New link under Monroe Street Bridge connects South Gorge, Centennial trails

A 3-mile loop along the Centennial Trail is open for runners, walkers and community members looking for easier access to the other side of Monroe Street.

A portion of the trail that follows the Spokane River under the Monroe Street Bridge downtown recently opened connecting the South Gorge Trail to the Centennial Trail.

The area was blocked off during the $2 million construction project.

“This project makes a connection so that we can divert the pedestrians from around the Monroe, Main, Spokane Falls intersection and get them safely underneath the bridge and safely up the other side,” City Bridge Engineer Mark Serbousek said in a Facebook video.

The trail is the final connection to the Centennial Trail for people interested in walking along the Gorge loop, said Kirstin Davis, Spokane Public Works communications manager.

The 3.5-mile trail allows people to walk under the bridge without needing to cross Monroe Street, she said.

While the Gorge trail is not officially part of the Centennial Trail, it opens up a connection, said Loreen McFaul, Friends of the Centennial Trail executive director. It links both sides of the river along Monroe, and from a neighborhood standpoint, it allows organizations to host community runs or walks.

The connection between the Gorge and Centennial trails allows people to complete a 5-kilometer route, McFaul said. A portion of the 5K loop includes the Post Street Bridge, which is part of the Centennial Trail and recently opened to the public after being closed for five years.

McFaul said people traveling across the bridge can see the water, even if someone is on a scooter or uses a wheelchair.

“What I like is the wide, open railing metalwork that was done, and I’m delighted to see the beautiful orange planters … up with the trees to bring that landscaping across the river,” she said. “It’s really unique and fun.”

Christopher Baird walked along the bridge for the first time soon after it reopened.

He has worked in the downtown area for 25 years and would always walk along the bridge because of the trees, and he likes the new aspects.

“You can’t beat the trees and scenery,” he said.

Robyn Baird, who is Christopher’s wife, said it is nice to have a bridge connecting two different parts of Spokane, and she likes how accessible it is to restaurants and shops.

The Centennial Trail was built for community members to run, walk, ride and enjoy nature, McFaul said. Now, the trail, including the Post Street Bridge section, allows people to leave their car at home or work and walk to their destinations.