In 2002, the Friends discovered the West Hylebos Wetlands boardwalk was deteriorating. Built in 1990 with used materials, the structure was rapidly failing in the harsh, wetland environment of the West Hylebos. Engineers estimated 2-4 years remaining before the structure failed. Ensuring continued public access to the park's beautiful interior meant replacing the 1.1 mile-long boardwalk.

Working with our partners at the City of Federal Way, and with strong support from local legislators Sen. Tracey Eide, and Reps. Skip Priest and Mark Miloscia, and Congressman Adam Smith, we were able to secure the $1.4 million needed to replace the boardwalk.

Federal Way Parks contracted with Epic Construction to begin construction during the summer of 2007. The park boardwalk is slated to re-open in November 2007.

Project Features

• The new boardwalk will follow the same general alignment as the historical boardwalk
• The decking will be constructed from recycled plastic lumber which will last longer
• The new boardwalk will be slightly wider, to allow for wheelchair access and will be ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant
• The project will include expanded viewing areas at the Brooklake Spur and the Deep Sinks.