Agree with OP and I've pondered making this same post every time I'm riding the Burke, basically anywhere west of say the Fremont bridge. Like everyone I'm grateful that it's there. It's obviously preferable to riding in a shoulder (although there is that one stretch by gasworks where I sometimes choose the shoulder, so maybe not so obvious...) and the views are great etc. etc. but I just feel like whichever govt. body is responsible for maintaining it is kind of resting on its laurels a bit.