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 June 13, 2025
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Question: When will I be able to ride my bike from Des Moines to Renton and back on a wide, safe, paved trail away from car traffic?
CM Quinn and County Executive Shannon Braddock
Answer: When the Lake to Sound Trail connecting the southern tip of Lake Washington to Puget Sound in Des Moines is fully constructed!
The Lake to Sound Trail will be a central connection point for the entire regional trail system!
When finished, the Lake to Sound Trail will connect Lake Washington and Puget Sound.
The newest segment opened on Saturday June 7, 2025.
King County Parks held a grand opening on Saturday for Segment C, Phase II of the Lake to Sound Trail in Sea-Tac. This new portion of the trail is 12 feet wide, flat, paved, fenced, and welcoming. It bridges over wetland areas with 4 boardwalks.
The beauty of regional trails is that they can be easily used by people of all ages from little kids on their balance bikes to elders using walkers or scooters. Hikers, walkers, runners, cyclists, and skaters can all use our trails! No dodging traffic. No dangerous walking on the gravel edge of a high-speed road.
People gathered with their kids and dogs for the Grand Opening of Segment C of the Lake to Sound Trail
The grand opening featured a parade of cyclists who zoomed through a banner. Little kids did chalk art on the trail. A small cadre of very happy dogs (on leashes) wagged their tails. There was even a bubble machine!
Passengers on planes coming in for a landing at SeaTac airport could easily see the trail from above.
Click on the image above to see cyclists bursting through the Lake to Sound Trail banner.
I was pleased to join King County Executive Shannon Braddock, SeaTac Mayor Mohamed Egal, Des Moines Mayor Traci Buxton, SeaTac Councilmember Peter Kwon, Renton Councilmember Ryan McIrvin, and Des Moines Councilmembers Gene Achziger and Yoshiko Grace Matsui as well as the Cascade Bicycle Club, Soos Creek Trail advocate Joe Miles, and many happy families to officially open this trail segment.
Left to right: CM Ryan McIrvin - Renton, CM Yoshiko Grace Matsui and CM Gene Achziger - Des Moines
Mayor Mohamed Egal- SeaTac, CM De’Sean Quinn, Mayor Traci Buxton- Des Moines.
Here are a few things to know about the Lake to Sound trail:
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The Lake to Sound Trail has been a vision of South King County leaders since 2008 when King County and city leaders from Renton, Burien, Tukwila, and Des Moines formed a partnership and then brought in more partners including WSDOT, the Port of Seattle, and Cascade Bicycle Club.
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The King County Council first dedicated $500,000 in the 2008 County budget for “South County regional trail connections”. Funding for the preliminary design and construction of the north segment was included in the voter-approved Parks Levy in 2014.
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To date, $42 million has been invested in design and construction of this trail thanks to two voter-approved levies.
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The Lake to Sound Trail is a project that is more complicated than other trail projects because there is no railroad track. It is not a conversion of a train track to a trail and there is no guaranteed right of way. It crosses multiple jurisdictional boundaries in an area that is already fully developed.
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Voters’ support for this proposed trail in the Parks Levies made this a reality and thanks to voters, taxpayers, and the dedicated work of staff, this trail will eventually give residents access to the entire regional trail system.
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Lake to Sound Trail is a great example of how an inspiration and an idea can become a reality that will serve thousands of people today and millions over time.
- Trails are safe places for people of all ages and abilities-- walkers, runners, cyclists, and skaters. Trails are a good public investment because they serve everyone.
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Grand Opening of the newest segment of the Lake to Sound Trail which will someday
connect Lake Washington and Puget Sound through South King County!
The goal of the D5 e-news is to share information about council business, upcoming community events, access to services, opportunities, and ways for us to build an even better King County.
Speaking at a Gun Safety and Lockbox Giveaway Event at Kent City Hall.
Community Passageways sponsored the event.
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At seven sites across King County, they distributed a total of 700 lockboxes.
Left to Right: Eleuthera Lisch, Director, King County Regional Office of Gun Violence,
Mark Rivers, Deputy Director of Safety -Community Passageways, CM Brenda Fincher-Kent,
CM De’Sean Quinn, Council President Satwinder Kaur and CM John Boyd - Kent,
and friends from Community Passageways.
On Saturday I joined others to celebrate the opening of segment C of the Lake to Sound Trail.
On Monday, my staff and I gathered at our district office in Kent. There, I met with Rebecca Singer, the new Director of the King County Solid Waste Division. I asked Rebecca about her long-term goals for the Solid Waste Division
In the afternoon, we met with Mayor Mohamed Egal and discussed plans to relocate the Mall of Africa. The Mall of Africa is a space for 41 different vendors offering products and services showcasing African cultures.
On Tuesday, I met with Metro General Manager Michelle Allison regarding transit security and plans for the RapidRide I line in South King County.
At the afternoon council meeting, the Council held its 10th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Awards. The awards are presented to community leaders who embody the spirit of Martin Luther King’s question: “What Are You Doing for Others?”
Click above to see the presentation of the MLK Medal of Distinguished Service
to Reverend Terrence Proctor
It was my great honor to recognize the long-time and continuing work of an outstanding leader in our community with an MLK Jr. Distinguished Service Award.
“What We Cannot Do Alone, We Can Do Together”
The Reverend Terrence Proctor has been the Senior Pastor of Church By the Side of the Road for the last 15 years. Prior to his current position, Reverend Proctor worked in education for two decades as a teacher, coach, administrator, and counselor. Over his lifetime, he has made our kids and our community his life’s work.
Rev. Proctor currently serves with distinction on the Tukwila School Board (District 4) bringing to the board his decades of experience working with kids and his commitment to building a strong educational ecosystem.
Rev. Terrence Proctor received the 2025 District 5 MLK Jr. Distinguished Service Award
King County Council held the 10th Annual awards ceremony on June 10,2025.
Reverend Proctor has been involved with creating, leading, and generating public support for countless community initiatives – ranging from forming a day care, advocating for affordable housing, developing a community garden, and founding a violence reduction program for youth that continues to this day.
Reverend Proctor also created and operates a drug treatment program out of his church. Church by the Side of the Road has one of the most diverse congregations in King County – a credit to Reverend Proctor’s welcoming spirit. In addition to community programs at the church, Reverend Proctor is involved with numerous school-based programs including Cascade Elementary’s Thanksgiving Food Drive, Showalter Middle School’s Mentor/Tutor Program, Foster High School’s Black Student Union, and the list goes on.
It was an honor to welcome Rev. Proctor to the Council Chambers to thank him
for his years of service to our community.
Reverend Proctor encourages, leads, and inspires in his work every day. He invites our young people to adopt a lifelong commitment to service to others. His message is “What we cannot do alone, we can do together”.
Click on the image above to hear CM Quinn comment on democracy and the rule of law
The council also voted on the county’s federal agenda. I spoke on the importance of standing shoulder to shoulder with our congressional delegation in defense of the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law. The Council will be traveling to Washington D.C. at the end of the month to meet with the congressional delegation.
In addition, the Council interviewed and voted to appoint Charles Parkins Director of Juvenile Detention.
The Council also voted on a motion proposed by CM Claudia Balducci asking King County Assessor John Arthur Wilson to resign his position.
The Budget Committee also reviewed and voted to recommend the 2025 sewer rate to full council. You can see that meeting here.
CM Quinn speaks with Mary Rabourn about Storm Fest where 600 6th graders learned about the effects of stormwater on the beach
Following Budget Committee, my staff and I joined Mary Rabourn for Storm Fest in Des Moines. We watched 600 sixth graders learn about the effects of stormwater on our ecosystem.
On Thursday, I met with Executive staff regarding the budget ordinance as well as the Strategic Climate Action Plan. I also was briefed by council staff regarding the RapidRide I-line. I also met with the Salvation Army regarding their work to provide shelter, housing, groceries, and hot meals for people in need.
On Friday, my staff and I attended a Crime Survivor Summit in Des Moines.
On Saturday, my staff went to The Mesh House to learn and connect with constituents’ lived experiences and concerns about today’s political climate.
King County Councilmember, District 5
Des Moines, Kent, Normandy Park, Renton, SeaTac, Tukwila
CM Quinn discovered this fabulous mural in downtown Kent around the corner from the D5 District Office!
The Renton Farmers Market is held on Williams Ave South - between So. 2nd and So. 3rd Streets. Metro's Renton Transit Center is one block west of the Market location, providing bus access via several dozen routes. Two-hour free parking is available at Renton's City Center Parking Garage - enter on 2nd Street.
On any day of the week, except Monday, there is a farmers market open in King County.
To find a market near you, explore the WA State Farmers Market Association’s Find a Farmers Market tool and navigate to the Regional Farmers Market Directories page to find directories for Seattle and King County. Be sure to pick up a WA State Farmers Market Directory at your market’s Info Booth, too.
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King County Primary Election is August 5
Click above to see a video about registering to vote
To register online, you will need either:
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A current Washington State driver license, or
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A current Washington State ID card, or
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Last 4 digits of Social Security Number
If you do not have either of these, you can still register by mail or in-person.
Registrations done by mail need to be received, not postmarked, by the 8-day deadline.
919 SW Grady Way, Suite 100
Renton, WA 98057
You can also register to vote in-person at a vote center or at one of our community events.
Find a Juneteenth celebration near you!
Celebrate Juneteenth in South King County
Renton is celebrating Juneteenth several different ways in 2025, and you’re invited to come celebrate and learn.
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Monday, June 16, at 7 p.m. at Renton City Hall for the City Council reading of the Juneteenth Proclamation.
Juneteeth will be celebrated in Tukwila at the Sullivan Center at Tukwila Village 14350 Tukwila International Blvd.
King County Council District 5 – a great place to commemorate Juneteenth
and then take your Dad to a Farmers Market!
Happy Father’s Day District 5!
Thank you for reading the nineteenth edition of our e-news. Please feel free to contact us and share information you have about your city or neighborhood at desean.quinn@kingcounty.gov or 206 477-1005.
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De'Sean Quinn (he/him/his)
King County Councilmember, District 5
(206) 477-1005 Send me an email
www.kingcounty.gov/quinn |
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