The City of Bellevue is establishing a new Office of the Grand Connection, set to launch on July 16, to manage and oversee one of the city’s most significant urban planning efforts. The centralized office will focus on completing the design and implementation of the Grand Connection Crossing, a proposed pedestrian and bicycle bridge over Interstate 405 that would link Downtown Bellevue with the Eastrail corridor in the Wilburton neighborhood.
According to the city, the new office will consolidate staff from various departments involved in the Grand Connection program, streamlining project oversight, coordination, and stakeholder communication. The effort aims to move the Grand Connection Crossing beyond its current 30% design stage, which was completed in December 2023.
Nathan Torgelson has been appointed to lead the new office. He begins his role on June 30 and will serve as director, reporting directly to City Manager Diane Carlson. Torgelson brings over three decades of experience in urban planning, land use policy, and public-sector project management. He has previously held leadership roles in both Seattle and Kent, contributing to major development projects such as South Lake Union, Kent Station, and the Seattle Waterfront.
The city has also hired HNTB, an infrastructure and design consulting firm, to serve as an owner’s representative and assist in preparing project materials for upcoming state-level review. The Bellevue City Council is expected to receive its next Grand Connection program update on July 22, which will include project progress and funding discussions.
First introduced as a City Council priority in 2014, the Grand Connection program has already led to several related projects, including raised intersections near the transit center, public art installations like Piloti in Downtown Park, and the expansion of Meydenbauer Bay Park.
The project is envisioned as a pedestrian-friendly corridor that runs more than 1.5 miles, stretching from Meydenbauer Bay through Downtown Bellevue and across I-405 to connect with the regional Eastrail trail.
City staff working under the new Office of the Grand Connection will specialize in areas such as land use, placemaking, real estate planning, infrastructure delivery, stakeholder relations, and program financing.
According to City Manager Carlson, “The Grand Connection program represents Bellevue’s ability to innovate, partner and transform public spaces.” Torgelson added that he looks forward to helping shape the future of the corridor as it becomes “a generational advancement in how people interact with and move through Bellevue.”
