Metro continues to make improvements at Blue Lake Regional Park with money from the parks and natural areas levy voters approved in 2013.
The latest work includes four new restroom buildings and a rebuilt wetland trail and viewing platform.
Each new restroom building has eight single occupancy, gender-neutral restrooms. Two restrooms in each building are wheelchair accessible. The buildings were pre-fabricated off site, saving money by decreasing the cost of on-site construction, and making them less expensive to operate, and easier to clean and maintain.
The previous restrooms, some of which were more than 50 years old, had outlived their lifespan and needed a lot of maintenance, said Chris Woo, a Metro construction project manager.
More than 1 million annual visitors will also enjoy an improved, wheelchair-accessible wetland trail. The current asphalt trail will be replaced with compacted gravel. A new fiberglass and steel viewing platform atop new metal pilings replaces an aged wooden structure.
All of the architects and engineering firms for the projects are minority-owned, women-owned and emerging small businesses.