skagit Trail Builders were additionally contracted to organize volunteer work parties to help build out and repair existing trails to connect the Northern State Recreation Area to the SWIFT Center property. This project revives the historic experience of patients and employees who once roamed the grounds.

The event will begin at 1 p.m. at Thompson and Planters Drive, please follow the signs from the Fruitdale entrance to Northern State Recreation Area. The City of Sedro-Woolley and Port of Skagit will open the event with updates on two major local initiatives: the Sedro-Woolley Olmsted Park project, and the latest developments at the Port of Skagit’s SWIFT Center. At 2:15 p.m., transportation assistance will be available to the bridge site. A guided hike to the bridge will depart at 2:30 p.m., with the official ribbon cutting to begin at 3:00 p.m. Skagit County Commissioner Lisa Janicki, as well as representatives from the Port of Skagit Commission, United General District 304, and Skagit County Parks and Recreation Board, will provide remarks at the ribbon cutting.

The Song Sparrow Bridge and surrounding trail improvements represent a successful collaboration between the Port of Skagit, City of Sedro-Woolley, Skagit County Parks and Recreation, Skagit Trail Builders, and United General District 304. This unique partnership has resulted in not only functional and accessible trails, but also an engineering spectacle that blends beautifully with the landscape the Olmsted brothers designed at the site almost a century ago. The spirit and intent of the brother’s original design—emphasizing natural beauty, connectivity, and a sense of place—has been respected and enhanced, ensuring the site continues to evolve while honoring its historic roots.