MARYSVILLE – Even though the new portion of the waterfront trail at Sunnyside Boulevard is paved, the city asks that people don’t use it until safety features are added, and it officially opens around Christmas.

Public Works director Kevin Nielsen said Wednesday that the 1-mile project is only about 50 percent done. It still needs to extend west and finish behind the Boulevard Grocery store. Eventually the trail will extend to the dike east of the wastewater treatment plant.

Public Utility District crews started the project by moving 14 telephone poles 10 to 15 feet west. Erosion control measures were made before city crews took out the vegetation and started leveling the path. Fill dirt was brought in where needed. The trail was then packed down, and covered with asphalt this week.

A planter strip and curbing will come next to separate the trail from the road.